City’s defeat against Real shows they have a lot to learn
MANCHESTER City and Pep Guardiola’s quest to finally win the Champions League will extend at least another year. City were ousted from Europe’s premier club competition last week after losing 6-5 on aggregate against Real Madrid.
Since their Arab takeover in 2008, the Champions League is the one trophy that has eluded City just as it has PSG.
Despite being arguably the most decorated manager in modern football, Guardiola has also not won the Champions League since he last led Barcelona to glory in the competition in 2011.
While City are one of the best teams in the world, they lack that comefrom-behind mentality that established Champions League clubs have.
What has let them down in this competition is an inability to come back like how Madrid did against them last week after trailing 1-0 after 90 minutes, how Liverpool came back from three goals down in the famous 2005 final and how Manchester United came back to beat Bayern Munich in the 1999 final.
Talent alone does not win you the Champions League and the best teams in the competition do not always win it.
As a case in point, Liverpool won the competition in 2005 when they were far from being the best team in the world and Chelsea also won both of their Champions League titles after having had difficult Premier League seasons.
City will probably eventually win the Champions League but if the manner of their exits from the competition in recent times suggests one thing, it is that they still have a lot to learn from the experienced sides in the competition.
City’s week was not totally bad as they now have a firm grasp over first place in the league sta ndings after they were dealt a huge helping hand by Tottenham who held Liverpool to a draw.
City now have a three-point lead over Liverpool and will fancy their chances of winning their three remaining league games against Wolves, West Ham and Aston Villa.
Liverpool’s remaining fixtures will be against Aston Villa, Southampton and Wolves.
Jurgen Klopp’s men also have the added responsibility of having to focus on their FA Cup final clash against Chelsea on Saturday as well as on their Champions League final clash against Real Madrid later this month.
The title race can still take another late season twist but it is City who have the upper hand.