Manchester City’s failure in the Champions League under Pep Guardiola has been labelled as ‘something almost tragic’ ahead of their next effort to win the competition.
The Champions League has become something of a millstone for Guardiola at Manchester City, with a series of disappointing defeats in it in recent years.
While Manchester City have enjoyed near total domination of English football under the Spaniard, Europe has proven to be a different beast entirely.
2017 to 2020 saw them knocked out of the tournament at the quarter final stage, with disappointing defeats to Liverpool, Tottenham and then Lyon.
Disappointment followed once again at the semi-final stage last season when Real Madrid pulled off a late, unforeseen comeback to win the tie.
It once again seemed that fate had turned against them, but BLD journalist Marcel Reif won’t be dishing out sympathy.
“My sympathy for Pep is limited,” he told Solothurner Zeitung.
“After all, he was allowed to spend over a billion on players. I think he is the best trainer, but not a great coach.
“He lacks the empathy that Carlo Ancelotti has. Maybe even he is still learning. He, who always gave us the feeling that he had invented the game.
“I always thought: Then take a step back from your madness with possession football. And don’t assume that the only one who knows anything about football is you.
“Maybe you’re doing something wrong too. When Guardiola comes down to planet earth, I’ll be ready to feel sorry for him again.”
