This club feels more like it was built to the specifications of the world’s best coaches and has the best of everything money can buy, rather than grown up. At some point, it was always supposed to come across. At some point, establishing yourself as a Champions League powerhouse becomes more of an economic equation than a sporting challenge.
But that should not allow City to cover up the style in which they beat Real Madrid. A few days before the match, Guardiola had detected three elements in his players that he thought would be necessary to secure a place in the final against Inter Milan in Istanbul on June 10.
He said he felt “calm” with no more panic or anxiety. It also had the ‘tension’, the edge and the attention needed to perform. And, crucially, it was the ‘pain’ of last year’s events that saw City fall victim to that peculiar magic wielded by Real Madrid and only Real Madrid. Guardiola said the team had been forced to “drink the poison” of the game for a year. This was a chance to cleanse it.
Especially in the first half of Wednesday, this may be remembered as the culmination of Guardiola’s Manchester project, the culmination of the team Guardiola has spent the last six years building, polishing, polishing and perfecting. I felt.
By half-time City were leading 2-0 thanks to two goals from Bernardo Silva, but it was no wonder they were a little disappointed. Erling Haaland missed two glorious chances. Kevin De Bruyne hit a shot from the front of the goal.
