But, after City failed once again at the weekend to go beyond the Champions League quarter-final stage, losing 3-1 in their one-off match against Lyon in Lisbon, Guardiola is now looking at another season where the big prize, so manifestly desired by the club's super-rich owners in Abu Dhabi, has remained tantalisingly out of reach. 

Having reached the last-16 in the Champions League in his first season, Guardiola has taken City to the last eight on three consecutive occasions. 

After a season in which his side lost in the FA Cup semi-final to Arsenal and ceded the Premier League title to Liverpool, that achievement clearly fails to match up to the gargantuan ambitions in place at the club.

Tellingly perhaps, Guardiola – having seen his team dispose of Real Madrid 4-2 in their two-leg round-of-16 meeting – called the impending game against Lyon a "once in a lifetime" chance.

But City's performance, and line-up, appeared to be hugely cautious, with creative talents such as Bernardo Silva, David Silva (but for the last six minutes), Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden left on the bench.

Once in a lifetime. No pressure… just play your normal game while being aware that if you don't win it will be TERRIBLE. DISASTROUS.

In 2002, I was waiting for my bag to be delivered at Stansted Airport having flown back from Dublin after covering the World Cross Country Championships. 

Among the items displayed by the willing carousel before mine arrived was a long black case which might have contained a snooker cue.

This went past at least a couple of times before someone sauntered over to collect it – Ronnie O'Sullivan.

I found it hard to believe that the man who had already become known as "The Rocket" for the feverish speed of his play should be so wantonly laid-back about the tool of his trade, the cue that had propelled him to his first world title the previous year (and with which he had most recently reached the quarter-finals of the Irish Masters).

And yet, seeing his comments after securing his sixth world title yesterday evening, I find I am viewing that airport scene in a different light. 

It now seems to be entirely in keeping with the attitude of a man who, at 44, instinctively knows he does better when he doesn't get uptight.

After completing his 18-8 victory over Kyren Wilson in the final at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre – requiring just one frame of the final session to do so – O'Sullivan told BBC Sport that while winning one more title to equal the record of Stephen Hendry would be "fantastic" he had enjoyed "a wonderful career" however it turned out.

"If I was to go out there and play as if I wanted to break records, I would not play as well as I do," he added.

"You want to try playing with as much abandonment as you can which means not putting too much into records or World Championships.

"If I start looking at the trophy and the history on it, I would probably freeze…

"Whatever tournament I play in, it is about enjoying it for what it is and have some fun.

"If I happen to win another one, that would be fantastic. If I don't, then I have had a wonderful career and snooker has given me plenty of pleasurable moments.

"My greatest asset is that I look like I am just in a practice match down the club when I am at the Crucible.

"As long as I can keep that same philosophy and style of play, that is what gets me through and has made me win a lot of tournaments."

The emphasis on the desirability and effectiveness of an apparently casual, relaxed attitude was made once again by O'Sullivan when he considered the conditions in which most of the matches have been played over the past week.

The Government's lockdown measures meant that, after the first day, matches had to be played behind closed doors, although that rule changed back in time for 300 socially-distanced spectators to witness the final.

While some players may have found the relative lack of atmosphere discomposing, O'Sullivan revealed that it had worked ideally for him.

"When I am out there playing and they are going 'come on Ronnie, come on Ronnie', it scares me a bit," he said.

"There is so much passion in their voices and it is like life and death to them.

"Then the other fans go 'come on' and I'm thinking: 'this is meant to be a gentleman's sport'.

"I want to compete and do well but when you throw that into the frying pan it takes the fun out of it for me.

"I just wish they could be a little more quiet and let us get on with it.

"I did realise I would do better if there was no crowd because there is a different mindset."

Every elite sports person has to establish for themselves the best balance between anxiety and relaxation when it comes to delivering the optimum performance. 

But it is hard not to think that, for all the hideous pressures bearing down upon him, Guardiola might benefit from bringing a little bit of "The Rocket" into his team preparation.