CHAMPIONS || Manchester City - Chelsea || Guardiola's Revalidation: A Final To Equalize Paisley, Ancelotti And Zidane
Pep Guardiola has not stopped winning leagues since he sat on a bench, in Barcelona as in Munich or Manchester, where he has just raised his third Premier. In England, domestic titles taste like Champions, however incomprehensible it may be on the continent. The outbreak of the Super League helps explain it. However, neither Mansour bin Zayed, the Arab owner of Manchester City, nor Guardiola nor Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea manager, nor their owner, Roman Abramovich , are English. For all of them, the Champions is the tournament that gives meaning to their sports and economic bets, despite the British immersion made by the Catalan and at the same time he repeats how important it is to win the local tournament.
Read more: Could Guardiola Leave City If He Wins The Champions League?
Something as true as that the diaspora that he decided to undertake when he left the Camp Nou will only finish making sense when he returns to lift the greatest club title. So, without Messi , Xavi and Iniesta, his personal work will be complete. In Porto, today, it is just one step away for the first time, 10 years later.
The last time he achieved it was in 2011, against Manchester United, the same team against which he had achieved the first, in 2009. An English rival, as now, although Chelsea has little to do with that 'ManU' led by an autumnal Alex Ferguson. The current one is headed by one of the fashion coaches of the great German generation. Tuchel grew up in Mainz and made the jump to Borussia Dortmund that Jurgen Klopp left during Guardiola's Bayern stage, a fact that allowed them to get closer and meet at a dinner. For four hours the glasses on the table did not stop moving. The Catalan loves those long soccer evenings. "I learned a lot, in addition to good food and good wine," said Tuchel.
Read also: Zidane Stops Being Real Madrid Coach
VERSATILE WHEN IT COMES TO TACTICS
During his time at PSG, the German led the Parisian team to the final in Lisbon last year, but losing to Bayern left him marked. It lasted for months. He was called up by Chelsea after Christmas to replace Frank Lampard , and the transformation has been miraculous. As Ferran Torres , one of the Spaniards from City, says, his rival in the final "is a headache." Atlético or Real Madrid know it well.
If it can be similar to the City in something, it is in its versatility and adaptation: it can play in possession or against it. Both technicians have several tactical records, a fact that speaks, especially, of Guardiola's transformation since his arrival in the Premier. «They are two great coaches, at a very high tactical level. Both are able to manage difficulties and change during a match, “explains Gündogan , who played with Tuchel in Dortmund and now with Guardiola.
SPANIARDS IN THE FINAL
Ferran Torres is not the only one of the Spaniards involved in the final, although among the starters there may be only two: Azpilicueta , Chelsea captain, and Rodri , City midfielder. Both and Guardiola will be joined by referee Mateu Lahoz , chosen for the final that UEFA transferred from Istanbul to Porto because of the pandemic. The Turkish capital loses it for the second year in a row. Up to 16,500 spectators, most of them English, will attend the Do Dragao stadium.
Read more: UEFA Shifts The Final From Istanbul To Porto
Chelsea have won in their last duels against City, in the Cup and in the Premier, but Guardiola warns: "It's another competition." Tuchel's men fell in the final of the first tournament against Leicester, while City finished off the Premier. If he wins the Champions League, Guardiola will emulate Bob Paisley, Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane with three titles, although only the Italian with two different clubs.
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