Is this Manchester City main man a failure at the biggest stage?

Pep Guardiola, the 49-year-old charismatic managerof Manchester City has won five trophies since arriving at the Etihad Stadium. 

He made Premier League history in the 2017-18 season by reaching a tally of 100 points, more than any other side in the competition’s history. 

However, this season, Liverpool are most probably breaking that record after breaking many more historical records during the course.

The only stone in his path has been the UCL, where Guardiola’s team have not been able to make it past the quarter-final stage, being knocked out by the likes of Monaco, Liverpool and Tottenham. 

“Last year was an extraordinary one for us but people say,’ but you didn’t win the Champions League’,” Guardiola told BBC.

“That is why I will be judged, if we don’t win it in my final period here then I will be a failure here. I know that” he added. 

In four years at Barcelona, Guardiola lifted the Champions League twice. If the Citizens do not win Europe’s biggest competition this season, he would have gone more than a decade without his hands on the trophy.

Despite this, Guardiola is still held in high regard at Bayern Munich, a club who would eagerly make him their boss again. 

Manchester City face Real Madrid in the first round of knockout stage games in the Champions League this season, although Pep’s team has three more tests domestically before traveling to Santiago Bernabeu.

Games against West Ham United and Leicester City come either side of the Premier League’s inaugural winter break. 

Guardiola’s side have struggled against some teams this season and have already lost six league games after a 2-0 defeat against Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham, which is the most Pep has lost as a manager.

Injuries have played a part in this season but a failure in the Champions League has no reason or excuses, as almost all the players featured and were a part of the competition too. 

The clash against the Los Blancos will not be easy for the Citizens as Zidane’s team has been in superb form this season and the record winners of the UCL also have a much better experience to manage any situation, unlike Manchester City. 

featured image credits- bleacherreport.com