Man City treble chase 2023: Pep Guardiola, Citizens eye historic season with three trophies
Pep Guardiola is bidding to lead Manchester City to a historic treble, including a Champions League title, in the 2022/23 season.
On the domestic front, the Citizens are practically certain to win the Premier League and face a Wembley showdown with rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final. In Europe, they are into a second Champions League final in their history after destroying Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in the semifinals.
There has been a lot of pressure put on Guardiola as the Spaniard is yet to win Europe’s top honour with City. Star striker Erling Haaland also stated that his goal is to win the Champions League with the club.
Below is a breakdown of City’s remaining fixtures and what they need to do to achieve a truly memorable treble triumph.
MORE: Pep Guardiola trophies won at Manchester City
Who do Man City need to beat to win the treble?
Man City’s treble hopes rest on the final month of the season. They have just three matches left in the Premier League, one in the FA Cup and a maximum of two in the UEFA Champions League.
Premier League
Man City have three games left in the Premier League, with their away trip to Brighton now rescheduled for the final week of the season.
But their 3-0 win over Everton, coupled with Arsenal’s loss to the Seagulls by the same scoreline, has left them in prime position.
| Pos | Team | Points | Matches Played | Goals Scored | Goal Difference | Next Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Man City | 85 | 35 | 92 | +61 | vs CHE, May 21 |
| 2. | Arsenal | 81 | 36 | 83 | +41 | @ FOR, May 20 |
City have not dropped points in the league since February 18, when they drew with Nottingham Forest. The victory over Everton was their 11th top-flight win on the bounce, and one more win will secure the title.
Remaining Premier League fixtures for Man City
| Matchday | Date | Match | Table position | Points ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | Sun, May 21 | Chelsea (H) | 1st | 4 |
| 31 | Wed, May 24 | Brighton (A) | — | — |
| 38 | Sun, May 28 | Brentford (A) | — | — |
MORE: Watch every Premier League match live with Fubo in Canada
Champions League
After beating Bayern Munich, Guardiola’s side faced Real Madrid in the semifinals of the Champions League.
They were knocked out by Madrid last year at the same stage after a very late comeback from the reigning champions. Rodrygo scored twice in injury time before Karim Benzema scored a penalty in extra-time to seal a 6-5 defeat on aggregate for Man City.
This time around, City claimed a 1-1 draw in Madrid, with Kevin De Bruyne on target for the visitors. In the return fixture in England, Guardiola’s men utterly destroyed the holders, winning 4-0 on the night to seal a 5-1 aggregate victory.
Champions League fixtures for Man City
| Date | Stage | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 6 | Group Stage (Group G) | Sevilla (A) | W / 4-0 |
| Sept. 14 | Group Stage (Group G) | Borussia Dortmund (H) | W / 2-1 |
| Oct. 5 | Group Stage (Group G) | Copenhagen (H) | W / 5-0 |
| Oct. 11 | Group Stage (Group G) | Copenhagen (A) | D / 1-1 |
| Oct. 25 | Group Stage (Group G) | Borussia Dortmund (A) | D / 0-0 |
| Nov. 2 | Group Stage (Group G) | Sevilla (H) | W / 3-1 |
| Feb. 22 | Round of 16 1st Leg | RB Leipzig (A) | D / 1-1 |
| March 14 | Round of 16 2nd Leg | RB Leipzig (H) | W / 7-0 |
| April 11 | Quarterfinal 1st leg | Bayern Munich (H) | W / 3-0 |
| April 19 | Quarterfinal 2nd leg | Bayern Munich (A) | D / 1-1 |
| May 9 | Semifinal 1st leg | Real Madrid (A) | D / 1-1 |
| May 17 | Semifinal 2nd leg | Real Madrid (H) | W / 4-0 |
| June 10 | Final | Inter Milan (N) | — |
FA Cup
Man City will be favourites in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium, though will surely face a stern test against local rivals Manchester United, who have already lifted the EFL Cup this term. The showpiece occasion will take place on June 3.
The Citizens cruised into the final via a 3-0 victory over Sheffield United in the semi-finals, with Riyad Mahrez netting a hat-trick. Meanwhile, United made it via a penalty shootout win over Brighton & Hove Albion.
| Date | Stage | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 8 | Third Round | Chelsea (H) | W / 4-0 |
| Jan. 27 | Fourth Round | Arsenal (H) | W / 1-0 |
| Feb. 28 | Round of 16 | Bristol City (A) | W / 3-0 |
| Mar. 18 | Quarterfinals | Burnley (H) | W / 6-0 |
| Apr. 22 | Semifinals | Sheffield United (N) | W / 3-0 |
| June 3 | Final | Manchester United (N) | — |
MORE: The updated list of Erling Haaland and his record-breaking Man City exploits
Have Man City won a treble before?
Yes — but not like the one they’re chasing in 2022/23.
During the 2018/19 season, Guardiola led Man City to the Premier League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup domestic treble. It was the first time in the club’s history that they won three trophies in one season (four, if you include the Community Shield).
The title race went down to the wire as they beat Liverpool to the league by just one point. They kept their nerve on the final day to win 4-1 away to Brighton, ending the season on 98 points.
City beat Chelsea on penalties in the EFL Cup final before thrashing Watford 6-0 in the FA Cup final.
However, winning a treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League would certainly surpass City’s achievement of four years ago. It would also see them match the feat of Man United, who are the only English club to have won those three trophies in the same season.
Guardiola, of course, achieved a very similar feat while head coach of Barcelona, winning Spain’s La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League in 2008/09.
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