MIAMI, United States. – Respected Spanish coach Josep (Pep) Guardiola He recovered his crown as king of the benches this Saturdayconquering his third Champions League and emulating with the Manchester City the 14 titles he obtained with FC Barcelona. This achievement puts an inevitable question back at the center of the discussion: is Guardiola the best coach of all time?
Guardiola has an impressive record with 36 titles won out of the 66 he has played, a success rate of 54.54%. With his recent triumph, he becomes the only coach to win the treble (League, Cup and Champions League) on two occasions and with two different clubs, first with FC Barcelona in 2009 and now with Manchester City.
During his 15-year career, the Santpedor coach has held an average of 2.4 titles a year. He has led FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City to victory on a number of occasions, with astonishing efficiency in the top division leagues, having won 11 of the 14 he has managed.
Guardiola’s numbers place him as the manager with the second most titles in history, just behind Sir Alex Ferguson, who won 50 titles in a 38-year career. With this Champions League, Guardiola surpasses Mircea Lucescu, who won 35 titles in a 44-year career.
Focusing on the Champions League, Guardiola joins the select group of coaches who have won the prestigious Orejona on three occasions. This club includes Carlo Ancelotti, with four wins, and Bob Paisley and Zinédine Zidane, both with three. This year, Guardiola also joined the exclusive group of coaches who have reached the Champions League final four times.
With his most recent triumph, Guardiola has equaled his record of 14 titles with Manchester City, the same number he obtained with FC Barcelona. Manchester City have become the tenth team to win the Champions League without losing a single game, and the first to achieve this feat in fifteen years.
Winning the Champions League this year ends a long 12-year drought for Guardiola, who, despite his impressive coaching career, has struggled against the top continental competition since leaving Barça.
In Munich, Guardiola failed to lift the Champions League, despite having reached the semifinals on three consecutive occasions. In Manchester, however, he was recruited with the aim of making a club great that had only reached a Champions League semifinal in 2016.
Guardiola’s success in the recent Champions League marks an important milestone in his career. His achievements speak for themselves and his impact on football is undeniable.
