Will Guardiola lift silverware in debut Man City campaign?
Published:
Robbie Purves | May 26, 2016
Pep Guardiola will now pack his bags and head to Manchester City in a move that has been years in the making.
The Catalan finished his Bayern Munich spell lifting a league and cup double and Coral now have him odds-on at 8/13 to win a major trophy in his first season at the Etihad.
Guardiola has tasted success wherever he has gone in his managerial career; but, the question is can he do it in England?
Blessed with success
Pep is one of the game’s most successful managers and has been chased by the Manchester City board since he left Barcelona for Munich.
With his arrival this summer, the Sky Blues look set to spend big for the Spaniard and mould a team he desires. No doubt, Guardiola will demand the purchase of high-profile, world-class talent, with a lot of City’s deadwood being shifted on.
A large squad overhaul is likely to take place at the Etihad during the summer window, as Guardiola cultivates his desired side for the upcoming campaign.
He has won the league in the first season of both Barca and Bayern and likes to shake things up immediately, introducing new faces and innovating with the side’s system. The six-time domestic league winner is 15/8 to lift the title in his first season at City as the club looks to compete with his old foe, Jose Mourinho at Manchester United.
During his three seasons in Bavaria, Guardiola claimed two league and cup doubles, wrapping up his tenure as Bayern boss with a penalty shootout win over Borussia Dortmund in the DFB Pokal. Just as he did at Bayern, his first term as Barcelona manager ended in a league and cup double, winning the La Liga and Copa del Rey.
Guardiola is a sweet 16/1 to claim the Premier League and FA Cup in his first campaign at Man City.
Pep to bring European glory
Txiki Begiristain, who showed faith in former Barca teammate Guardiola, and other figures key in bringing the manager to Manchester, will be expecting a return.
If there’s one thing the City hierarchy crave, its the Champions League that would confirm their place among the European elite.
Guardiola is regarded is one of the greatest coaches in the game and there is a reason why he was courted by Europe’s biggest clubs. However, the Catalan coach will leave to Manchester City this summer without the European glory he craved in Munich.
Despite this, the manager has an excellent record in the Europe’s finest competition. He won two Champions League titles in Barcelona with a side that dominated club and European football – Pep is 12/1 to lift the Champions League in 2017 after his disappointment in Munich this year.
City to emulate Barca treble
Some may say he was lucky to have phenomenal players at his disposal, but there was nuance in Guardiola’s approach in the victorious 2008/09 Barca season. Pep brought in Seydou Keita to marshal the midfield, bought Gerard Pique back to Barca from Manchester United, signed Dani Alves and promoted Sergio Busquets from the reserves.
Keita proved to be a key man in midfield with the young Busquets, and Alves with Pique, developed an understanding in defence. However, perhaps more interesting is who departed that year.
Huge names such as Deco and Ronaldinho were immediately shipped out. Guardiola doesn’t care about big names, he is committed to constant innovation and many have been causality to it.
Pep ended his debut season winning a treble.
Guardiola lead Barca to the final of the Champions League, where they beat Manchester United 2–0. In doing so, they became the first Spanish club to win the domestic cup, the league, and the European club titles in the same season. The treble winning season is regarded as one of the club’s finest seasons in its history and Guardiola became the youngest man to coach a Champions League winning team.
If there’s one thing Guardiola guarantees, its trophies. During his glorious Barca four-season spell, he lifted 14 pieces of silverware and in Germany claimed seven. The blue side of Manchester will hope he can continue his fine managerial record and dominate the Premier League and Champions League during his tenure at City.
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