DEFENSIVE stability is the key towards Manchester City winning the Champions League this season. With the high defence line in Guardiola's DNA of play, it is vital for every player in that line to be exceptional in their positioning and passing skills apart from the usual defensive skill set expected from top defenders.
"My job is to take you up to the last third, your job is to finish it. Tactically he was a freak. He sees things before it happens. He shapes the midfield function, prioritises it and emphasizes team play ahead of individual brilliance”. These were the words from one of football’s finest of talent, Thierry Henry about Pep Guardiola.
Fast forward today, Guardiola is about to take his Manchester City side to their very first Champions League final in his fifth season with the Sky Blues.
While many have criticised the hefty amounts of money spent by Sheikh Mansour during his Man City revolution, nobody could fault his ambition to achieve the finest form of football possible in England. Thirteen of City's 22 major honours have been won since Sheikh Mansour's takeover in 2008.
With the hiring of Txiki Begiristain as Director of Football and Ferran Soriano as CEO, Sheikh Mansour had a clear idea of his Blaugrana-esque revolution from the beginning. Guardiola was his final and most important piece to the puzzle.
Pep Guardiola is the master of total football. A concept of football made popular by the late Johan Cruyff. Arguably the most expensive way to play the Game.
Upon his arrival, Man City’s squad initially struggled in the first season to meet the demands of Guardiola’s needs. City finished that season third in the Premier League. The Citizens struggled in the group stages of the Champions League in which they finished second. Squeezed their way to the semi-finals and ultimately fell prey to Real Madrid.
There were deficits of quality in his inherited squad. Guardiola needed his defence to be solid enough to play the high line.
Investments were made by Manchester City to ensure Guardiola got his ammunition for his work.
The purchase of Ederson, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, Rodri and Kyle Walker to date are the key ingredients to the defensive structure of the team that has marched stylishly into the club's first Champions League final.
Man City began the season shaky in defence. They were struggling to get the central defence partnership right after the departure of Vincent Kompany in the summer. It was only after the first quarter of the season that the Ruben Dias and John Stones partnership came to life. Since then, Manchester City has looked every bit capable of winning it all.
Guardiola will have his work cut out to deliver the much-anticipated Champions League to The Citizens as he comes up against an equally top-quality opposition in Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea.
Tuchel’s Chelsea has already beaten Guardiola’s City twice this season.
Being the first coach to make it to the final of the Champions League in successive seasons with different clubs, Tuchel and his Chelsea side will certainly bring their A game to this much anticipated showpiece.
City's defence led by Ruben Dias must always stay alert for Kevin De Bruyne and the offensive sector to attack at will if they wish to grasp glory at the Estadio Dragao. - The Vibes. May 29, 2021
