It’s been another solid season for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City but the Holy Grail of a Champions League title is still tantalisingly out of reach.
However, there’s little doubt that the Catalan now has the best chance of securing the title in European football’s premier competition for the first time since he did so at Wembley with Barcelona in 2011.
It’s been 12 long years since that epic performance and the way in which he has his charges playing now, it’s entirely possible that they could reach similar heights.
Although Real Madrid are the reigning Champions League holders, and it’s clearly a competition they love, they’ve yet to really be tested in this season’s edition.
Celtic, Leipzig and Shakhtar were despatched with relative ease in the group stages, and neither Liverpool or Chelsea were close to troubling Los Blancos.
That’s something which Man City will very definitely do with Erling Haaland spearheading an attack that will come at Carlo Ancelotti’s side in waves.
As has been seen in La Liga on numerous occasions this season, when their backs are against the wall, Real have crumbled.
In the Champions League they appear to play for the big ‘moments,’ and it’s incredible how many of their opponents are willing to sit tight and wait for their own chances rather than really put the pressure on throughout the ninety minutes.
As Guardiola showed with his tactics and team selection against Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening, he has the tools to overcome any threat that Real Madrid possess, and it’s a tie that, like Bayern, could be over in the first leg if City take the chances that will come their way.
Beat Los Blancos and then only complacency will stop City lifting the trophy.
Both Milan and Inter are in poor form domestically and neither are prolific in front of goal as the Serie A table via Sky Sports shows.
Pep has his side hitting their stride at just the right time and, injuries to key players notwithstanding, Man City will never get a better chance of a maiden Champions League title.
Man City have scored the most goals in the current #UCL campaign with 26 and conceded the fewest with 4… ?
Pep Guardiola's side really are the team to beat this season in Europe… ? pic.twitter.com/qUdi9nD2W2
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 19, 2023