How Sheikh Mansour's vision and Guardiola's coaching skills transformed Manchester City

Manchester City's time to conquer Europe may have finally come after European giant Real Madrid was brought to its knee with an unforgettable performance from the English champion.

City thrashed the Spanish club 4-0 at the Etihad for a 5-1 aggregate victory that exacted revenge for a dramatic semifinal exit to Madrid 12 months ago and booked its place in the final against Inter Milan.

Pep Guardiola's men are now closing in on the elusive trophy. City has spent billions of pounds to transform the club into an European elite after it was bought by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice-President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, in 2008.

While City has won six Premier League titles since then, the Champions League has so far eluded it. Guardiola's team came close in 2021 only to lose to Chelsea in an all-England final.

Now victory against Inter Milan in Istanbul next month could complete a treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, matching local rivals Manchester United's historic achievement in 1998/99.

A fifth league title in six seasons appears a foregone conclusion with City needing a maximum of three points from its final three games.

United will have the chance to protect its record as the only English club to do the treble in the first ever Manchester derby FA Cup final on June 3.

But City appears to have cleared the biggest hurdle standing between it and immortality by killing off the Champions League monster that is Madrid.

Carlo Ancelotti's men produced a series of thrilling escape acts to win the competition for the 14th time last season.

This time City made sure to twist the knife when it had the defending champions on the floor.

"It was so painful last season," said Guardiola. "We had what happened in our stomach for one year. I think today everything came out."

The collective brilliance of Guardiola's side shone through on a night when stars Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne were kept scoreless.

Only a hat trick of stunning saves by Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to deny Haaland his 53rd goal of the season saved the visitors from a historic humbling.

Bernardo Silva's first-half double was the least City deserved from a near flawless first-half.

Even when it took its foot off the gas after the break, Manuel Akanji's deflected goal and Julian Alvarez's cool finish in stoppage time gave the scoreline a fair reflection.

Guardiola said on the eve of the game that his legacy in Manchester was "already exceptional".

But a failure to win the Champions League at City has always been a stick to beat the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss.

Guardiola's last lifted the European Cup 11 years ago, with a 3-1 win over Manchester United at Wembley the high point of his glorious four-year spell in charge of Barca.

Seven years into his reign at the Etihad, City got its equivalent as the might of Madrid was made to look mediocre.

"One of the highest," said Guardiola on where the performance ranked in his managerial career.

The style, as much as the success, of that Barcelona team was why City built an entire sporting structure to lure Guardiola to the Etihad.

His former colleagues at the Catalan giants Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain were installed as the club's CEO and sporting director to entice Guardiola to England.

This marriage of great vision from the club owner Sheikh Mansour and the managerial brilliance of Guardiola is bearing fruit.

"You cannot always win, but you can try," said Guardiola.

"We have elevated this club to be there every year. This is what makes a big team, that come May or June you are always there fighting for titles."

Before Sheikh Mansour transformed Man City, the club was languishing at the bottom of English football with its occasional wins over top teams like Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal bringing joy to its fans.

But in the past 10 years, City has eclipsed those three big clubs in English domestic football and it is now just one win away from conquering Europe. (with inputs from AFP)

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