There is a town in the north of England where soccer (“football” in the UK) is religion. The town is Manchester. There are two main rival teams there that compete in the English Premier League, the highest professional soccer league in Britain with only the best club teams playing in it. If ticket prices and club valuations and player salaries are anything to go by then, all things equal, the English Premier League is probably the strongest and most competitive sports league in the world, of any sport.
The fact that Manchester is home to two of the best Premier
League teams must be amazing for anyone living there. But, not unlike sports
rivalries in US cities, the loyalties are divided. Manchester United are the
more globally recognized and supported team and they have achieved a higher
level of success over a long period of time than City. Man City, on the other
hand, is the club that most locals in Manchester would support. City has had a
great run of form over the last decade or so, but they have always been in the
shadow of their neighboring giant. That could change next weekend.
Yesterday, City beat United to win England’s FA Cup,
courtesy of two volley goals by their captain, Ilkay Gundogan. This season Man
City have already won the Premier League. This means that they have a chance at
the improbable treble (triple). In English football, winning the Premier
League, FA Cup, and European Champions League in the same season is called THE treble. Not
a domestic treble of league and cup wins, but the European treble. Something
that only a few European teams have ever done (by also winning their home leagues
and national cups), and only one other English team has ever achieved. Yes, you
guessed it, Man United.
Manchester United won the treble in 1999 under manager Alex
Ferguson. They won the Premier League with a record 100 points, the FA Cup by
beating Newcastle United 2-0 in the final, and the Champions League by beating
Bayern Munich 2-1 in the final. Winning the treble is considered the greatest
achievement in club soccer that the world has to offer.
As fate would have it, the final will take place at the Atatürk
Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, home of the Turkish national team. The venue
famously hosted the 2005 decider, when Liverpool, another venerated English
Premier League team, recovered from 3-0 down to beat AC Milan in the 'Miracle
of Istanbul'. This is considered one of the best comeback wins in the history
of the sport. If the 2023 final is anything like that it will be epic.
Manchester City are only one step away from matching Manchester United’s historic treble of 1998-99. Pep Guardiola, City’s beloved coach, said this yesterday ”I’m a Barcelona fan but I will love this club (Man City) for the rest of my life. I know today we gave our fans a good gift to enjoy against our neighbors.” He gets it. Next Saturday night in Turkey he and his team can give true Mancs even more reason to be proud.
