Yet another Premier League winners’ medal has been safely stored in Guardiola’s enormous silverware collection, as well as a Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup crown, but repeating the tremendous top-flight, FA Cup and Champions League treble of 2023 proved a step too far for Man City.
After the latest chapter in their Real Madrid rivalry ended with Los Blancos dumping them out of Europe’s premier competition, Man City failed to make lightning strike twice at Wembley in the FA Cup final versus Manchester United, who marched to the win that arguably saved Erik ten Hag‘s job.
Of course, Wembley could be Guardiola’s permanent home from 2025 onwards if reports about potentially replacing Gareth Southgate as England head coach are to be believed, and there is a growing belief that the legendary Catalan will not be renewing his contract at the Etihad beyond the end of the coming season.
However, the City faithful can look forward to at least one more season of Guardiola touchline antics, as the Citizens pursue an unparalleled fifth straight Premier League title, having already made history by holding off the threat of Arsenal and clinching four in a row last season.
The Citizens’ tour of the USA will also see Guardiola’s men test their mettle against three other continental heavyweights in AC Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea, before the English champions seek their first domestic honour of the season in the Community Shield, squaring up to old foes Man United on August 10.
However, Celtic’s attempts to mix it with the Champions League big boys once again ended in abject misery, as the Hoops took just four points from six fixtures to finish rock bottom of their section, and one wonders how Rodgers’s side will fare in the new league phase format.
Celtic’s preparations for 2024-25 have given the Bhoys plenty to write home about so far, though, as after a low-key 1-1 draw with Ayr United to start the summer off, Rodgers’s men overcame Queen’s Park in a 10-goal spectacular before crushing DC United 4-0 at Audi Field on Saturday.
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Amid Celtic’s fierce battle to keep hold of him, midfield maestro Matt O’Riley struck twice in Saturday’s success, and Rodgers’s side will round off their pre-season preparations against Chelsea in Indiana on July 27 once Tuesday’s clash of the champions is done and dusted.
Slightly further north of the Etihad Stadium, perennial national champions Celtic also reigned supreme in the Scottish Premiership once more, despite bidding an emotional farewell to Tottenham Hotspur-bound Ange Postecoglou and recalling an old flame to take the reins again.
Rodgers may have seen his Leicester City career end on a sour note, but the ex-Liverpool manager quickly made his mark at Celtic Park once more, overseeing a Premiership and Scottish Cup double as the Bhoys wrapped up their 54th top-flight title with a game to spare.
