City take inspiration from Michael Jordan and Jack Nicklaus

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Pep Guardiola is set to complete his sixth season with Manchester City. He has four Premier League titles to show for it but remains suspect in the Champions League.

As the Citizens take on the challenge of Bayern Munich on the continent, the Catalan manager has taken a different approach. Guardiola reminded his players that they will not be gauged on their defeats but their victories.

The former Barcelona star shared the examples of golf great Jack Nicklaus and basketball legend Michael Jordan to make his point. Guardiola pointed out their respective poor results in major competitions, results that do not tarnish their legacy.

Journo: How much do you want to win Champions League
Pep “A lot but in football, in sports you you lose more than win. Jack Nicklaus won 18 out of over 130 golf majors, Jordan won only 6 NBA titles in 16 years. He lost more than winning, that is sports”pic.twitter.com/Ig1RhNFkqP
— The Pep (@GuardiolaTweets) April 10, 2023

Accepting that the results might not go their way, the City manager admitted that winning the Champions League is their priority. They have come close to realizing their objective but failed to overcome the final obstacle.

“We tried to win the Champions League last season, the season before, we tried three seasons ago – every single season,” said Guardiola.

“We want to try, like we try all the time, but it doesn’t mean we’re going to win. How many US Masters or Majors has Jack Nicklaus played in his career?“In 30 or 40 years as a golfer, playing four Majors a year, like the Champions League. How many wins out of 164?“He had 18 wins out of 164. Wow! He loses more than he wins. That’s sport. In football, in golf, in basketball.“Michael Jordan, the best athlete for me, in basketball, won 6 NBA titles out of 16 years. He loses more than he wins. This game, all games, are so difficult,” Guardiola remarked.

Man City should be perfect in Munich

At the tail end of the 2022/23 campaign, City see fighting on two fronts. Their path is filled with tough assignments on each. In the Premier League, they are six points behind Arsenal but have a game in hand to reduce this lead.

In the Champions League, Bayern Munich stands in their way. The Bavarians have yet to drop a point on their European adventures and have only conceded two goals in the process.

Moreover, they will have Thomas Tuchel giving orders from the dugout, the same man who engineered their 1-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea in the 2021 final.

Understanding the gravity of the moment, one that can make or break their season, Guardiola wants his charges to be perfect on the night. He pointed at their past achievements, which will stay and want City’s current crop to etch their names in history.

"We fall, we fail, but then we rise and we conquer."
We are Manchester City, and we fight till the end. pic.twitter.com/5Dul4vPKkQ
— CitySide (@CitehSide) April 10, 2023

“What’s important is to be here, compete well, do our best, knowing that tomorrow at 8pm we have to be perfect, to try to get a good result to go to Germany. No more than that,” the tactician remarked.

“I live my profession that way. After that, if I lose, I lose. I’m not perfect. What’s important is we’re still there, after winning what we won last season.

“That’s the biggest compliment that I can give as a team as an organisation – we’re still there.”

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