Despite the incredible success enjoyed over the past six seasons, it's probably fair to say that Manchester City supporters and Pep Guardiola have not always seen eye to eye.
That isn't to say that City fans have at any point been unhappy with the Catalan's work at the club - one could hardly grumble at three Premier League titles, a maiden Champions League final and some of the most beautiful football we've ever seen played along the way. It's more that there's sometimes felt a slight disconnect between the two.
As we saw earlier this season, Guardiola has developed a habit of taking out his frustrations through thinly-veiled criticisms of attendances and the atmosphere at the Etihad Stadium. That hasn't sat well with some - after all, you wouldn't expect the manager, effectively the public spokesman of the club, to fuel lazy stereotypes and falsehoods about City's support.
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In recent years there have been grumblings about Guardiola's propensity to make odd tactical and personnel changes in Champions League knockout matches, although this season he appeared to shake that habit. In recent months, though, Guardiola seems to have made a greater effort to connect with City fans than he ever has done before.
It's hard to remember a title run-in where Pep has praised City's fans so consistently, both for their backing at home and loyal following away.
"Sometimes I say to the players, you have to play good to lift the fans, to let the opponent know here is not a nice place," he said after Sunday's 5-0 thrashing of Newcastle. "Today we didn’t need to. The people are not stupid, they know these guys do it every three days for five years like today."
He was similarly forthcoming in his appreciation of City's support in Madrid, who applauded the distraught City players at full-time after losing to Real Madrid in the most heartbreaking of circumstances. Even more noticeable is that Guardiola is increasingly talking about issues that grate on supporters, whereas before he largely dodged such topics. After the Newcastle win, he went full Bert-mode by making two digs at Liverpool, although in context there seemed little malicious intent.
"Everyone in this country supports Liverpool, the media and everyone," he said, chiming with City fans' complaints about alleged media bias, and the growing feeling that the majority of football fans want City to fail. He then moved seamlessly into an assessment of City's closest challengers, saying: "Liverpool has an incredible history in European competitions. Not in the Premier League, because they've won one in 30 years."
Both comments were unprovoked and not entirely necessary, but then Guardiola has never been one to stick to formulaic answers. However, these latest 'Pepisms' suggest that perhaps he really does feel that City fans have a point, that his team are not given the credit they deserve because of the money spent, the brilliance of their rivals and investigations into finances.
Last week he spoke at length about the verdict delivered by CAS two years ago, which found that City had not breached UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations and should therefore not be expelled from the Champions League. "I cannot forget nine teams in the Premier League want to sack Manchester City from the league and the European competitions, these nine teams push and I know here [points to head] who they are," he said.
There's a sense that Guardiola has been moulded by his surroundings, so much so that six years after arriving in Manchester his personal views have never been more aligned with those that follow the club week-in, week-out. Yet this could also be a strategic move on Pep's part. Three wins from their remaining three league games will guarantee City a fourth league title in five seasons, but any slight slip could hand Liverpool the advantage.
A siege mentality could be just what Guardiola wants to galvanise his squad and energise them for the final stretch. In City fans, Guardiola has an audience only too willing to get on board with an us-against-the-world narrative.
Compared to someone like Jurgen Klopp, who shows his relationship with Liverpool with fist-pumping exuberance, Guardiola has often appeared cold and detached from his employers and supporters. This season the boss seems more emotionally attached than ever.
That may well be genuine, but regardless, there is something rather calculated about Guardiola's new-found willingness to broach certain subjects.
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