Manchester City's journey to their first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy was a long time coming, but for Pep Guardiola, winning the competition was written in the stars.
Since taking charge at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, Guardiola had been tasked with leading Man City to European glory. Despite his successes in domestic competitions, the Spanish coach had been criticized for failing to replicate his continental success at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
But on May 29, 2021, Guardiola silenced his critics and fulfilled his destiny as City lifted the coveted trophy after defeating Chelsea 1-0 in the final.
In a post-match interview, Guardiola spoke about how this triumph had been predetermined: "It was written in the stars. I've always felt that we were going to win this competition, and I told my players that."
Indeed, City had been building towards this moment for years. They had invested heavily in their squad, bringing in world-class players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Riyad Mahrez, and Bernardo Silva, amongst others. The club had also shown patience with Guardiola, allowing him to implement his tactical philosophy and style of play.
The road to the final had not been easy, however. City had to navigate their way through a tough group stage, with games against Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig. They then faced Borussia Dortmund and PSG again in the knockout stages, before taking on Chelsea in the final.
Guardiola also spoke about the importance of his players' resilience and adaptability, particularly given the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic: "We had to overcome so many obstacles this season – injuries, the pandemic, difficult opponents. But we always believed in ourselves, and we kept fighting until the end."
One player who epitomized this spirit was the City captain, Fernandinho. Speaking after the match, Guardiola had nothing but praise for the Brazilian midfielder: "Fernandinho has been incredible for this team, both on and off the pitch. He's a true leader, and he deserves this trophy more than anyone."
As the final whistle blew and City's triumph was confirmed, Guardiola could not contain his emotions. It had been a long and arduous journey, but one that was always destined to end in glory.
"This is for the fans, for the club, for the city. I'm so happy to be a part of this," Guardiola said. "We've made history tonight." And indeed they had – a night that will be etched in the stars for Manchester City and their coach, Pep Guardiola.
