Pep Guardiola is keen to win more titles with Manchester City after Istanbul triumph. “We have to work even harder next season, the next few years,” said the team manager after the 1-0 (0-0) win in the Champions League final against Inter Milan: “There are teams that win the Champions League and then disappear. We have to prevent that.”
Knowing himself, that won’t happen, Guardiola added: “But it’s a great relief to have this trophy. Now we are no longer asked whether we win the Champions League or not.” Since taking office in Manchester in 2016, Guardiola had repeatedly missed the big coup. Now they even managed the treble, and City had already won the championship and the FA Cup before the final in the Turkish metropolis.
“It was in the stars that we would win this season – and we did that,” he said now: “I feel tired, calm and satisfied. This damn trophy is so hard to win.” His team paid homage to Guardiola, who had already won a treble with Barcelona in 2009. “He’s a genius,” said Jack Grealish. “Being coached by him, the best coach in the world, every day is a good thing,” said striker Erling Haaland.
Haaland: “Want to do it again”
The Norwegian attacker also posed proudly with the “Henkelpott” on Saturday evening and happily bit into his winner’s medal. And he immediately announced the next great deeds.
“If after a few days I feel like I’ve won this trophy, I’ll definitely want to do it again,” he told TV broadcaster BT Sport after the win against Inter Milan. He’s pretty sure he’ll think so.
The former Borussia Dortmund pro, who scored 52 times in 53 competitive games in his first season for City, hopes his rise to the top will inspire youngsters too. He could never have imagined being able to show such successes at the age of 22. “But it shows that it’s possible for a boy from a small Norwegian town,” said Haaland: “Incredible”.
