Most European Cup semi-finals as a coach: Guardiola set to equal Mourinho's record

Josep Guardiola will coach in his eighth UEFA Champions League semi-final when Manchester City face Paris Saint-Germain, equalling the competition record for the European Cup as a whole currently held by José Mourinho.

Guardiola took charge of Barcelona in 2008 and reached the semis in all four of his seasons at the helm, lifting the trophy in 2009 and 2011 but falling in the last four in the other years. After a season out, Guardiola was appointed by Bayern München in 2013 and in his three campaigns as coach took his team to, and then lost in, the last four.

Most European Cup semi-finals as a coach

8 Josep Guardiola (Barcelona, Bayern München, Manchester City)*
8 José Mourinho (Porto, Chelsea, Internazionale Milano, Real Madrid)
7 Carlo Ancelotti (Juventus, AC Milan, Real Madrid, Bayern München)
7 Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United)
6 Jupp Heynckes (Bayern München, Real Madrid)
6 Miguel Muñoz (Real Madrid)
5 Helenio Herrera (Barcelona, Internazionale Milano)
5 Louis van Gaal (Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern München)

Most UEFA club competition semi-finals as a coach

10 Sir Alex Ferguson (Aberdeen, Manchester United)
10 Jupp Heynckes (Borussia Mönchengladbach, Bayern München, Tenerife, Real Madrid)
10 José Mourinho (Porto, Chelsea, Internazionale Milano, Real Madrid, Manchester United)
9 Giovanni Trapattoni (AC Milan, Juventus, Internazionale Milano, Bayern München
8 Carlo Ancelotti (Juventus, AC Milan, Real Madrid, Bayern München)
8 Josep Guardiola (Barcelona, Bayern München, Manchester City)*
8 Udo Lattek (Bayern München, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Barcelona)

*including 2020/21

Moving to City in 2016, Guardiola has had to wait five years to reach his personal eighth UEFA Champions League semi-final as coach. He also featured twice as a player with Barcelona, helping them beat Porto 3-0 at home in a one-off 1994 tie but losing to Valencia in 2000; there was no semi-final round when Guardiola's side triumphed in the 1992 European Champion Clubs' Cup as both they and Sampdoria reached Wembley by topping the competition's first ever groups.

Only one other coach has led teams in eight semi-finals: Mourinho. His first was with Porto in 2004 as they went on to lift the trophy, and then made two in his initial Chelsea spell, losing to Liverpool in 2005 and 2007.

At Internazionale Milano, Mourinho saw off Guardiola's Barcelona in the 2010 semi-finals on their way the title. Then, like Guardiola at Bayern, Mourinho suffered three last-four losses in as many seasons when at Real Madrid.

After returning to Chelsea in 2013, Mourinho suffered a semi-final exit in his first year back to set the current mark of eight appearances, one ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti.

Sir Alex, though, does share with Mourinho and Jupp Heynckes the record of ten semi-final appearances as a coach across all of UEFA club competitions. All of Guardiola's European semi-finals as a coach have come in the UEFA Champions League.

Competitions counted: European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League, European/UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League