May 20 – Manchester City may have made history by becoming the first team to clinch the English “treble” of league, fa cup and league cup in the same season but they will ultimately be judged on whether they can finally land the Champions League says manager Pep Guardiola.
City’s 6-0 thrashing of Watford in last Saturday’s FA Cup final was a surprise only by virtue of the scoreline but the City boss knows that until his star-studded side wins the Champions League they will fall short of expectations.
City have now won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups since being taken over by Abu Dhabi owners in 2008. But the Champions League still eludes them.
“I said before that I know we will be judged at the end on whether we win the Champions League,” said Guardiola. “I know unless we do that it will not be enough.
But off the field dark clouds hang over City in terms of whether they will actually be allowed to take part in UEFA’s showpiece event. The Abu Dhabi-owned club have been referred by UEFA to an independent judicial chamber following an investigation into alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.
City have denied any wrongdoing and seem certain to try and delay any verdict by going to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if they are found guilty.
In a separate move, captain Vincent Kompany, now 33, has announced he is leaving to become player-manager at Anderlecht in his native Belgium.
“The time has come for me to go now,” said the defender after a decade at the club. “I will never forget how all Man City supporters remained loyal to me in good times and especially bad times. Against the odds, you have always backed me and inspired me to never give up.”
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