“The most important thing was the league when Roberto Mancini was here – it changed the mentality of the club”.
Those were the words of Pep Guardiola, praising the Italian manager for everything he had done at Manchester City, paving the way for the success he has himself had at the helm of the Etihad club.
After all, it’s true the Premier League club wouldn’t be where it is today were it not for all the work the current Italy national team manager put in during the early stages of the City Football Group project, which was then taken a step further by Manuel Pellegrini before the Spaniard took over.
Not only that, but City won the league in dramatic fashion due to Sergio Agüero’s last minute winner over QPR, which Mancini remembers fondly.
Speaking to Corriere della Sera’s magazine Sette, the 55-year-old said: “I have a beautiful memory of it. Winning the Premier League means winning one of the most important championships in the world.
“We had carefully built that City team. It won ahead of schedule”.
Manchester City’s current project started in 2008 when it was bought by the Abu Dhabi United Group, and it took them only four years to win their first First Division/Premier League since 1968, lifting the FA Cup the year prior.
What still eludes them is that Champions League trophy, which Guardiola was brought in to win.
Unfortunately for them, this year, when things were going well (especially after that first round win against Real Madrid), all football competitions have been suspended until further notice due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
