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[ad_1] MANCHESTER: Manchester City have one foot in the Champions League semi-finals after a 3-0 win over Bayern Munich on Tuesday that served as a reminder of manager Pep Guardiola's brilliance despite his long wait to conquer Europe. Guardiola claimed to have been "emotionally destroyed" by the tension of a night on which his current side showed a clinical edge they have often lacked to get over the line at this stage of the competition. In the 12 years since Guardiola last lifted the European Cup as Barcelona boss, he has often been accused of over-complicating things in the Champions League knockout stages. That included three semi-final exits during his time in charge of Bayern between 2014 and 2016. The closest Guardiola has come to delivering City's long-awaited Champions League glory came in losing the 2021 final to Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea. Tuchel's appointment as Bayern boss less than three weeks ago appeared very much with this tie in

[ad_1] MANCHESTER: Manchester City's time to conquer Europe may have finally come after Real Madrid were slayed by the English champions on Wednesday to reach their second Champions League final. City thrashed the Spanish giants 4-0 at the Etihad for a 5-1 aggregate victory that exacted revenge for a dramatic semi-final exit to Madrid 12 months ago. Pep Guardiola's men are not just closing in on the trophy the club's owners have desired since an Abu-Dhabi backed takeover in 2008 began pouring billions of pounds of investment into the club. 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 their final three games. United will have their chance to protect their record as the only English club to do

[ad_1] BARCELONA: In the wake of Pep Guardiola's stunning treble with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain turning to Luis Enrique, it is clear Spanish coaching is in vogue. The duo, both treble winners at Barcelona, are joined by plenty of compatriots at other top-flight sides on the continent. Arsenal's Mikel Arteta, Guardiola's former assistant, ran City close for the English title last season. With a different approach to the game, Unai Emery has pulled up trees with Aston Villa, Bournemouth sprang for the exciting Andoni Iraola, while Julen Lopetegui helped Wolves avoid the drop and Marseille appointed Marcelino Garcia Toral in June. Spanish coaches have been increasingly appealing since the country dominated world football between 2008 and 2012, La Roja winning European Championships in those years, as well as the 2010 World Cup. Nations League victory this summer, under Luis de la Fuente, who replaced Luis Enrique in December, is a further boost afte