In the annals of English football history, few feats stand as tall as winning a treble – the coveted collection of the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Only Manchester United's famous side under Sir Alex Ferguson in 1999 had achieved this pinnacle of success but in the 2022/2023 season, Pep Guardiola and Manchester City etched their names into this elite club, completing a remarkable treble that cemented their status as one of the greatest teams of all time.
Premier League dominance
The Premier League, often regarded as the most competitive league in the world in recent times, was City's first target.
Putting the disappointment of the Community Shield defeat to Liverpool swiftly behind them, City came out of the traps fast and displayed unwavering dominance, picking up eye-catching big wins over Bournemouth (4-0), Nottingham Forest (6-0), Southampton (4-0) and neighbours Manchester United (6-3).
Their attacking prowess was simply irresistible, with Erling Haaland spearheading a formidable frontline tearing through defences with devastating efficiency.
They hit a stumbling block around the middle of October though, allowing Pep's former assistant Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal side to lead the league - eventually building up an eight-point lead by the middle of January.
"I'd prefer to be in Arsenal's position in the Premier League than the one we have," Guardiola said in March.
"The advantage is that they are eight points in front of us - this is the real advantage."
As well as media savvy, Pep Guardiola's tactical brilliance shone through as he orchestrated a team that was both fluid and disciplined, capable of both breathtaking attacking displays and resilient defensive stands. They did what champions do - winning some games well, and grinding out results when they weren't quite at it.
City relentlessly pursued Arsenal whilst challenging on three fronts - something Arsenal didn't have to contend with - never giving up the chase, culminating in an emphatic 4-1 defeat of their title rivals en route to their fifth Premier League crown in six seasons.
FA Cup triumph
"We will start to talk about the treble when we've won the Premier League and we have won the FA Cup, before the final of the Champions League," Guardiola said in April after that win.
"We are closer to not doing it than doing it."
Those calm words were well spoken by a manager who had been there and done it before at other major clubs and already come so close with City in the past.
The FA Cup, England's oldest and most prestigious cup competition, presented a different challenge. Manchester City faced a relentless schedule, juggling their Premier League ambitions with the cup's knockout format, and weren't always posed with the easiest tests.
Yet, their determination to win every available trophy never wavered, and they navigated each round with ruthless efficiency, knocking out the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, and in-form Championship sides Burnley and Sheffield United on their way to Wembley.
The FA Cup final pitted City against their fiercest rivals, Manchester United, in a match that epitomized the intensity of the rivalry. Despite the high stakes and the vociferous crowd, City remained composed, securing a 2-1 victory thanks to a formidable captain's performance from Ilkay Gundogan.
Champions League coronation
"Now is the first time we can talk about the treble," Guardiola told the BBC after doing the double.
"Against United, it was special for our city, for our fans.
"We have done incredible seasons but we have to win the Champions League. We have to feel that responsibility, we have to do it."
All that remained after the FA Cup triumph was a battle with Inter in European football's top club competition.
Their journey was fraught with challenges, but they rose to each occasion, overcoming formidable opponents like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid with relative ease, looking to make good on the disappointment of losing the 2020/21 final to Chelsea.
Playing their 61st game of the season, City looked tired and not entirely at their best against a resolute Inter side that were undoubtedly underdogs, but Rodri's goal allowed Pep to finally get his hands on the trophy he'd not picked up since the 2010/11 season and his third European title overall.
"It's an honour for me to be alongside Sir Alex Ferguson," Guardiola said the following day. "I got a message from him this morning. It touched me. It was nice."
A legacy in blue
In all competitions, City won 44 of their 61 games with an impressive win percentage of just over 72 per cent.
The bulk of these came in the Premier League (28), with eight coming in European competition, six in the FA Cup and three in the Carabao Cup.
Guardiola's side lost only seven games (five in the league and one in the League Cup and Community Shield) while remaining unbeaten in the Champions League and FA Cup.
The team dominated almost every game they played, averaging 63.6 per cent possession over the season, and they scored a massive 151 goals in all competitions which averages just under 2.5 per game.
A tally of 94 of these came in the Premier League, 32 in the Champions League, 19 in the FA Cup and five in the Carabao Cup.
Guardiola also became the first manager in history to win two trebles in the men's game, and now holds the joint second-most Champions League wins of all time, one behind Carlo Ancelotti.
The Spaniard's impact on Manchester City - and the sport in England - has been nothing short of profound. He instilled a winning mentality, a relentless pursuit of excellence, and a style of play that has captivated the world, influencing the way the game is played at every level in the country.
His treble-winning season was a testament to his genius, and it cemented his legacy as one of the greatest managers in football history.
The 2022/23 season will be remembered as the year Manchester City conquered Europe, completing the treble in a campaign that will be forever talked about.
Guardiola's leadership and unwavering dedication to his players transformed Manchester City into a force feared across the continent, and one that still shows little sign of abating whilst he remains at the helm.
