The UEFA Champions League, the pinnacle of European football. A number of elite clubs have achieved its glory multiple times, while some have been fortunate to grasp the title only once. However for Premier League giants Manchester City its still an unfulfilled dream, and former Manchester United ace Rio Ferdinand claims its one trophy that Pep Guardiola must clinch with the club.
In his four year of stint with the club, Pep Guardiola has elevated Manchester City to absolutely new heights. Under the Spaniard’s management, City has been twice the crowned champions of the league twice, along with three Carabao Cup victories, and has become one of the most heavyweight sides in Europe.
ALSO READ: Arsene Wenger rejects Barcelona’s offer to replace Setien
However, the prestigious UEFA Champions League trophy is the one that is still absent in the club’s trophy cabinet, and Rio Ferdinand believes its the very honour that Pep must achieve at the club.
Rio Ferdinand claims winning the Champions League with Manchester City is a necessity for Pep Guardiola
United legend Rio Ferdinand believes a Champions League victory with Man City should be ‘natural’ for the ‘perfectionist’ Pep, an achievement that the 49 year old must grasp before he exits the Etihad stadium.
“Listen, with the competitive spirit Guardiola has, the perfectionist he seems to be and the obsessive nature he has, he would not be happy if he walked away from City without winning the Champions League,” Ferdinand said recently.
The Spaniard’s last Champions League triumph came all the way back in 2011 during his dream stint with FC Barcelona. Since then, Pep has been unable to muster the prestige again, neither during the three seasons he spent in Germany with Bayern Munich, nor with the Citizens at present.
“He was probably more successful at Bayern Munich than he has been at City but the fact he didn’t win the Champions League in Germany will always taint his time there,” the former Red Devils defender continued, “that is due to the level he has operated at in the past and the standards he set himself at Barcelona. I think it would be the same if this was to happen again at City.”
“He can say what he wants about not being judged on the Champions League because he has to protect himself — but he has been brought in to win this tournament,” Ferdinand added.
City beat Real Madrid 2-1 in the second leg (4-2 aggregate) in the Round of 16 of the 2019-20 Champions League last week, and will take on Lyon at home in the quarter final face off next Sunday.
If you like reading about MMA, make sure you check out MMAIndia.com
Also, follow India’s biggest arm wrestling tournament at ProPanja.com
Blink and you’ll miss it: Man agonisingly misses out on 230k in PSG vs Atalanta thriller
German DNA: RB Leipzig leave it late to secure maiden Champions League semi-final berth
