Pep Guardiola hint alleviates MC biggest fear for UCL final

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Pep Guardiola hint alleviates Man City's biggest fear for Champions League final

SPORT OPINION
By Daniel MurphyFootball writer
06:00, 7 JUN 2023

Manchester City go into the Champions League final knowing their biggest threat of losing comes from within. Self-destruction.

That's not to downplay the talent and qualities of Inter. They have reached Istanbul on merit, escaping a group containing Bayern Munich and Barcelona while overcoming their city rivals AC Milan in an emotionally charged semi-final. As Pep Guardiola outlined himself, Inter are the archetypal team that tends to give City bother.

"It's not easy to attack the defensive system that they use. We have to be with a lot of rhythm and be patient. They are going to do it with three, four passes and we have to do it and know the right tempo we have to play," he said. "This is the right kind of things in these type of games. We know what game goes through, you can get anxious and that will be a problem but they are used to controlling all the games in Italy and we have to defend really well.

"It is a final against a top team and we have to do it. We are confident, I'm so optimistic but at the same time I cannot deny the quality of the opponent. I have never done it and especially not in the final of the Champions League."

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But, frankly, even with the talents of Lautaro Martinez and Nico Barella, Inter should be no match for the unstoppable juggernaut that is City. They are a force of nature. Spearheaded by the best striker in the game, who is supported by the best midfielders, who are backed up by the best defenders. There are no weaknesses.

But City have been here before. Two years ago they were overwhelming favourites to lift the famous trophy for the first time but they failed. A narrow game defined by one moment of class but perhaps decided by one moment of weakness.

Guardiola's decision to not play either Rodri or Fernandinho, as he had done for every other game that season, but instead to revert Ilkay Gundogan to the sitting role was met with gasps of shock and concern upon its announcement. In the aftermath, it was largely credited as the reason for City's defeat to Chelsea in 2021.

Perhaps facing a Thomas Tuchel side that had hurt them previously had influenced the change, a shock decision to try and throw his opposite number off balance. Whatever the reasoning, it backfired and perpetuated the notion of Guardiola's 'overthinking' in big games.

That overthinking, making bewildering changes to a winning team in massive matches, had cost City before on smaller stages and had become a fear for fans. The bogeyman under the bed. Like an exposed thermal exhaust port, the one vulnerability to an otherwise indestructible Death Star.

But this year it has been absent completely. Though it took a few months - not helped by a mid-season World Cup - for Guardiola to settle on his strongest side following a summer of changes, once he struck the winning formula in mid-February he has stuck with it. For the first time in his seven seasons at the club, it's now easy to predict a City starting XI for the biggest games. The only position up for the slightest debate is full-back and with that firm footing, the Blues have stormed to the cusp of a treble.

Two years on from their Porto heartbreak, City can finally claim the elusive trophy but in the hours before kick-off there will be a certain dread creeping up the spine of supporters which won't abide until the team sheet is finally released. Will he overthink it agian? Surely not? How can you not play Rodri? Well, we thought that last time.

If anything can go towards quelling those nerves it's Guardiola's own words. He was asked about his fateful decision on Tuesday and though he remained defiant, insisting the call would have been hailed had City won, he gave the slightest hint that if given the chance he'd make a different decision.

"It was a gameplan like it will be next Saturday," he said. "If i tell you privately the reason why I took the decision in that moment you could say it was right but it is simple: If I lose, I am wrong, if I win I am right. You have to accept that in this business. It was a tight game and in many things we wer better than them but we lost. Would I do something different now? Maybe but that doesn't count."

City are on the verge of a crowning achievement. Eternal glory. They still might get beat, but it's hard to imagine any selection decision will be to blame this time.