The noble jokers from the City Bank stuck like hot needles into the softened wax of Atletico’s defense wall and ensured that the English travel to Spain next Wednesday with at least a 1-0 lead for the second leg.
Sunday, 5:30 p.m.: Crunch time in the Premier League
However, this upcoming match in the European premier class has receded into the background at City. For the English champions these days it is also about defending their national title.
And there is the Guardiola team on Sunday (5.30 p.m. in the live ticker, you can see a summary from 7.15 p.m. in the sports show) before the possibly decisive game: It is a direct duel against Liverpool FC. The team that has won ten consecutive victories in the past few weeks and months premier league and which reduced the interim deficit of a whopping 14 points compared to Guardiola’s team to just one point. “crunch time” something like that is called today, based on American basketball.
“Liverpool is always there”
Pep Guardiola had already warned his family in January when they wanted to congratulate him on winning the next championship. “Liverpool FC is the team that is always there, that will always annoy us”the Spaniard was sure.
And even when Klopp declared the championship decided, Guardiola had raised his finger. “I just don’t believe him. Anything is possible and he thinks the same thing, otherwise he wouldn’t be the competitor he is. Both teams have shown in recent years that they can achieve an incredible streak of consecutive wins. Both could have 16, 17 wins in a row”added the 51-year-old.
“City is exceptional, Pep the best coach”
That’s how it should be. While Klopp and his team almost automatically won game after game over the next few weeks, City weakened at one point or another.
And Klopp knows exactly how to make Guardiola falter before the top duel: by swarming him. “City are exceptional, play outstanding football and Pep is the best coach in the world”Klopp said last week. “Analyzing Manchester City is a mix of fun and work: it’s fun to watch and on the other hand it’s about finding ways that others haven’t found or haven’t found often enough.”
Klopp’s strikers hit Guardiola
Klopp said it was never his plan to have the best team in the world. “I wanted to have a team that could beat the best team in the world. And we can do that.”
These are tips that Guardiola hears very carefully. And who meet the detail-loving soccer professor. After the 0-0 three weeks ago against Crystal Palace he almost went after the outstanding Crystal goalkeeper Vicente Guaita after the game.
Guardiola – petrified when losing points
As petrified, he had eaten up the frustration of the goalless 90 minutes and refrained from all substitutions. Stars like Gabriel Jesus, Ilkay Gündogan and Raheem Sterling had waited in vain for their substitution.
Guardiola has repeatedly been accused of losing his nerve in stressful situations and then being overly intimidated by his opponents. Whether there will be a similar scenario in the fight for the English championship of the 2021/22 season could already be seen on Sunday.