Manchester City has officially tied Manchester United for the longest unbeaten streak in Champions League history. Before facing Slovan Bratislava, City was just one game away from matching United’s impressive record of 25 games unbeaten from 2007 to 2009. But thanks to a dominating 4-0 victory over Slovan Bratislava, Pep Guardiola’s squad has now equaled that remarkable feat. Goals from Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland, and James McAtee secured City’s first win in the revamped Champions League.
Manchester City has now matched the record set by their city rivals, Manchester United, for the longest unbeaten streak in the history of the Champions League.
City’s victory over Slovan Bratislava means that they have gone unbeaten for 25 games straight.
If City emerges victorious in their upcoming match, it would mean another setback for United in their rivalry. However, City has also managed to equal their rival’s record, which is a noteworthy achievement. The upcoming game against Sparta Praha on October 23 presents City with the chance to surpass United and set a new benchmark.
Prior to City’s impressive unbeaten streak, Ajax and Bayern Munich shared the second-longest unbroken run in Champions League history, both lasting for 19 games. Ajax achieved this milestone from 1994 to 1996, while Bayern’s undefeated streak was from 2001 to 2002. Guardiola’s iconic Barcelona team of the early 2010s held the third-longest unbeaten record, going 16 games without a loss from 2011 to 2012.
If City does manage to defeat Sparta Praha and claim the record for themselves, it would be a tough blow for United supporters. Since winning their first Premier League title in the 2011-12 season, City has accumulated an impressive 18 trophies, while United has only secured six in comparison.
Guardiola will be banking on his team to outperform United in City’s upcoming Champions League match.
If City were to go unbeaten for 26 games, it would only add to Manchester United’s current struggles. City has had a strong start to this season’s Premier League, currently sitting in second place with 14 points. Unfortunately, United is not faring as well, sitting in 13th place with only two wins, a draw, and three losses. The recent 3-0 defeat to Tottenham was heavily criticized by former United player Gary Neville, who called it ‘disgusting’ and ‘an absolute disgrace’.