Manchester City’s League Cup victory over Arsenal in February was the first taste of silverware for boss Pep Guardiola following his arrival in England 18 months ago, but the exceptional form that his team have shown recently suggests that it won’t be his last during the 2017/18 campaign.
City have dropped just nine points all season, are 16 points clear of second-placed Manchester United going into the international break, and are all but certain to lift the Premier League trophy in May. While two domestic trophies would be an impressive haul, Guardiola is sure to have his eye on potential European glory after advancing to the last eight of the Champions League with a commanding 5-2 aggregate victory over Swiss side, FC Basel.
City will go up against Liverpool in the quarter-final, and their success against domestic rivals during the last few months will give punters betting on City the belief that they can go all the way in the elite club competition. The Champions League has long been a target for the club’s wealthy owners, but they have rarely looked like they could trouble Europe’s elite under previous managers Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini.
That has all changed under Guardiola, who has revolutionized the style of play on the field by molding together a team with skill, pace, power, and exceptional passing ability. German international Leroy Sané has progressed considerably this season, while club legend Sergio Agüero has again weighed in with 30 goals in all competitions.
There is now quality in every position and a squad capable of coping with the demands of playing in several competitions. Take the example of Bernardo Silva, who took time to settle at the City of Manchester Stadium, but has shone in recent weeks and now has seven goals and ten assists for the season.
Breaking into Europe’s elite is the next step on the club’s journey, and they finally appear equipped to do so. The task of advancing to the Champions League final in Kyiv won’t be easy though, as traditional heavyweights feature in the last eight, including Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Juventus, who all know how to win big European matches.
Guardiola and City fans are confident that the team has the quality to thrive on the European stage, but the last hurdle will be the mental challenge as the club has only one European cup to its name in history, the Cup Winners’ Cup back in 1970. Agüero recently stated that City must get better at advancing to the latter stages of the Champions League, even if they aren’t on top form.
He said: “The club have invested a lot to try to win a Champions League and I hope it’s this year, if not the next. We have many good players. But those that are favorites are the big teams that may not be in good form and yet they reach the final.”
That winning mentality was on show in the League Cup final when City cruised to a 3-0 victory over Arsenal at Wembley. The confidence and swagger shown on such a big occasion will give City the confidence that maybe this is their year and that they can add the Champions League to their growing list of Premier League and domestic cup honors.