Pep Guardiola is likely one of the best managers of all time.
The Spaniard has received 12 home league titles throughout his tenures at Barcelona, Bayern Munich after which Manchester Metropolis, together with an abundance of home trophies and particular person accolades.
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Within the Champions League, his three titles – two with Barca and one with Metropolis – put him among the many greats with solely five-time winner Carlo Ancelotti having received extra.
However a within the final 16 represents one other missed alternative and leaves many questioning what might need been.
Within the 15 years since lifting the Champions League trophy with Barcelona in 2011, his second with the Catalan membership having additionally received it in 2009, Guardiola has solely had his fingers on the trophy as soon as – a maiden title for Metropolis once they did the Treble in 2023.
Guardiola himself would maybe be dissatisfied with that yield, having come so near including to that tally on a number of events with Metropolis.
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“We have now a rare workforce and extraordinary group of gamers, the longer term is shiny,” mentioned the defiant Metropolis boss after Tuesday’s exit.
However, given the uncertainty round his future in Manchester past this season, questions can be requested round whether or not this was the 55-year-old’s final likelihood to win the coveted trophy.
Close to misses and shut calls
It’s clear Guardiola sees the Champions League as the head – seldom is he extra animated than on a giant European evening.
That picture of Guardiola, head in fingers on the touchline or sporting a involved look and throwing arms within the air in frustration, is just not an unusual sight.
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Followers will keep in mind Guardiola delivered to his knees within the quarter-final in opposition to Tottenham in 2019 when Raheem Sterling’s last-minute winner was dominated out for offside. They’ll recall him waving his arms in frustration on the identical stage in opposition to Lyon a yr later.
Defeat within the ultimate by Chelsea in 2021 additionally stung however when Metropolis floor out a 1-0 win within the 2023 ultimate in opposition to Inter Milan to win their first European title and full a historic Treble, followers might need anticipated that to open the floodgates for extra European success.
As a substitute, they’ve solely received a single Champions League knockout tie since – in opposition to Copenhagen – and have misplaced 9 of their previous 17 European video games.
4-time Champions League winner Clarence Seedorf instructed Amazon Prime: “There isn’t a dialogue about Pep’s high quality as a coach. He makes a alternative and it’s [an attacking] philosophy – he desires to attain another than the opponent.
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“Nevertheless it comes at a excessive worth whenever you play in opposition to the perfect gamers on this planet at a sure level – [in] quarter-finals and semi-finals.
“I feel the defensive a part of his sport might be improved, however I do not assume he will change.”
Sterling’s 93rd-minute objective in opposition to Tottenham appeared to have despatched Metropolis by way of to the semi-finals in 2018-19 however it was dominated out by VAR for offside [Getty Images]
With Bayern, Guardiola didn’t win European silverware in his three-year spell on the membership, though he helped them to Membership World Cup and Tremendous Cup glory.
In distinction, Guardiola’s Barcelona aspect – which included the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets – have been near unstoppable in Europe with two titles received by a workforce extensively thought-about to be among the many best of all time.
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General, Guardiola has solely misplaced one ultimate – in 2021 in opposition to Chelsea with Metropolis – and whereas there’s a notion he maybe ought to have received extra titles, he stays the joint second-most profitable supervisor within the competitors’s historical past, alongside Zinedine Zidane and, in its European Cup days, Bob Paisley.
Solely Ancelotti has received extra with a number of managers having received two.
Since his debut season within the Champions League, Guardiola has managed extra matches within the latter phases from the quarter-finals onwards than anybody else.
Actual Madrid – Guardiola’s nemesis
Having spent most of his enjoying profession at his boyhood membership Barcelona earlier than happening to handle the Catalan membership, Guardiola mentioned Metropolis’s first-leg tie in opposition to Actual on the Bernabeu was his fiftieth time dealing with his nice rival as a participant or supervisor.
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He referred to it as his “birthday” however it has finally became an sad event for Guardiola, who has now been knocked out of the Champions League by Actual 5 instances – as soon as with Bayern and 4 instances with Metropolis.
In actual fact, since Metropolis misplaced the Champions League ultimate to Chelsea in 2021, no different workforce has eradicated them from the competitors.
The fixture has turn into an everyday one within the European calendar with the 2 sides assembly in six of the previous seven Champions League campaigns.
Guardiola has been within the Metropolis dugout for all of these and has watched his aspect progress forward of the 15-time European champions twice, struggling heartbreak within the different 4.
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Whereas there isn’t any disgrace in dropping to the European giants, the style of defeat has usually been agonising for Metropolis.
There was a dramatic and gorgeous extra-time defeat due to Karim Benzema within the 2019-20 semis, and a gut-wrenching loss on penalties after a cagey match on the Etihad within the 2023-24 final eight. This time, after a 3-0 first-leg defeat, any hopes of a comeback have been quashed by Bernardo Silva’s early crimson card.
Guardiola has been crushed by Los Blancos within the Champions League greater than every other supervisor, with seven losses in complete.
Was this Guardiola’s final likelihood?
Man Metropolis beat Inter Milan in 2023 to win their first Champions League trophy and full the Treble [Getty Images]
Three Champions League titles is greater than most managers may dream of and, since Guardiola’s first season as a supervisor, he has made it to the knockout phases of the competitors greater than anybody else.
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However his future in Manchester stays unsure along with his present contract as a result of expire on the finish of subsequent season and there are strategies he , his tenth season in cost.
Would Guardiola be content material along with his European document if it have been to not be improved?
There isn’t a doubt his aspect are in transition with 15 of the 23 gamers concerned within the 2023 Champions League ultimate not on the membership.
A trophyless season final yr – Guardiola’s first since his debut season in Manchester – was put right down to accidents and new gamers settling in.
However a second-consecutive season with out silverware would maybe elevate alarm bells.
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Metropolis are nonetheless within the title race – they path Arsenal by 9 factors however do have a sport in hand and residential fixture to return in opposition to the Gunners. They may also face their title rivals in Sunday’s Carabao Cup ultimate and are by way of to the FA Cup final eight.
However Guardiola has usually appeared to covet the Champions League above all else and there’ll possible be frustration that the competitors has introduced him extra anguish than pleasure up to now 10 years.