To play in the UEFA Champions League final is perhaps the greatest honour in club football, to make it to the ultimate game of the season is itself quite a feat. In City’s quest for their first Champions League title, Pep Guardiola’s men had to overcome the likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
Having completed the domestic double, Manchester City are preparing one last trick for the Champions League final against Inter. Pep Guardiola’s side might become the second team in English football to complete a treble win if they beat Inter on Saturday. Sir Alex Ferguson’s 1998-99 squad remains the only team to do so.
When the groups were announced in Istanbul last August, Manchester City were placed in group- G, alongside Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and FC Copenhagen. With four wins and two draws, City enjoyed a solid group stage and had a very little trouble in securing the top spot with 14 points.
Group stage Results: Sevilla 0-4 City, City 2-1 Dortmund, City 5-0 Copenhagen, Copenhagen 0-0 City, Dortmund 0-0 City, City 3-1 Sevilla. Also read: How Erling Haaland adapted himself at Man City?
City carried their group stage form into the knockouts and were drawn with RB Leipzig in the round of 16. After a 1-1 away draw in the opening leg of the tie, Erling Haaland bagged a record breaking five goals as Manchester City dumped RB Leipzig with a 7-0 return leg win.
After a thumping 8-1 win on aggregate in the round of 16, Pep Guardiola’s former club and reigning Bundesliga Champions Bayern Munich were next in the line. Manchester City took a dominant 3-0 first leg lead at the Etihad over the Bavarian club who only managed to draw in the return leg at home, City sealed the tie with 4-1 on aggregate.
City completed a German double in the knockouts and at this point if there was any team who could stop City from entering into the final it was Real Madrid. Manchester City were eliminated at the same stage last year by Real Madrid in a dramatic semi final, City fans feared that the aura and magic of the current title holders might hit them again. Also read: Los Blancos didn’t manage to meet their high standards : Real Madrid 2022-23 campaign review.
Los Blancos took a first half lead through a Vunicius Junior screamer before Kevin De Bruyne equalised from outside the box, the first leg at the Bernabeu ended in a tense 1-1 draw, following the first leg draw, Pep Guardiola’s side demolished Real Madrid in the return leg with a 4-0 win to advance into the finals of the Champions League.
Knockout Results (aggregate): City 8- 1 RB Leipzig, City 4-1 Bayern Munich, Real Madrid 1-5 City.
Stats–
- Matches played: 12 ( won – 7, drawn – 5).
- Cards: 20 yellow, 1 Red ( S. Gomez).
- Goals : 31 scored (2.59 avg per match), 5 conceded ( 0.42 per match).
- 7 clean sheets.
- Top Goal scorer: Erling Haaland (12 goals).
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