Having come whiskers close to lifting and kissing the UEFA Champions League trophy in victory but losing to Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea, Pep Guardiola finally had his much-desired moment of winning the coveted holy grail of European football; The Champions League trophy.
Three previous attempts and a near miss couldn’t deter Pep Guardiola’s quest of laying his hands on the giant silverware as Manchester City’s manager.
The victory makes the Spaniard a three-time winner of the trophy having previously won it twice with Barcelona FC quest for a treble.
Eight league titles have been won since Pep Guardiola last lifted the Champions League, three in Germany and five in England creating an obsession for the Catalonian. Twelve years on and he is finally celebrating European glory again.
Manchester City won the Champions League for the first time thanks to a 1-0 win over Inter in Istanbul. Pep is a coach who is specialized in winning league titles, whose football has so often won out over the course of long seasons while contriving to find ways to come up just short in the big moments, has now flipped the narrative.
A celebratory Guardiola, whose demeanor spoke of relief, of a weight lifted, was in no mood to discuss what will happen next. Perhaps, freed of the pressure that has been put on him, a more expressive City will emerge. His rivals around Europe might hope so. A new one could now follow sometime soon.
Also Read: Global Politics Still Leaves a Stink on Sport as Novak Djokovic Received Jeers from Roland Garros Spectators
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City clinched the Champions League trophy in a tight contest against Italian giants Inter Milan thanks to Rodri’s 68th-minute goal on the night.
An emotionally drained Pep Guardiola heralded Manchester City’s title as victory as “written in the stars that it belonged to us”.
In his words: “This trophy is so difficult to win,”. It could not be different and we knew it, firstly because they are really good. ” This competition is a coin [toss]. But we were there. I think it was written in the stars this season that it belonged to us and we did. “Winning this competition and the treble is so difficult, and that’s why today is not important the way, it’s just to do.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City already overhauled Arsenal to retain the Premier League trophy and beat Manchester United to lift the FA Cup at Wembley to clinch a season treble. This victory in Istanbul saw them match the achievement of their city rivals in 1999 led by the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson
