Pep Guardiola has admitted he needed to learn to control his emotions more effectively before guiding Manchester City to the treble last season.
A new club-produced documentary which will screen on Netflix from Tuesday goes behind on the scenes of City’s historic season, and shows the message Guardiola gave to his players at half-time during the Champions League final in Istanbul, when the match against Inter Milan was still goalless.
Guardiola is seen trying to settle the nerves of his players, reassuring them they can improve in the second half, before they went on to win 1-0 through Rodri’s 68th minute goal.
“You’re exceptional players, playing the Champions League final,” Guardiola tells them. “What you feel is normal, yes. But we don’t give up. Go, go, go. That’s why we are here. We adjust one or two things and we’ll be much more effective. Calm, guys, calm. Keep going, we’ll find momentum.”
Speaking in an interview filmed for the documentary, which is called ‘Together: Treble Winners’, Guardiola contrasted that message with the half-time team talk he gave his side during the 2021 Champions League final against Chelsea.
They had just fallen behind to Kai Havertz’s 42nd minute goal and went on to lose 1-0.
“Of course emotion is so important in the final,” Guardiola said. “The big personalities, the characters. How you approach the moment in half-time, how you overcome, how well you overcome if it’s not a perfect first half, because it’s happened.
“People are human beings, they have the desire to do well, to achieve it, win it, to lift it…
“I remember the final against Chelsea at half-time I was more aggressive with some players and it didn’t work…
“In the finals, there is not one player who doesn’t want to win it and do it well. And when that moment came by, OK guys, we have 45 minutes, maybe extra time, stick with what we have. I have to adjust something, we do it. Come on, let’s go.
“I control my emotions much better than when I was younger as a manager.”
The documentary also includes Kyle Walker’s now famous speech in the dressing room before kick-off. The England defender had been left out of Guardiola’s starting line-up for the match, and implored those taking the field to deliver for those on the sidelines.
“I love every single one of you,” said Walker, now City’s captain. “Come and make my dream come true. Please, I beg you. Right, come on boys.”
The six-episode documentary series charts City’s season from the moment of Erling Haaland’s medical ahead of his arrival from Borussia Dortmund through to their historic night in Istanbul and the celebrations that followed.
The issue of the 115 charges laid against the club by the Premier League in February 2023 for alleged breaches of financial rules are dealt with briefly, but without new material, using archive footage from Guardiola’s press conference at the time.
The lowest point of City’s season came in January, when they lost back-to-back games against Southampton and Manchester United.
The abject 2-0 Carabao Cup loss to the Saints was later seen as a turning point and Guardiola’s post-match team talk with his players is telling as he demanded an explanation from them for their poor display.
“Tell me,” he said. “Do you think it’s normal the way you performed? Something happens and everyone’s head is down. There is no one to do something. Do you think it’s normal, what we have done, for this club?
“Do you think it’s normal for the (fans) that travel, who don’t have money to pay for the heater at home and they travel, to come here, to follow us – do you think it’s normal to perform in this way?
“Wow. My team is not like that. We’ll be in trouble. I don’t accept that.”
Hayes concedes title race is over as Chelsea suffer dramatic Liverpool defeat
It has been a difficult week for Chelsea and their boss Emma Hayes.
After seeing their Champions League dreams dashed by holders Barcelona on Saturday, they had no margin for error when they travelled to Liverpool in the Women's Super League on Wednesday.
Six points behind Manchester City with two games in hand but an inferior goal difference, the Blues needed three points to stop Hayes' final season in charge from totalling unravelling.
But there was to be no respite for the Blues, who were at one point tipped for a quadruple but have been stuck in a downward spiral since losing Sam Kerr to an anterior cruciate ligament injury during the winter break.
Matt Beard's Liverpool put on a tremendous display to win 4-3, with Gemma Bonner scoring a stoppage-time equaliser to leave Hayes certain the title is out of reach.
"I think the title is done," she said after Wednesday's game.
"Of course mathematically it's not, but I think the title is done. Our job between now and the end of the season is to keep pushing until the end, but I think it will be very difficult.
"This team has done a tremendous job in my time here to push for titles.
"I don’t know if we have ever conceded four goals in a half before. Three from set pieces is just unforgivable. But I'm going to credit Liverpool."
Chelsea now need an almighty collapse from City, who may only require three points from their remaining two matches to seal the title, if their goal difference advantage holds firm.
Hayes believes fighting on multiple fronts has not helped her team, adding: "We looked exhausted but I don't want to make excuses.
"I want to remind our fans how much success we have brought over the years. It's just not to be this year."
Next up, Chelsea face relegated Bristol City in their final home game before Hayes departs to take the United States job, with City taking on Arsenal in Sunday's headline fixture.
Sancho outshines Mbappe as Dortmund seize initiative against PSG
Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho issued a reminder of his star quality as Borussia Dortmund beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie on Wednesday.
Niclas Fullkrug scored the winner after 36 minutes, taking in Nico Schlotterbeck's floated pass before driving a low shot beyond PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Fullkrug has now been involved in six Champions League goals this season (three goals, three assists), the joint-most by a German player in their debut campaign in the competition, alongside BVB team-mate Marco Reus in 2012-13 (four goals, two assists).
The star of the show, however, was undoubtedly Sancho.
He tormented Nuno Mendes throughout a lively performance, creating three chances for his team-mates – a game-high tally alongside Julian Brandt, Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi.
Sancho had completed seven dribbles by the halfway point, more than he managed in any full game for the Red Devils.
By full-time, that number had crept up to 12, the most by any player in a Champions League semi-final since Lionel Messi completed 16 for Barcelona against United in April 2008, and the most on record by an Englishman at any stage of the competition (since 2003-04).
Sancho even outshone Mbappe, who struck the far post with a curling effort early in the second half but was limited to just three shots totalling 0.17 expected goals (xG).
PSG did have their chances, though, with their total of 14 shots their most without scoring in any Champions League game since the second leg of their 2020-21 semi-final against Manchester City (also 14), when they were beaten 2-0 and eliminated from the competition.
Dortmund are now unbeaten in 11 straight Champions League home games, winning seven and drawing four.
It's their longest ever such streak at Signal Iduna Park, and they have also won four straight knockout games on their own turf for the first time in their Champions League history.
While Dortmund have a valuable lead to protect in Paris next Tuesday, Edin Terzic will be expecting a strong reaction from PSG.
The Ligue 1 champions have progressed from two of their last four Champions League knockout ties when losing the first leg, with the first of those successes coming against Dortmund in the last 16 in 2019-20 (1-2 away, 2-0 at home).
Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain: Fullkrug hands hosts first-leg win
Niclas Fullkrug fired home a first-half winner as Borussia Dortmund claimed a 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie in Germany.
Nico Schlotterbeck floated a pass into Fullkrug's path and the Germany international brought the ball under his spell with a wonderful touch before drilling a low shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 36th minute.
PSG, on the back foot for much of the first half, improved after the break and struck the woodwork twice in a matter of moments just after the restart.
Kylian Mbappe curled an effort against the right-hand post before Achraf Hakimi scuffed a shot against the other upright on the rebound as Edin Terzic's side escaped with a first-leg lead.
The teams will meet again at the Parc des Princes next Tuesday, with the winners of the tie facing either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid – who drew 2-2 in their first leg on Tuesday – in the final at Wembley Stadium.
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