Pep Guardiola can equal a UEFA Champions League record set by four other managers – including Sir Alex Ferguson – with progression against Real Madrid on Wednesday.
The Catalan could become only the fifth coach to appear in Europe’s most prestigious final on four occasions. He’d join Sir Alex Ferguson, Carlo Ancelotti, Marcello Lippi and Miguel Muñoz on that elite list – and he’s showing no signs of slowing down.
Twelve months on from heartbreak in Porto in City’s Champions League final against Chelsea, Guardiola’s side stand on the brink of reaching the final hurdle for the second consecutive year.
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Having already navigated a group that consisted of Paris Saint-Germain, RB Leipzig and Club Brugge, a last-16 tie with Sporting CP and a quarter-final clash with Atletico Madrid, only the 13-time competition winners Real Madrid now stand in their way.
They will take a slender one-goal advantage to the Santiago Bernabeu too. City’s sensational display in the first-leg last week may have deserved more, but Madrid showed that – when you’ve got Karim Benzema in your side – there’s always a chance.
City took a two-goal advantage on three occasions across the 90 minutes, but were pegged back to just one each time – with the 4-3 final score an accurate representation of a crazy night at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola will be confident his team can get the job done in the Spanish capital. Back in 2020, a Kevin De Bruyne-inspired City came from behind to beat Madrid 2-1 in the last-16 – a result that announced the Blues were ready to mix it with Europe’s elite.
Previously in his career, Guardiola reached his other two Champions League finals as Barcelona manager – winning both, each against Manchester United.
The first was a thriller in 2009 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. Barcelona were dominant from the off and made a United side – who were in the peak of their powers – look quite ordinary.
Samuel Eto’o opened the scoring after some neat interplay by Guardiola’s two linchpins, Andrés Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez. Then, as usual, a bit of Lionel Messi magic made sure of the win in the second half, with his looping header securing Guardiola’s first European triumph.
They’d return to the same stage, against the same opposition, just two years later. At Wembley Stadium, Barcelona were at their thrilling best and swatted aside the then-Premier League champions 3-1 – Pedro, Messi and David Villa with the goals.
With it looking more and more likely Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool will be the team City meets if they get past Madrid, Guardiola would turn to his star players to be the difference and make his fourth final appearance a successful one.
His place amongst the elite managers is already secure, but Guardiola’s opportunity to break yet another record is re-enforcing his superiority over some all-time greats.
