LONDON • More than £500 million (S$889.5 million) have been lavished on Manchester City, the most expensive squad assembled in Premier League history.
But it requires so much more than money to build a team of this extraordinary calibre, starting with a rare vision built on mastery of ball possession and the obsessiveness to bring it to life week after week.
Manchester United have shown that you can pour millions down the drain, or into Alexis Sanchez's bank account, and get nowhere without a strategy.
Only "special, special managers" can retain the league title - so many great coaches have failed to achieve it, including former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.
But, after City became the first side to retain the league crown since Alex Ferguson did so with United a decade ago, Pep Guardiola challenged his players to keep quenching his thirst for silverware.
His team matched their record total of 32 wins from last season and accrued a total of 98 points, the second highest in league history behind the 100-point tally they achieved last year.
Guardiola is more concerned with trophies than records, however, urging his players to retain their focus for Saturday's FA Cup final against Watford. The Spaniard is fully aware that City, who won the League Cup in February, are on the verge of an unprecedented domestic treble.
WINNING MENTALITY
The big competitors are never satisfied. The feeling is never enough. In tennis, basketball and golf, they want more and more.
PEP GUARDIOLA, on his ambitions for Manchester City.
He said: "We're so tired but, at the same time, winning is so addictive and, in a few days, we have the FA Cup final. It will be, for most of us, the first time in our lives we have been in an FA Cup final.
"No team in England has done (the domestic treble) before and we have the chance to it. We have to be focused in this game. The FA Cup is not an easy title to achieve."
While the City boss, who has now lifted four major trophies since joining in 2016, is expecting to face a challenge from more than one rival next term, he has plans to recruit new players in a bid to win the league title three straight times - a feat only achieved by Ferguson.
Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodri is reportedly at the top of his wish list, while Leicester defender Ben Chilwell is also of interest.
The 48-year-old said: "The big competitors are never satisfied. The feeling is never enough. In tennis, basketball and golf, they want more and more, and that is why winning back-to-back showed me this kind of thing that it was not enough, what they have done.
"We have to make the right decisions for next season to come back stronger, because Liverpool will maintain it and the other ones will be better.
"United must come back, Chelsea one more year with (Maurizio) Sarri will be better, Tottenham, we have seen in the Champions League and, when Arsenal do what they have to do, they will be there, too. We accept the challenge and I promise you we will be stronger."
However, whether Vincent Kompany - whose contract is up in the summer - stays is still up in the air.
The City captain, though, revealed Guardiola "starts everything off" and his "desire" from day one had transmitted to the rest of the players, giving them the confidence they "could win back-to-back titles straight away".
THE TIMES, LONDON
From Bielsa With Love! Leeds manager admits sending spy to Derby - Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has admitted sending a member of his coaching staff to spy on Derby County ahead of their Championship football match.
Leeds manager Bielsa admits sending spy to Derby - Reuters
"I've got five Champions Leagues, you have none," was Cristiano Ronaldo's icy response as he rushed through Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano mixed zone Wednesday night, after the former Real Madrid star's return to his old city had gone disastrously for both him and his new team, Juventus.
Mullin steps down at St. John's; Hurley next? | EURO-NEWS
Zaha sees appeal against ban for sarcastic clap at referee dismissed. The Football Association (FA Wilfried Zaha will be suspended for Crystal Palace's game against Doncaster Rovers in
FA bans Palace's Zaha for referee sarcastic clap
Newport manager believes shock City victory possible
CORRECTED-Soccer-Wenger hails Leeds' Bielsa for sportsmanship in Villa draw Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa's sportsmanlike decision to allow Aston Villa to score unopposed in Sunday's 1-1
MADRID (AFP) - A Spanish court on Wednesday (April 24) acquitted former Barcelona club president Sandro Rosell, who spent nearly two years in pre-trial custody, of money laundering.. Read more at
Spain court acquits former Barcelona president of money
BARCELONA (REUTERS) - Barcelona have one hand firmly on the La Liga title after winning 2-0 at Alaves on Tuesday (April 23), leaving them 12 points clear at the top of the table with four games to
FC Barcelona on verge of Liga title after beating Alaves
finalkickoff.com/fc-barcelona-on-verge-of-liga-title-after-beating-alaves/
FC Barcelona has one hand firmly on the La Liga title after winning 2-0 at Alaves on Tuesday, leaving them 12 points clear at the top of the table with four games to play. Should second-place Atletico Madrid lose at Valencia on Wednesday or against Real Valladolid on Saturday, Barcelona will be champions before they face Levante that evening.
Barcelona on verge of Liga title after beating Alaves | The
For the first few minutes of Tuesday's Champions League quarterfinal second leg between Barcelona and Manchester United, it looked like the Red Devils might just be able to recapture the magic that allowed them to overcome a two-goal loss at home last month and upset Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.
A Genius in Full Bloom, Lionel Messi Lifts Barcelona
Crowds flock to Argentine village to pay tribute to footballer Sala I didn't come to pay my respects to a footballer; I came to pay my respects to an exceptional man, a real warrior," said
Watch: Argentine village of Progresso to pay tribute to
AMSTERDAM, March 23 (Reuters) - The Netherlands will not be lulled into a false sense of security when they face a struggling, new-look Germany in their Euro 2020 qualifier in Amsterdam on Sunday, captain Virgil van Dijk has said. The Dutch beat the Germans 3-0 at home last October and came from
Dutch not favourites against struggling Germany - Van Dijk
Jurgen Klopp says Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could return to
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar