Manchester City

The Team subbed as not being “United”. Manchester City is the team Historically known as the “Other Team in Manchester”. The Manchester Blues were always in the shadow of the great Manchester United. In their more than a century long history, the Reds have always been a bully for the Blues. They have spent more time on the top than the Blues. They usually win the head to head matchup known as the Manchester Derby. Manchester United has been a beacon of success for a very long time. But now, it’s City’s time to Shine.

In the year 2008, Dubai based Sheikh Mansour bought Manchester City and has overseen a magnificent transformation that has seen the Sky Blues become one of the best teams in England and able to compete in the Champions League. And, in the year 2016, Manchester City decided to change the way they compete by adding a crowning Jewel by luring the world renowned tactician and Manager Pep Guardiola. Guardiola was no short stuff. Guardiola started as a coach for the Barcelona B team and worked his way up to managing the Barcelona A Team from 2008 till 2012, during which time he won 14 Trophies. And then moved on to coach Bayern Munich in Germany for the next 3 years from 2013 till 2016 and won 7 Trophies there. So, Manchester City had been eyeing Guardiola for some time now.

2016/17

Despite bringing with him the world’s best and most dangerous method of playing, the “Tiki-Taka”, and the awe inspiring “Positional Playing Style”, Guardiola couldn’t achieve anything in his first year. That was the First Trophy-less season of his entire career. The only good thing that came that year was the Champions League Qualification, which they achieved in the last game of the season, finishing in 3rd place. Barely.

2017/18

Manchester City opened their Cheque book and spent £213.8 million to get world class players to help on their way to victory. They signed Left back Benjamin Mendy from French Club AS Monaco, Goalkeeper Ederson from Portuguese club S L Benfica, young Centre Back Eric Garcia from Spanish Juggernaut FC Barcelona, Right Back Kyle Walker from English Peer Tottenham Hotspur, Left Back Danilo from the other Spanish Juggernaut FC Real Madrid and Right Wing/ Central Attacking Midfielder Bernardo Silva also from French side AS Monaco.
Their Mission, The Quadruple. Bring All Four Cups Home. The Premier League Cup. The UEFA Champions League Cup. The FA Cup. And the League Cup. That year, they had their hopes high, and in February, due to injury situations, they lost the FA Cup in the Fifth Round and then lost to their English Peers Liverpool in the Quarter-Finals of Champions League. But they made history by being the one and only club able to get 100 points in Premier League Table and won the League Cup. And thus, they conquered the English League with nobody to oppose them. It was not even close.

2018/19

Guardiola yet again signed another great talent in Riyad Mahrez, a Right Winger, from their English Peers Leicester City. Yet again, they hoped for the Quadruple. This year, they won the FA Cup against Watford FC by opening the flood gates and scoring 6 goals against them in the Finals. They won the Premier League again in the 2018/19 season with no one to challenge them. But, they lost to Tottenham Hotspur, their English peer, in the Quarter Finals of Champions League on the basis of the “Away Goals Rule”.

2019/20

This season was particularly hard for the team as the team was riddled with a lot of injuries and was barely keeping itself afloat. One time, a journalist called them the “Infirmary”. They stayed in the top 4 of the Premier League while Liverpool won the League. Manchester Blues exited in the Semi-Finals by losing against Arsenal who went on to lift the FA Cup that year. And they lost to the French Side Olympique Lyonnais in the Quarter Finals for 3 years in a row.

2020/21

This year has been phenomenal for the Manchester Blues in almost all aspects except one. This year, their young talent Phil Foden exploded to the front, earning a name for himself and his value has sky rocketed this season. Foden has been deadly in the final third when he plays, with assists and scoring and everything. But, that’s not all. Manchester Blues once again steam-rolled through Premier League with no one to stop them. They already won the Premier League.

They had an upset in the FA Cup as they lost to Chelsea 1-0 in the Semi-Finals as their main Creative Midfielder and Captain Kevin De Bruyne got a minor injury. But, they reached the Champions League Finals this season, finally breaking the Quarter Finals 3 year straight upset.

Manchester City were in Group C alongside Portuguese Club FC Porto, Greek Club Olympiacos and French Side Olympique de Marseille. They dominated their Group to qualify for the knockout stages.

And in their Round of 16, they met Germany based Borussia Monchengladbach, whom they defeated on aggregate of 4-0. Onward to Quarter Finals.

In the Quarter Finals, they met yet another German League Juggernauts, Borussia Dortmund. The matches were quite interesting and Fascinating, but Manchester Blues steam-rolled them on an aggregate of 4-2. Semi-Finals await.

In the Semi-Finals, they were challenged by the French Dominators, the Paris Saint-Germain. PSG is no Joke. Neymar, Mbappe, Di Maria, Veratti, and? And nobody else. And, in the second Leg of their Man City meeting, Mbappe was injured and Neymar could not do it all alone and they fell to the Manchester Blues. Maybe the Manchester Blues should be called the Blue Devils like the Manchester Reds were called Red Devils.

And, here we are. Pep Guardiola finally back in the Finals of the Champions League. And Manchester City arrives in the Finals for the First time in their more than a century long history.

Verdict

A team which beat their age old bullies to become the best team in their city, and clawed their way up to become one of the World’s Best Teams under a Future Hall of Fame Manager Pep Guardiola. They clash on the Biggest Stage for Professional Football on Earth to claim their Final Silverware of the year and complete their Treble of the season. Welcome to a possible moment in History.

The Match Begins at 00:30(IST) on 27 May 2021. It will be played in Estadio do Dragao, home of FC Porto, Portugal which was Changed from Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium due to Covid Conditions. The match will be available for Live Stream on SONY SIX. A masterful exhibition of the beautiful playing styles of two exceptionally tactful coaches. Join me Live for the Final Showdown to decide the Club who “Rules Them All” for the 2020/21 Season.
This is the UEFA Champions League Final.

Expected Starting Lineup

Manchester City 4-3-3 / 4-4-2 :
GK: Ederson
RB: Kyle Walker
RCB: Ruben Dias
LCB: America Laporte
LB: Aleksandr Zinchenko
CAM: Phil Foden
CDM: Rodri / Fernandinho
CAM: Kevin De Bruyne
RW / CF: Gabriel Jesus
RM / LW: Raheem Sterling / Ferran Torres
ST: Sergio Aguero

Chelsea 3-4-3 :
GK: Edouard Mendy
RCB: Cesar Azpilicueta
CB: Thiago Silva
LCB: Antonio Rudiger
CM: N’Golo Kante
RM: Reese James
CM: Jorginho
LM: Ben Chilwell
LW: Timo Werner
RW: Christian Pulisic
CF: Mason Mount