It’s Paul or nothing in Euro hunt

MANCHESTER CITY must win the Champions League to silence the doubters, says Paul Dickov.

Pep Guardiola has overseen unprecedented success at The Etihad since taking charge in 2016.

This season’s title triumph is the club’s fifth since the Catalan was signed up by owner Sheikh Mansour.

City reached the final in 2021 but fell at the last hurdle to Premier League rivals Chelsea.

This time round, only Serie A heavyweights Inter Milan stand in the club’s way after an impressive European campaign.

And Dickov (below) said: “Until we’ve won it everybody else is going to be pointing fingers at us, saying it’s the one trophy we haven’t won.

“The way the club is set up, they want to win every single competition that they’re in, and we’ve shown that over the years. They take one game at a time and don’t look too far ahead.

“But I don’t think we’ll ever get a better chance than now.

“Not because it’s Inter in the final but because of the form we’ve been in.

“Although it will be tough, City have to be favourites.

“Every City fan will be hoping this will be the year just so they can shut everybody up.”

Having cruised through the group stages, City saw off RB Leipzig in the last 16 and Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in the quarter finals.

Guardiola then masterminded a 5-1 aggregate win over Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid.

After a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu, City battered Real 4-0 in the semi-final second leg.

And former City star Dickov believes that win showcased the quality in Guardiola’s ranks.

“If City’s performance against Madrid is not the best by an English side in the Champions League, then it’s up there with the best,” he added.

“You have to take the opposition into account, Real Madrid being serial winners who won it last year.

“The big thing for me was not how fantastic City were with the ball. They didn’t let Real Madrid play. Especially in the first-half.”