Champions League final: Pep Guardiola admits he must win European title to cement legacy at Manchester City

Pep Guardiola concedes that he needs to win the Champions League with Manchester City to cement his legacy. Guardiola is widely regarded as one of the best managers of all time, if not the greatest, but has still come in for some criticism at City because of lofty expectations — particularly around their pursuit of European glory.

Ad After changing the way football is played at Barcelona, and dominating Spain and Europe while doing it, he followed it up with a spell at Bayern Munich. While he was barely challenged domestically in Germany, he failed to land the Champions League, which many regarded as a failure.

Champions LeagueHaaland points to 'unreal' Pep as reason for City move, cites Ronaldo inspiration5 HOURS AGO At City, he has again produced some technically fiendish football and the club scored 100 goals in the league last season as they secured the title. They also produced a relentless run of form in the second half of the current campaign to overhaul Arsenal’s title challenge, and in Erling Haaland they have a new, ruthless figurehead.

Nevertheless, the Champions League continues to elude Guardiola and City, meaning the Spaniard is yet to win a European trophy without Lionel Messi — despite being given the resources to spend hundreds of millions of pounds on left-backs alone at the Etihad. That could all change against Inter Milan on Sunday, when they will step out in Istanbul as overwhelming favourites.