Premier League: Eighth bittersweet title for Manchester City
Manchester City fans took to the Etihad Stadium lawn to celebrate their team's new title.
REUTERS - HANNAH MCKAY
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
The fourth title in five years won by Manchester City on Sunday confirms the domination at the national level of a club always referred to its European failures.
Is Manchester City the most unloved and unfairly criticized club in England?
This is the little music that Pep Guardiola himself whispers to journalists, convinced that the successes and regularity in the excellence of his team are not recognized at their fair value.
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Six podiums in six seasons on the bench, including four titles, a 2nd place and a 3rd, in the most difficult and competitive championship in the world, should make you almost unassailable.
But that hasn't stopped some from speaking of a "failure" for City this season, after elimination against Real.
"
People say that since this team has never managed to win the Champions League, it's a failure.
I absolutely do not agree, but I accept it
, ”swept the Spanish coach.
Manchester City certainly suffers from its image of being too clean, too well thought out, too well oiled.
When he wins, despite the compliments of aesthetes on the quality of his game, it's normal, almost boring.
When he loses, the critics rain down.
Premier League Champions 21/22!!!
🏆💙 pic.twitter.com/FzOuKblPZd
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 22, 2022
Premier League rather than Champion's League
"
Everyone in this country supports Liverpool, the media, everyone...
", even dropped Guardiola recently in a post-match interview.
“
Of course, Liverpool have an incredible European history.
Not so much in the Premier League, as they've only won one title in 30 years, but that's not a problem
,” he added as a spade.
“
If I had to choose, I would rather win the Premier League
” than the Champions League, Kevin De Bruyne said in March.
"
In the Champions League, you have to be good at times, but it's more of a lottery than the championship which is played over more matches
," he added, assuring that outside opinions were indifferent to him.
“
What is posterity?
Would what I achieved be more important if I had won the Champions League last year?
For me, as a player, no.
(…) At the end of my career, I will not look back on what I have not won
, ”he assured.
And neither is City.
A thrilling finale
Manchester City retained their Premier League title at the expense of Liverpool by beating Aston Villa 3-2 on Sunday May 22 in a breathless final day.
A brace from Ilkay Gündogan and a goal from Rodri gave City the much-needed win for their eighth title.
At the same time, Liverpool won in vain against Wolverhampton (3-1) and said goodbye to their dream of a quadruple.
City trembled when Aston Villa, coached by Steven Gerrard, emblematic captain of the Reds in the 2000s, and led by Philippe Countinho, another former Anfield Road, led 2-0 on a goal from Matty Cash (37th) and from the Brazilian midfielder (69th).
But Gündogan, who came into play just before the Villans' second goal, changed the course of the match.
The German reduced the mark (2-1, 76th) before Rodri
equalized two minutes later.
The Etihad definitely capsized when Gündogan scored the winning goal (81st) which put the Citizens out of reach of Liverpool.
(With AFP
)
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