During a press conference held at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium on Friday, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and midfielder Kevin De Bruyne openly confessed that winning the Champions League is not only a long-standing dream but also an overwhelming obsession for the club.
Having established their dominance in domestic competitions in recent years, City now finds themselves on the brink of achieving an unprecedented treble as they prepare to face Inter Milan in the final in Istanbul on Saturday.
However, their relentless pursuit of Europe’s most prestigious trophy has so far eluded them, adding to the club’s burning desire to secure it.
Speaking about the upcoming final, both Guardiola and De Bruyne emphasized the significance of the Champions League and its immense importance to Manchester City.
They acknowledged the club’s relentless pursuit and unwavering determination to lift the coveted trophy for the first time.
This 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬. This 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌. This 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘. 🩵#ManCity | #UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/lGEEbtiUiI
— Manchester City (@ManCity) June 9, 2023
De Bruyne was asked first if he felt victory was a “dream” or an “obsession”.
The Belgium international said: “Maybe both. It depends who you ask. Every professional player wants to win the Champions League and be on top.
“If you can win the Champions League, you’ve reached one of the biggest things you can.”
Guardiola was in agreement when asked the same question.
The Catalan, who guided Barcelona to victory in the competition twice, has taken City into the knockout stages seven times but their runner-up finish in 2021 is the closest they have come to success.
“Absolutely it’s a dream,” he said. “To achieve things you have to have correct portion of obsession and desire, it’s a positive word, and willingness to try to do it, but of course it’s a dream.”