Manchester City hammer Real Madrid 4-0 as Pep Guardiola vows not to 'overthink'
Pep Guardiola has been accused of "overthinking' things in his desire to win the Champions League with Manchester City.
In all seven of his previous Champions League campaigns with City, Guardiola felt the need to surprise his opponents — and made questionable tactical changes that wound up getting his team eliminated.
In 2018, it was subbing in Aymeric Laporte at left back. In 2020, it was dropping attack-minded Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez in favor of defense-minded João Cancelo and Kyle Walker. In 2022, it was removing his attackers too early to protect his two-goal lead.
When journalists asked how he was preparing for his team's crucial semifinal with Real Madrid, Guardiola knew what they meant — and he laughed.
"I'm not overthinking tomorrow. Don't worry, guys."
Indeed, Guardiola fielded an unchanged lineup against Real Madrid — and it worked out perfectly. Manchester City crushed the defending champions, 4-0, to cruise to the Champions League final.
City's first two goals came from Bernardo Silva, who ran wild down the left flank all game. Madrid's decision to put midfielder Eduardo Camavinga in left-sided defense gave Silva all the space he needed to create chance after chance for City.
"It's a beautiful night for us," Silva told the press after the match. "We knew it was going to be tough but to beat this Madrid team 4-0 at home was wonderful. It's a wonderful feeling to be in the final again and hopefully this time we can try to win it."
City will face Inter Milan in the final in Istanbul on June 10. While City are the stronger team on paper, Inter do have a habit of frustrating teams that play with City's freewheeling style.
"I watched the [Inter] game yesterday and they're a very organized team," Silva admitted. "They look very organized defensively and quick going in the counter-attack. It's going to be tough."
Silva's City teammates are optimistic about their chances, though.
"I swear, man," winger Jack Grealish told the press after the match. "You know when we're all together and we're just playing and stuff, especially here? We just feel unstoppable, honestly. I don't know what it is."
This is City's second Champions League final in three years, but the club has never won the Champions League.
If Guardiola can keep his cool — and refrain from overthinking — June's final against Inter may be the club's biggest and best opportunity to bring the trophy home.
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