It is 10 years since Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola last lifted the Champions League, and 50 years since the Citizens only European triumph in the Cup Winner’s Cup.
Despite coming close in recent seasons, such as the 2016 semi-final, there has been no repeat of either’s success. However, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager feels this could be the year that Manchester’s second club finally arrive on the European stage.
“I have a feeling we will do really well this season,’ he is reported as saying by BT.com in November. “I don’t know why but I’ve felt it from the beginning since we lost to Lyon. We know what we have to do. The season is so young and I’m very optimistic.”
That optimism is shared by pundits and observers alike. Indeed, Guardiola’s side are ranked as second favorites by sports.bwin.com, behind only German side Bayern Munich, who are the reigning champions. Is that cause for hope at the Etihad, or are they once again set for disappointment when push comes to shove?
Guardiola’s side topped their group with ease, seeing off Porto, Olympiacos and Marseille with five wins and a draw. That draw came away at Porto, their only rivals for qualification, and will not be seen as a bad result. The next round pits them against Borussia Monchengladbach, a tie they will fancy progressing in.
Bayern are the obvious threat, but elsewhere the big names are not looking strong. Both Chelsea and Liverpool topped their groups, but neither have been particularly convincing. Paris St Germain won theirs too but lost two matches in doing so. Dortmund, another strong German side, has recently dismissed their manager and both Barcelona and Juventus are still in transition to some degree. It could be argued the big hitters are far from the completed article, handing an advantage to Guardiola.
That is offset by their rather average domestic form. They were sixth in the table going into the festive period, having won five of their 12 matches, the same tally as Crystal Palace, Newcastle and fewer than Aston Villa and city rivals Manchester United. That could work in their favor though – if domestic success is looking beyond reach, then perhaps all effort and resources will go towards that elusive Champions League title.
Striker Sergio Agüero is, without a doubt, one of the all-time greats and has bagged 256 goals in 375 outings for City. His contract is up at the end of the season and sportinglife.com report he is scheduled to return to Independiente in his homeland as a swansong in his career. Could it be his final action in a pale blue shirt is to fire them to Champions League glory? It is certainly the sort of story the footballing Gods like to serve up every now and again and few who have graced the turf of the Etihad, or Maine Road before that, deserve it more.
There are still question marks over an aging squad, but the green shoots of the new era are there to be seen in players such as Ferran Torres, the 20-year-old who recently smashed a hattrick for Spain to help them beat Germany 6-0. Phil Foden is coming of age too, with the England midfielder scoring in Greece as Olympiacos were defeated 1-0.
Some of the old guard is beginning to look a little tired though, and it could be argued that the side viewed by many as ‘classic’ Manchester City is still in transition. David Silva has not yet been replaced and despite the likes of Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake joining, the leadership qualities of Vincent Kompany are still sorely missed.
If, as Pep believes, this is their year, then it might be that the weakened positions of some of the other European powerhouses is a contributing factor. That said, if that is mixed in with the exciting youngsters and a bit of luck on the field, anything is possible.