By his lofty requirements, has endured cataclysm throughout the 11 years since he collected his final crown. In 2011, a 3-1 win in opposition to at Wembley Stadium named European champions for a fourth time. Since then, Guardiola has been starved of comparable success.
Manchester Metropolis will attain their second Champions League last in three years if they will navigate previous Actual Madrid on the Etihad Stadium tonight.
However heartbreak in opposition to Chelsea in 2021 was nothing new for Guardiola, whose prolific home trophy looking over the past decade hasn't translated.
In 2011/12, what would show to be Guardiola's last season at Barcelona, it was Chelsea celebrating on the Nou Camp after Fernando Torres' iconic late strike secured a 3-2 mixture triumph.
The failure ended his memorable tenure as Blaugrana boss after choosing up the Supercopa de Espana, UEFA Tremendous Cup and the FIFA Membership World Cup earlier within the season.
Guardiola took a 12 months out to reside in New York Metropolis, however he did not keep away from the sport for lengthy. His thirst for silverware was too intense, and Bundesliga overlords Bayern Munich did not should ask him twice.
Three successive league titles adopted throughout his time on the Allianz Enviornment. Two DFB-Pokals, a UEFA Tremendous Cup and a FIFA Membership World Cup.
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However he could not convey European glory to Bavaria. Three years. Three semi-final defeats. Robust.
In 2014, former rivals Actual Madrid got here again to hang-out Guardiola by romping to a 5-0 victory throughout two legs.
A 12 months later, Guardiola was visited by one other ghost of his previous. Barcelona, to be exact. They progressed Bayern with a 5-3 win.
2016 got here subsequent. And it was extra Spain with out the S for Pep. This time it was Atletico Madrid's flip within the last 4, and so they snuck previous his German giants on away objectives after a 2-2 draw.
Guardiola reacted. Not by taking measures to make sure Bayern would not make it an unwelcome fourpeat, however by taking cost at Man Metropolis in 2016.
A transitional and trophyless maiden marketing campaign concerned Metropolis being on the incorrect finish of a last-16 traditional in opposition to AS Monaco's pre-raid star-studded aspect, dropping on away objectives after a 6-6 stalemate.
He picked up 11 trophies in 5 seasons in response, together with 4 Premier League titles and 4 consecutive League Cup crowns.
However his true prize has been clear, as a lot as he'll play it down. That European Cup - a primary in Metropolis's historical past - has evaded him.
Premier League rivals Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur obtained the higher of the Residents within the quarter-finals in 2018 and 2019.
2020 - in several, one-legged circumstances amid the Covid pandemic - precipitated comparable frustration. Metropolis suffered a shock 3-1 loss to Lyon - additionally within the final eight.
In 2021, ultimately, the time had come. Guardiola had reached his first last since that night time in London a decade prior. Metropolis have been heavy favourites in opposition to Chelsea, this time in Lisbon. This was the second.
However no. Kai Havertz's winner noticed the Blues carry their second Champions League title, leaving Metropolis damaged and crushed because the agonising wait rumbled on.
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Their exit in opposition to Actual final season may have harm simply as a lot. The Bernabeu was silenced after Riyad Mahrez fired Metropolis 5-3 forward within the 73rd minute of the second leg.
Someway, someway it wasn't sufficient in opposition to the membership that at all times appears to discover a means on this competitors. That is why they've received 14 of them.
Actual received 6-5 via not one, not two, however three stoppage-time strikes. It truly is past perception, and all of it comes all the way down to tonight.
Metropolis vs Actual. 1-1 after the primary leg. Etihad Stadium. Sure, this time, it is on Guardiola's turf.
And he will probably be praying for a special end result. In any other case, the prospect of an unmissable black mark staining his period of dominance in east Manchester - and his legacy - will proceed to stay a chance.
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