Many laughed derisively when Pep Guardiola stated in December that Manchester City had been going to win the Premier League for the fourth successive time. “My feeling today is we’re going to win the Premier League… People don’t believe it already after three draws but we feel we’re going to do it again, knowing that it is not easy because no team has done it yet. The difficulty is there and was last season but, if you ask me today what I’m feeling, we’re going to do it again,” the 53-year-old instructed the media forward of their recreation towards Aston Villa, one of many title contenders.
Manchester City’s head coach Pep Guardiola celebrates after the Champions League, Round of Sixteen first leg, soccer match between FC Copenhagen and Manchester City in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday, Feb. 13(AP)
The Blues had failed to select up full factors in three successive video games towards seasoned groups like Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur. They had been third within the standings, six factors behind leaders Arsenal, although with a recreation in hand. The naysayers and ridiculers then received additional emboldened as issues went from unhealthy to worse for Guardiola’s males: towards Villa away, they misplaced 1-0.
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Believe it or not, they haven’t misplaced since. They have since gained the Club World Cup, have reached the fifth spherical of the FA Cup, have completed high of their group within the Champions League and beat FC Copenhagen within the Round of 16 first leg, and lastly have introduced themselves again into title rivalry within the Premier League. At current, they’re simply two factors behind leaders Liverpool with a recreation in hand.
Since the 3-3 draw towards Tottenham, City have performed 15 video games throughout competitions, and aside from the Villa recreation, there has not been a single encounter the place they’ve dropped full factors. In truth, they’ve gained 13 out of those 15 video games and cut up factors with Crystal Palace.
In only a matter of few weeks, City have began to look threatening once more. The return of two gamers from damage Erling Haaland and notably talisman Kevin De Bruyne seems to have breathed life again into them, and this miracle might very properly proceed via to the top of the season. Embarrassed, the naysayers and ridiculers at the moment are trying away, avoiding eye contact with the backers of Guardiola.
Meanwhile in Spain, 35-time La Liga winner Real Madrid seem to have pressed their foot down on the fuel since their Copa del Rey exit final month by the hands of Atletico Madrid. Make no mistake, their elimination considerably killed the enjoyment of profitable the Spanish Super Cup a couple of days earlier than, the place they thumped arch-rivals Barcelona 4-1 within the closing.
Since the Atletico defeat, Real have performed 5 video games in La Liga and so they have gained 4 and drawn one. Presently, they’re main the La Liga desk, six factors forward of Girona, who’re eyeing to do a Leicester simply into their fourth top-flight season of their 94-year historical past, and 10 factors forward of third-placed Barcelona. In their 4 wins throughout this era, Real even thumped Girona 4-0 in what was a serious assertion of intent. And then on Tuesday, Real overcame RB Leipzig within the Round of 16 first leg on the Champions League.
At this stage, Carlo Ancelotti’s Real are agency favourites to win the La Liga. Barcelona and Atletico are just about out of the title race and whereas Girona have proven nice character to date, they might fall simply in need of profitable the title. Extraordinary issues don’t occur that always.
The title race in England, however, appears huge open with Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs and Villa promising to throw every part they’ve. But City may prevail. They have a whole lot of motivation going for them, too. For one
factor, no group has ever gained 4 successive EPL titles earlier than. Since the European Cup was remodeled into the Champions League in 1992-93, no English group has gained back-to-back Champions League both. With Guardiola’s nous and a bunch of extraordinary gamers at his disposal and up to date outcomes, the tide is already shifting and the doubters at the moment are queuing as much as wager again on City profitable the Premier League not less than.
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
