Pep Guardiola became the first manager to win a treble in Europe as Manchester City clinched their first Champions League title with a 1-0 win over Inter Milan in the final in Istanbul on Saturday, thanks to a goal from midfielder Rodri.
Fresh in the memory of football fans, the feat draws immediate comparisons with the Barcelona side of the 2008-09 season and is a fitting reward for becoming one of the most dominant European sides of all time.
The former Barcelona team won the Spanish League, King’s Cup and European Champions League, as well as the European Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup and Club World Cup.
Here’s how City’s squad for the 2022-2023 season compares to Barcelona’s historic squad for the 2008-2009 season.
* Team strength
Guardiola’s squad in the 2008–2009 season, which included defensive duo Carlos Puyol and Gerard Pique and a central trio of Sergio Busquets, Xavi and Andres Iniesta, was one of the main reasons Spain won the crown. World Cup a year later.
Brazilian full-back Dani Alves was almost unstoppable as he played an influential attacking role, as well as scoring many goals for one of the best attacking lines in the history of the game, which included Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry. .
City have the greatest depth of all-field squad in European football history, brimming with creative talent.
Players like striker Julian Alvarez, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez, who helped Argentina win the World Cup in Qatar, are struggling to get a place in the starting line-up. Followed by other top European teams.
Fierce Norwegian striker Erling Holland, who joined this season, seems to be missing in making Guardiola’s side a formidable force.
The 22-year-old striker surpassed Mohamed Salah’s record of 32 goals in a Premier League season spanning 38 matches and surpassed Alan Shearer and Andy Cole, who both managed 34 goals during the competition. From 42 rounds in the nineties. .
style of play
Guardiola’s legendary possession-driven style made Barcelona famous, with Barcelona dazzling opponents and the rest of the footballing world with their quick short passes, clever movement and tiki-taka exchanges.
This season was one of the biggest tactical revolutions that helped Spain dominate world football for years when they won the European Championship twice, including the World Cup title.
At Manchester City, Guardiola pioneered what he describes as “total football”, creating a fluid system in which no player is in a fixed role, complementing it with ferocious pressing that shows no mercy to any opponent.
City are flexible and adaptable and can change their playing style when needed.
Last year, City won the Premier League title without a player in a direct striker position, but since Hollande’s arrival, the team has a bigger attacking force that allows them to play in a more direct manner.
* Contests
Barcelona won the La Liga title in the 2008–2009 season with 87 points, nine more than Real Madrid, scored 105 goals and finished the season unbeaten in 22 consecutive matches.
Messi, Eto’o and Henry scored a total of 100 goals in all competitions, with the Argentina star alone netting 38 goals and Eto’o winning the La Liga top scorer award with 30 goals.
Goals from Eto’o and Messi helped Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United beat Manchester United 2-0 in the Champions League final.
Ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final, Guardiola won his fifth Premier League title, making City only the second team to win the title in three consecutive seasons and the fifth in English football history.
Next season they will become the first team to win the Premier League four times in a row.
City beat United 2-1 in the FA Cup final to become only the second English side to complete the treble.
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