Can Pep Guardiola replicate his achievements in Spain and Germany by winning the league in his first season?
Pep Guardiola is one of the most successful managers of all time. He was league champion with Barcelona three times in four seasons, and Bundesliga winner in every season at Bayern.
With Man City he takes on his toughest challenge yet, to replicate his previous success in a league packed with talent, great managers and a very different style of football.
The question is, can Pep expect to dominate the Premier League in the same way he has both Spain and Germany?
For starters he’s up against his old rival Jose Mourinho, and while the Spaniard did a number on his Portuguese counterpart, the contests against the new United boss were some of the most fraught, frantic and bitter of his career.
Both City and United are in the process of a major squad overhaul, and with City’s financial might the arrival of Nolito and Gündogan can be seen as little more than the first few pages in a very long book.
With the freedom granted by City, we can expect Pep to sculpt the squad into his idea of perfection, because for Guardiola that is always what he strives for. There will be no passengers in his side, and anyone who isn’t dedicated to the cause will find themselves relegated to the bench before shown the door.
One thing that Pep will have to contend with is the very different style of football we see here in England. Defences are stronger and the game is more physical. While critics have pointed out how he has simply taken over two amazing sides, one has to remember his successes have come against the giants of Real Madrid and the dogged, determined and explosive Dortmund.
For City fans that want to take out a wager on the upcoming season, you could do yourself a real favour and grab a bonus code and stick a few quid on Pep to drag City to the top of the table.
Will Leicester replicate their success? Can Arsenal become more than also-rans with Wenger? Could Mourinho succeed in Manchester when he failed in London? Or, will Spain’s most inspiration and innovative coach take his side to the pinnacle of English football…