Champions League: Pep's disappointment!

Pep Guardiola is known as one of the most brilliant and outstanding strategists currently. This is undeniable, not only because he possesses his own Tiki-taka football philosophy that has captivated countless football fans, but also because the Spanish strategist is nicknamed "Midas" for being one of the few to win the top three leagues in Europe.

Pep's managerial career peaked with the resounding success of Barcelona, ​​the club he was associated with both as a player and a coach. During his tenure, the Spanish strategist led the Catalan giants to immense success across all competitions. They brought home two Champions League titles, three La Liga titles… and, most notably, the "legendary sextuple" that Pep and his team achieved in the 2010-2011 season.

Pep Guardiola had success in the Champions League when he was managing Barcelona. Photo: Getty

Besides his title successes, Pep transformed Barca into a fearsome empire for European football with his legendary Tiki-taka style of play. He also elevated Messi to a contemporary football legend, creating the Dream Team with the foundations that Barca continues to this day, such as Busquets, Pique, and Messi…

After leaving the club where he made his name, Pep also achieved great success at Bayern Munich and Manchester City. He helped these teams become dominant in their domestic leagues. However, ironically, luck in the Champions League has often eluded the former Barcelona coach.

The reality is that, from the 2010/2011 season to the present, Pep has never once experienced the atmosphere of a final in the most prestigious continental competition. In the 2013/14 season, Pep's Bayern suffered a crushing 0-4 defeat against Real Madrid at home, officially bidding farewell to the Champions League with an aggregate loss of 0-5 against the White Eagles.

In the 2015/16 season, Pep once again had to stop at the semi-finals, and this time, Bayern were eliminated by Atletico Madrid.

Pep's first season at Man City also saw a disaster of his own making in the Champions League. The Citizens were eliminated by Monaco in the round of 16. Last season, Manchester City also failed to overcome fellow English team Liverpool in the quarter-finals.

"Third time's the charm," after those humiliating defeats in the knockout rounds, Pep should have learned his lesson. However, this season the 48-year-old strategist once again had to swallow his pride and stop at the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The opponent who defeated them was not an unfamiliar face; a team that is frequently defeated by the blue half of Manchester in their domestic league.

More importantly, in both legs against Tottenham, Pep's team had many advantages, including a larger squad and playing at home in the second leg. Meanwhile, Pochettino's team was at a disadvantage due to injuries to many of their key players. However, whether due to complacency or some other reason, the Spanish strategist's team suffered a painful defeat on the away goals rule.

Besides the fact that Manchester City often suffers from psychological pressure in the Champions League, Pep Guardiola's team selection, personnel choices, and approach to the game also contributed to these unfortunate defeats.

Of course, the Arab owner brought Pep Guardiola to manage Man City not just to win the Premier League. What the wealthy owner really wants is the prestigious Champions League title. It's a trophy that's still missing from the Etihad Stadium team's collection. The Citizens also need to win the Champions League to be recognized as a major force in European football.

The disappointment of the Spanish strategist after another failure in the 2018-19 Champions League quarter-finals with Man City. Photo: Getty

Therefore, the Saudi Arabian billionaire fulfilled Pep's demands by bringing many quality players to the Etihad Stadium. In terms of squad depth at the moment, few teams possess as many quality players across all three lines as Man City. However, in football, money doesn't always guarantee success. In his three years managing the blue half of Manchester, Pep spent half a billion pounds, yet reaching the Champions League semi-finals remains a luxury for Man City.

It's a sad fact for the Spanish strategist that the last person to lead the Blues to the European semi-finals was Manuel Pellegrini, whose predecessor was replaced by Pep Guardiola. Meanwhile, Tottenham haven't spent a penny in the last two transfer windows but have still achieved what their Arab owner always dreamed of with Pep on the coaching bench.

Undeniably, Pep is building Manchester City into an unrivaled team in domestic competitions. However, the repeated failures in the Champions League are a bitter pill to swallow for the blue half of Manchester and Pep Guardiola.