Pep Guardiola’s seven years at Man City have finally reaped full fruition. They became world champions at the tournament of champions. In just one year 2023, Man City has won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, European Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. An amazing journey for a team that 25 years ago was still playing in the English Third Division.

Man City also became the fourth English team to win the FIFA Club World Cup after MU (2008), Liverpool (2019) and Chelsea (2021). But none of MU, Liverpool, and Chelsea achieved a complete 5-goal like Man City. Sir Alex’s MU was very successful in 2008 but only “won treble” with the Premier League, Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.

Earlier this week, captain Kyle Walker said Man City still had to win more trophies to overcome Sir Alex’s MU. But the reality is that MU has never dominated world football as absolutely as Man City. In the scope of English football, Man City is also behind MU and Liverpool in terms of achievements. But to establish the number one position in football and play football at the highest level, only Man City can do it.

If another victory is needed for Man City people to feel fulfilled, it is the court battle with 115 financial charges that are causing The Citizens to face heavy fines. But that’s the story of lawyers. The year 2023 has been so perfect for Guardiola and his students

They have an excellent team with the best coach in the world, top players and even stars from the club’s training facility. Man City’s success is also shown in the fact that an English player, Phil Foden, has shown elite technical qualities that are not inferior to Brazilians.

When Phil Foden flourished in the FIFA Club World Cup final against the strongest team in South America, Rico Lewis was also full of confidence with his skills at the age of 19. That was the pride of English football that Man City helped build. build. Fluminense players, mostly veterans even 40 years old like Felipe Melo, could not stand the speed and intensity of Man City. Fernando Diniz’s free football was easily crushed against a superior opponent.

Man City this season has been criticized for being complacent and subjective, causing them to often equalize at the last minute. Guardiola will certainly deny this. There was no laxity in the 90 minutes against Fluminense. Man City players played with the spirit of a Champions League final. They pressed the opponent from the first minute, scored an early goal and maintained terrible intensity for most of the match. Pep Guardiola also rarely wore a vest in a match that he took very seriously.

But Guardiola is realistic enough to realize that the championship in Saudi Arabia is just a fleeting joy in Man City’s harsh and difficult season. They will return to the Premier League with worn-out fitness and Rodri’s injury (Man City lost all four matches in Rodri’s absence). 5 points less than top team Arsenal is the biggest problem in Guardiola’s mind. An easy victory over Fluminense does not mean that Man City will regain their best form in the Premier League where they have not won 5/6 recent matches.

If we put aside the glory of the FIFA Club World Cup championship, Guardiola and his team had a terrifying trip with 6,200 miles going back and forth, with 2 matches in just 3 days. And they only have 4 days off before their trip to Everton in round 19 of the Premier League. The difficulties now really begin for the number one club in the world.