Pep is thinking and the blue half of Manchester is holding its breath.
His synapses are in overdrive and the pitch in Istanbul is already a chessboard in his mind.
As the Champions League final against Inter Milan looms (Sunday, 3am in Malaysia), his brain cells are spinning in search of a devastating checkmate.
City fans know the warning signs when a big game draws near: Pep’s thinking can soon become over-thinking.
When he’s as likely to listen to grand master Gary Kasparov as his coaches.
And play Erling Haaland at left back!
The last time City were in the final, he did something almost as crackpot: dropping midfield pivot Rodri and allowing N’Golo Kante to run the match. Chelsea won 1-0.
Now he admits it was a mistake. He’s made others as City fans are well aware.
Leaving out David and Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez against Lyon in the quarter-final the year before was just as catastrophic.
City were unlucky: on the wrong end of VAR and a Raheem Sterling howler. But still. It was only Lyon.
They were midtable in France, yet Pep thought they might trouble City’s shaky defence.
They still did and City lacked the tools to hit back till too late.
Now they’re in the final again and even hotter favourites this time.
The English champions are 4/9 to win with Inter 7-2.
The Italians have a bunch of EPL castoffs including city old boy Edin Dzeko, 37, and came third in Serie A.
City will never have a better chance of winning the Holy Grail and what would be a treble to match United’s in 1999.
And it’s already a treble of EPL titles. Five out of the last six, plus a plethora of cups as well have ensured it’s been City’s age in England.
They’ve outlasted a great Liverpool side and were a class apart from the rest.
In Europe it would be a coming of age, the fulfilment of a project, the arrival of one of the generational club sides.
They could soon be up there with several iterations of Real Madrid, Barcelona (2009/11), Ajax, Bayern, AC Milan and pre-Heysel Liverpool.
Losing would be unthinkable – even for him.
Yes, he’s been there before with Barcelona, arguably the best of the lot.
But here, everything has been set up for him. Even the CEO and director of football are old friends from Catalonia.
He can buy who he wants, when he wants. Never has the wind been so much in his favour.
And he’s already come through tougher tests in the past month.
On paper both Real and United presented more difficult challenges than Inter but City were on another level.
But Inter are not mugs and will be playing for Italian pride after the other two of their trio of European finalists, Roma and Fiorentina, have bitten the dust.
They also have a good cup record under Simone Inzaghi, winning 21 of 32 games he’s been in charge.
The Nerrazurri are also seeking a treble: they’ve won the Supercoppa and Italian Cup already this season.
And they play with formations that will make Pep think.
3-5-2 defending, 2-5-3 attacking: either way, they’ll match City’s numbers in midfield.
In three tall central defenders, they also have the means to shackle Haaland, while up front Dzeko, Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez could be a threat.
Still, if City don’t win, it will be Pep who lost, not Inter who won. And he knows that.
A serene passage through to the final just needs one more push.
A fully fit squad needs no quirky instructions: no repositioning to cope with imaginary dangers of lesser opponents.
It is 12 years since he lifted Old Big Ears – an eternity for such a stellar manager.
That he hasn’t done it yet with City, and didn’t do it at Bayern, has fuelled those Pep sceptics who feel he’s no more than a bald fraud.
Back when he had hair, he had Messi, but it was Guardiola who enabled Messi to reveal his full repertoire.
He should do it – if he doesn’t try to be too clever. And only then will he get the accolades his genius deserves.
And for a statue, he wouldn’t need a new one: a replica of Rodin’s Thinker would do.
Hammers’ joy bubbles over
West Ham’s first European trophy for 58 years is long overdue.
And a just reward for a loyal fan base.
The move to the London Stadium has been a commercial success, but many still bring binoculars.
And this season, they had to keep an eye on the relegation battle.
The triumph may also be bittersweet in that their star, Declan Rice, may have played his last game.
Ambitious to play for a top four club, the England defensive midfielder is likely to bring in over £100m plus so the rebuild will be under forensic scrutiny.
At least, David Moyes won’t be for the chop now, will he?
Be thankful for small mercies – and Messi
It can’t be easy to turn down US$400m a year. Especially when you’re in the retirement village already.
But Lionel Messi has opted for considerably less and made lifestyle his priority by joining Inter Miami.
He already has a house there and his desire to recapture what he lost when he left Barcelona for Paris in 2021 had much to do with it.
A beachside villa and a Latino way of life in southern Florida would certainly have appealed more than Saudi Arabia.
Coming on the heels of sportswashing’s great victory in golf, it was a much-needed sign that money isn’t always everything.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.