The evening of May 29, 2021 will live long in the memory of both Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel.
The night in Porto ended with Chelsea lifting their second Champions League trophy while Manchester City were left forlorn after an excruciating maiden final defeat. Tuchel, just four months into his tenure, was hailed as a master pragmatist while Guardiola was accused of choking after a five-year build-up to City’s biggest ever match.
But fast forward 15 months later and it’s the German who has been dismissed by his club. After the European success, Chelsea went on to win the Super Cup and Club World Cup but fell to Liverpool in two finals on penalties in the League Cup and FA Cup last season.
READ MORE: Chelsea sack manager Thomas Tuchel
Meanwhile, Guardiola lifted his fourth Premier League title by pipping the Reds by a single point. It’s fine margins that decide glory but longevity that defines greatness.
Guardiola has not escaped bumps in the road himself, though, namely in Europe – who can forget last season’s late capitulation against eventual Champions League winners Real Madrid.
A Manchester Evening News poll in April found 63 per cent of City fans would rather their club lift ‘Big Ears’ than the Premier League title, if only one could be chosen. In fact, more than half would have given last year’s title to Liverpool if it meant a Champions League triumph.
But Tuchel’s sacking shows that the Premier League must not become a sideshow, however unlikely that may be given Erling Haaland’s goal frenzy. The Chelsea manager’s highest finish was third, which came last season, and even then he was some 19 points off champions City.
Speaking about them in January, Tuchel said: “They [City] are the benchmark, the best team in England right now. This is something we have to admit realistically."
He conceded that his team were way off the pace after a 4-0 loss to Arsenal in pre-season, admitting: "Given our last two weeks, our game today, we should not mention the two teams (City and Liverpool) in front of us."
Two Ligue 1 successes with Paris Saint-Germain do not mean anything in the Premier League. Guardiola ’s huge trophy-haul at Barcelona does not mean anything in the Premier League.
But the Catalan coach has proved time and again he can outwit the best of England, which has given him time to pull together bids for the Champions League.
He has reached the last eight every season while at the Etihad, this narrowing to the semi-finals in the last two campaigns. It’s league performance that decides longevity.
And so even if City don’t end up with their hands on the elusive Champions League this time, Guardiola is massively in credit time-wise – in spite of his looming contract expert date – thanks to his domestic achievements. Evidence that the league is just as important as European glory this season.
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