Man City manager's legacy on the line against Madrid

Man City dominated two seasons of English football, but time is running out for them to deliver in Europe, especially with the threat of a ban looming
It says everything about Pep Guardiola's status within the game that if he doesn't win the Champions League during his time at Manchester City it will be considered a failure.

Zinedine Zidane led Real Madrid to three consecutive European Cups between 2016 and 2018 yet still described the Catalan as "the best" coach in the world ahead of their last-16 clash at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.

It is a common view among the game's top tacticians.

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool have left City trailing in their wake in this season's Premier League and yet, in December, he also labelled Guardiola as "the best manager in the world".
 

But such lofty praise from his peers will not be enough to silence Guardiola's critics. Nor will two record-breaking title-winning seasons. Or a domestic treble. Or that he has redefined English football.

Guardiola was brought to the Etihad Stadium to win Europe's biggest prize. The fact that he has yet to lead City past the quarter-finals is, therefore, portrayed as a massive letdown.

It has also supposedly strengthened the argument that Guardiola can't win the Champions League without Lionel Messi.

They won two titles together, in 2009 and 2011, but while the Argentine attacker got his hands on the trophy again in 2015, Guardiola's drought has now entered its ninth year.

There were already question marks after Guardiola failed to turn domestic domination into European glory with Bayern Munich and he knows that he will face further criticism if he doesn't deliver in England either.

Guardiola claimed he would be sacked if he didn't win the trophy but it is inconceivable that the club would consider taking such drastic action any time soon.

He has transformed the club into serial winners and while Europe has been a disappointment, it is a cup competition and luck is needed. The City boss believes that a league victory is a truer test of a team's greatness as it rewards consistent excellence.

Fortune is a major factor in the Champions League and there's no doubt that some close calls have gone against Guardiola's City in continental competition.

They had a goal ruled out while attempting to storm back from a 3-0 first-leg deficit in their quarter-final clash with Liverpool two years ago. It was a dreadful decision but an irate Guardiola was sent off for protesting.





GOAL