Man City eye rare Champions League repeat

MANCHESTER, England (AP):

History is not on Pep Guardiola’s side as he tries to lead Manchester City to back-to-back Champions League titles this season.

Real Madrid are the only club to retain the trophy in the modern era by winning it three times in a row, from 2016-18.

“We’re incredibly happy to defend this crown, but this competition doesn’t allow you mistakes,” Guardiola said ahead of City’s opening Group G game against Red Star Belgrade today.

The European Cup was rebranded as the Champions League in 1992 and no team had successfully defended the trophy until a Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired Madrid in 2017. The Spanish giant went on to complete a three-peat the following year.

Madrid won the first five editions of the trophy, from 1956-60, when the competition was in its former guise as a straight knockout tournament.

Teams would frequently win the trophy in successive seasons during that period, with Ajax and Bayern Munich each crowned champions of Europe three years in a row during the 1970s.

While the Champions League, with its massive broadcast revenue, has been cited as a reason for a widening of the gap between European football’s wealthiest teams and their smaller rivals, it has established itself as one of the most fiercely contested competitions in the sport.

That has been a consequence of the increased number of top teams from the biggest leagues that are permitted entry, with four from England, Spain, Italy and Germany all qualifying.

Those countries have dominated the Champions League era and between them have won all but three editions of the competition since 1993.

“I was incredibly proud at Barcelona to win two in (three) years, but we didn’t win it in a row,” Guardiola said. “If we aren’t able to win it, like the previous six seasons, then (we’ll have to) qualify for next year and try again.”

Guardiola finally lifted the trophy for a third time in June after City’s 1-0 win against Inter Milan in Istanbul. He had previously won it with Lionel Messi and Barcelona in 2009 and 2011.

It was City’s first European Cup and completed a treble of trophies last season. After June’s final, Guardiola set his team the challenge of becoming multiple winners like Europe’s greatest clubs.

Madrid have won it a record 14 times, including five of the last 10 editions.