So finally Manchester City did it. I’m referring to them winning both the UEFA Champions League and also the treble- or what in football means winning the 3 biggest trophies in order of importance – Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup. As Rodrigo Hernandez or Rodri as he’s known side-footed into the Inter Milan net, you could hear sighs of relief from Pep Guardiola, aware that he might have finally broken his jinx of not being able to win the most mystic and coveted trophy in European football, after leaving Barcelona. But why is the treble so important and so difficult to win?
Club football seasons are arduous and quite long. They start as early as August and can go on till June. Nine months of relentless frenetic action that can leave players injured and exhausted – mentally and physically. Sustaining such deep runs towards all the competitions simultaneously can take its toll on the players, staff and the manager. Having a deep squad is hugely beneficial, something which Pep Guardiola has been generously blessed with ever since he arrived in the blue half of Manchester. Having two world class players in almost every position means Guardiola has had the luxury of playing all competitions while not having to risk a drop in quality from his other players. We must not forget that his best player this season, Erling Haaland was rested during the World Cup in Qatar as well, as Norway didn’t qualify for the showpiece event in the West Asian country. They had to contend with a resurgent Arsenal, who threatened their Premier League dominance with a rare and unexpected title charge until it lost steam in the early weeks of May. Their run to the Champions League final too involved clashes with other heavy favourites Bayern Munich(Quarters) and Real Madrid(Semis). It wasn’t an easy journey and the entire team deserve immense credit for pulling off such a rare feat in football history.
The last English team to do it was Manchester United, back in 1999, when they famously scored two late goals to stun Bayern Munch to win the Champions League and cap off their own remarkable campaign under the great Sir Alex Ferguson. Since then, quite a few major teams from different leagues have done it including Barcelona and Bayern Munich(both twice) and Inter Milan. It’s more difficult for English teams to achieve this feat as multiple strong domestic teams exist to compete for the Premier League.
As the 2022-2023 season draws to a close, Pep Guardiola can finally know he has achieved and fulfilled his legacy at Manchester City, winning every competition he has played in there. Will there be motivation for the next season? Perhaps even more. His next target will likely be the Quadruple – winning these 3 cups in addition to the League Cup. Something no other English club has ever achieved. Liverpool were 2 games away from achieving it last season until they lost the league title on the last day of the season to Manchester City, and followed that up with a defeat to Real Madrid a week later. So will this be his motivation next season? Only time will tell – and another exciting transfer window!
Football on Tap! 