As they go ready to play Inter Milan in the championship game on Saturday in Istanbul, City are poised to achieve greatness.
For Manchester City, winning the Champions League has turned into a dream and an obsession, according to Pep Guardiola and Kevin De Bruyne.
As they go ready to play Inter Milan in the championship game on Saturday in Istanbul, City are poised to achieve greatness.
For a match that might not only see Guardiola's team win the European championship for the first time but also complete the treble, they are heavy favorites.
The Premier League champions are trying to put years of disappointment behind them after experiencing numerous near-misses while pursuing the goal they most desire.
When asked if winning was a "dream" or a "obsession" during City's pre-game press conference on Friday at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, De Bruyne shared his thoughts on the subject.
Depending on whom you ask, "maybe both," responded the playmaker from Belgium. "Winning the Champions League and being at the top is what every professional athlete aspires.
If you are able to win the Champions League, you will have accomplished one of the biggest accomplishments.
"To compete every year is amazing, and I've had the opportunity to compete against the best, but if we are good enough, we have a chance to close that gap."
In each of Guardiola's seven seasons as manager, City has advanced to the tournament's knockout rounds, but they have not yet achieved their goal.
The closest they have come is finishing as runners-up two seasons ago after losing to Chelsea in the championship game.
It is undoubtedly a fantasy, yes, according to Guardiola, who twice led Barcelona to victory in the competition.
"You must constantly have the right balance of obsession and desire to do things.
"It's a good word for the ambition and will to succeed. Of course, it is a dream for us.
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