Pep Guardiola is the most studious coach in the history of football. It is also possibly the best, although that may be a matter of debate. But the Catalan did it again and will be in a new Champions League final, the fourth in his successful career as a coach: on June 10 against Inter of Italy in Istanbul. This work of art that is the Manchester City model 2023 is not similar to the one he built in Barcelona with Lionel Messi, Xavi and Iniesta, but in some ways it resembles him. Both excite, make beauty of the game. And both, Barça before and City now, managed to bring the colossal Real Madrid to its knees, that club as giant as any. This Wednesday, he overwhelmed him and thrashed him 4-0, with a goal from Julián Álvarez, who in a few seconds showed that he is made for big things.
The second leg in England, Guardiola began to win it in the corridors of the Santiago Bernabeu, after the 1-1 draw in the first leg. The Catalan dropped a garment a week ago when explaining why Erling Haaland's performance had not been good. Words more, words less, the coach said that the defenders, Rüdiger and Alaba, had played well centralized to guard the Norwegian and did not jump to the sides to catch those who entered through the internal corridors. In Pep's head that was synonymous with free spaces, the star of modern football.
Then, everything was simplified for Guardiola, who already knew in advance that Real Madrid was going to give him possession and that he was not going to pressure him in the rival field. There was the key space, that which was formed between sides and central, to be occupied. And there appeared in a solitary way that crack that is Bernardo Silva, who received from Kevin De Bruyne and defined perfect to beat the giant Thibaut Courtois. There were 22 minutes and the advantage was deserved because the local had done a monologue.
Photo: REUTERS/Carl Recine
Before the goal, Courtois had blocked two headers inches away from Haaland. Manchester had also handled the ball with precision and speed. It was a festival of passes and triangulations, of accelerations and perfect controls, of tactical and intelligent movements like that of John Stones, who goes from center back to midfielder in each of the attacking plays. A fact: possession of the ball was favorable to the locals by 70 percent. It reduced Real Madrid to nothing, making them look like a better team in the Premier League. Only the Spaniards had one clear: a distant shot from Toni Kroos that crashed onto the crossbar.
The second goal, just as deserved as the first, came after an attack on the studied space of Ilkay Gündogan and culminated with the definition of Bernardo Silva after a high rebound in Militao.
Photo: REUTERS/Carl Recine
And Real Madrid had nothing to do anymore because there was no place for miracles. The performance of those commanded by Guardiola was unappealable. Militao collided with a cross from De Bruyne and scored against the 3-0. It was all a party at the Etihad.
The finishing touch for the Argentines was put by Julián Álvarez, born Calchín and trained in River. Haaland can't sleep, as much as he's a lethal goalscorer. Because the Norwegian left at 43 minutes of the second half and in 120 seconds the Spider beat Courtois, that Belgian goalkeeper whom the Norwegian could not mark in almost 180 minutes. Álvarez drew a diagonal to the penalty spot, received Foden's clearance and touched it gently to the goalkeeper's right post.
Photo: EFE/EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN
It was an anthological dance that gave Manchester to Real Madrid and the 4-0 perfectly paints what the development was. In England, Guardiola's team is usually unbeatable. The numbers support the sentence: for the Champions League he has an unbeaten 25 games, with 24 wins and a draw, with 80 goals in favor and 19 against. The last time he lost? on 19 September 2018, 1–2 against Lyon of France in the group stage.
Manchester City won and will play a new Champions League final, this time against Inter of Lautaro Martínez and Joaquín Correa. The English cast prevailed because it is, without a doubt, the best team today. And because it has a coach, Pep Guardiola, who can see everything and much more too.
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