CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Why do Manchester City have a gold patch on the front of their jersey?
A two-legged quarter-final against Real Madrid stands between City and a fourth successive Champions League semi-final.
We’ve become used to seeing Manchester City getting their hands on trophies over the last few years, with the 2022/23 season their most successful yet. Pep Guardiola’s side, propelled by Erling Haaland’s goals, famously completed the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup treble, and, incredibly, they could surpass that this season. Two trophies are already in the bag, one of which has had a visible effect on their jersey.
Real Madrid - Man City: Follow the live action here!
City win UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup for first time
The English champions started the season by defeating Sevilla in a penalty shootout to lift the UEFA Super Cup for the very first time, which they followed up in December by cruising to their maiden FIFA Club World Cup victory. City made light work of Urawa Red Diamonds and Fluminense in the semi-final and final respectively, which gave them a shiny new trophy to take home and a fancy patch to stick on their jersey.
In the aftermath of their victory at the tournament in Saudi Arabia, The Sky Blues announced on their website they would be wearing the gold “FIFA World Champions 2023″ patch on all of their remaining Premier League and Champions League matches this season. It was spotted for the first time in the win away to Everton on 27 December, their first game after they had won the FIFA Club World Cup five days earlier.
How many trophies could Guardiola’s team win in 2023-24?
Some previous Premier League winners of the tournament were not allowed to wear the patch in domestic competitions, while others were only permitted to do so in one game after their victory. Chelsea, however, sported an extra touch of gold in several games towards the end of the 2021-22 season after winning the trophy in February 2022.
City have been given free rein to flaunt their most recent triumph until the end of the season, although it hasn’t been confirmed whether that will continue into 2024-25.
With two trophies already safely in their possession, Guardiola’s men remain on course to repeat last term’s continental treble. They are right in the thick of the Premier League title race along with Liverpool and Arsenal and have reached the latter stages of both the Champions League and the FA Cup. Could a quintuple - and more patches - be on the cards?