Manchester City set out to build on their Champions League triumph in 2023 but will not be heading into next year's competition from a position of strength
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Munich, Germany - May 31: Desire Doue of Paris Saint-Germain in action during the UEFA Champions League Final 2025 between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Internazionale Milano at Munich Football Arena on May 31, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Matteo Ciambelli/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
PSG and Inter contested the 2025 Champions League final
For the second time in three years, the Champions League club has been won by a European club with Middle Eastern owners. Where the UAE scored victory with Manchester City in Istanbul, there were celebrations in Qatar for Paris Saint-Germain's triumph in Munich on Saturday night.
That should be extra motivation for City's owners to press ahead with the rebuilding of Pep Guardiola's squad with the intention of challenging for everything next season. If they had moved ahead of their neighbours a few years ago, the scores are now level and it is Luis Enrique's side who will be the ones to beat when September comes around.
City's chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak will know better than most not to believe a popular characterisation of PSG's victory. As much as it can be described as a crowing achievement for the French club to finally win their first Champions League, the idea that it represents an ending is daft.
Days after the Blues triumphed a few years ago, an executive meeting in Abu Dhabi put together plans for the club to dominate the competition as they had done the Premier League. It would be a major surprise if PSG were not thinking the same in their moment of triumph, because what good business owner would not want to make the most of a purple patch?
For City, action is required if they are to not have to rethink or admit defeat on their target. You cannot win all the time, but a quarter-final defeat to eventual winners Real Madrid in 2024 looks worse a year on after City's worst performance in the competition since Roberto Mancini was in charge.
As well as Real Madrid and PSG, the list of teams that have outperformed City over the last two years in the Champions League includes Inter, Dortmund, Barcelona, Arsenal, and Bayern while Aston Villa have reached as many quarter-finals. As humiliating as the final was for Inter this year, two finals in three years is exactly the sort of consistency that City are looking for.
Al Mubarak and Guardiola both promise that the Blues will be much better next season and there will only be fools who write off their chances of success before the Champions League has really got going. Everyone in the squad will have a point to prove as they look to ensure this campaign just gone is remembered as a blip.
The dynamics have shifted though since their 2023 win, with the team unable to build on that winning platform in the way that had been hoped. As they have stalled, others have pushed their way forward.
City have work to do to catch up with both Champions League finalists next season if they are to make good on their plan.
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