What next for Manchester City if they win the Champions League? June 8, 2023 When the Abu Dhabi United Group bought Manchester City almost 15 years ago, the new owners’ stated aim was to turn a club who had gone 30 years without a major trophy into a major European force. On Saturday against Inter Milan in Istanbul, City could tick the last box on their checklist by winning [...]
Man City vs Man United 1999: How would 2023 treble stack up? June 4, 2023 As the result of a match, where a trophy was up for grabs, turned Manchester blue yet again, City went within one win of an iconic treble – something English football has not seen since United’s feat in 1998-1999. So with their 2-1 FA Cup final win over United leaving Pep Guardiola’s side two thirds [...]
FA Cup final: Man charged for ’97’ shirt referencing Hillsborough June 4, 2023 A man has been charged for wearing a shirt at the FA Cup final on Saturday which appeared to be a reference to the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. The fan, a 33-year-old male from Warwickshire, was charged with displaying abusive or threatening writing likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress after he was pictured with a [...]
FA Cup final: Pep Guardiola and Erik ten Hag cup final records compared June 2, 2023 For a manager accused of over-thinking big games, Pep Guardiola almost always gets it right when a trophy is in sight – but his opponent in Saturday’s FA Cup final, Erik ten Hag is no slouch either. Late on a balmy April evening in 2011, Angel di Maria scampered down the left flank towards the [...]
Six Premier League clubs in Forbes’ top 10 most valuable June 1, 2023 Six Premier league clubs have made the top 10 in Forbes’ world’s most valuable football teams list. While Spanish giants and reigning Champions League winners Real Madrid top the list with a valuation of $6.07bn, three of the top five are English clubs. Manchester United ($6bn valuation) are second with Barcelona third. At an estimated [...]
Trevor Steven: Why Pep Guardiola is my Premier League manager of the season May 29, 2023 Trevor Steven on why Pep Guardiola pips Ten Hag, Emery, De Zerbi, Howe, Arteta and O’Neil to his Premier League manager of the year award. So many different storylines emerged during the Premier League season that finished on Sunday, one of the most volatile campaigns that I can remember. Some big clubs and managers badly [...]
Pep Guardiola makes U-turn over Champions League after clinching Premier League May 21, 2023 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admits they must win the Champions League to be considered among the greats despite clinching a fifth Premier League in six years. City lifted the domestic title in front of their home fans after beating Chelsea 1-0 on Sunday, 24 hours after their successful defence was confirmed by Arsenal’s defeat [...]
Manchester City, Premier League titles and the many asterisks in European football May 21, 2023 Release the ticker tape, crank up Blue Moon and fetch Pep Guardiola’s dancing shoes: Manchester City are Premier League champions again for the fifth time in six years and the seventh time in a decade. With FA Cup and Champions League final appearances to come before the season is out, there is every chance that [...]
Guardiola: My Manchester City legacy is already exceptional May 16, 2023 Pep Guardiola insists his legacy at Manchester City is “already exceptional” despite his team’s failure to win a European trophy. City can take a major step towards remedying that when they face Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final at the Etihad Stadium tonight, having drawn 1-1 in Madrid last week. [...]
Trevor Steven: Treble is in sight for Pep Guardiola’s best Manchester City team yet May 16, 2023 Manchester City couldn’t ask for a much better chance to beat Real Madrid and reach another Champions League final than the one they face tomorrow. City are fortunate to have home advantage for a second leg in which they know exactly what they will have to do, having drawn 1-1 in Spain last week. After [...]