Manchester City’s meteoric rise from mid-table obscurity to the cusp of Champions League glory has been nothing short of remarkable.
It all began in 1968, when Manchester City set out on their European adventure with a match against Turkish side Fenerbahce in the first round of the European Cup. At this point, City were coming off a decent run in the league, having narrowly missed out on topping the table for consecutive seasons in 1965 and 1966, and manager Malcolm Allison was determined to make his mark on the continental stage.
Although they advanced past Fenerbahce eventually, Manchester City’s European campaign ultimately ended in disappointment as they were knocked out by Real Madrid in the quarterfinals. The English side would never get that far again until their incredible run of form since 2011, which has seen them become one of Europe’s most formidable sides.
At the heart of this transformation has been Manchester City’s star-studded squad and their swashbuckling style of play. From Sergio Aguero – who scored one of the most dramatic goals in Premier League history – to Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling, City have boasted some of the best players around for much of this decade. However, it wasn’t just their individual quality that brought success; it was also Pep Guardiola’s tactical acumen as manager. His tactical innovations such as using inverted full-backs to stretch opposition defences and possession-based build-up play have revolutionised how football is played at the top level.
The team’s iconic blue home jersey also serves as an apt symbol for their journey to becoming champions league favourites. It is only fitting that in Sunday’s finale against Inter Milan they will be wearing this jersey as they look to write another chapter into Manchester City’s incredible storybook season. Much like Istanbul marks the start of a 55 year journey for Manchester City, victory on Sunday evening could finally crown them kings of Europe after an agonising wait. If you are interested in Manchester City jerseys and other peripherals, you can find out more by clicking here.
It’s been a long and winding road for Manchester City, but with the team set to take on Inter Milan in Istanbul this weekend, it looks like they’re ready to write their own fairytale ending.