With the news that Puma are to take over from Nike as the official kit supplier of Premier League title holders Manchester City, we cannot help thinking the brains at the brand's Herzogenaurach headquarters have done their homework. Not since Red Star Belgrade in 1991 has Puma provided the strip for a team that has gone on to win the European Cup. It was rebranded as the Uefa Champions League in the 1992/93 season. City's <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/explainer-why-chelsea-s-kepa-arrizabalaga-refused-to-be-substituted-in-the-league-cup-final-1.829897">shoot-out victory over Chelsea on Sunday to lift the League Cup</a> keeps them on course for a historic quadruple. <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/manchester-city-need-generous-penalty-to-beat-west-ham-1.831220">A Sergio Aguero penalty</a> secured a 1-0 league victory over West Ham United to keep them a point behind leaders Liverpool, with the FA Cup and Champions League - a trophy City have never won - still on offer too. Should City win the Champions League this season - Pep Guardiola's side hold a 3-2 first-leg advantage over Schalke in their last-16 tie - they will win the title with Nike as their kit manufacturer. But with City wanting to create a dynasty, more than one Champions League will need to be secured if they are to be truly considered part of European football's aristocracy. That's where Puma, who announced Thursday a <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/man-city-is-the-best-team-in-the-league-puma-to-take-over-from-nike-as-premier-league-champions-kit-supplier-1.831353">"long-term strategic partnership"</a> with City reportedly worth £50 million (Dh244m) a year, more than double what Nike was paying, come into play. A look at the past 30 years in Europe'e elite club competition suggest City and Puma have their work cut out. Over the past 10 years, rival German brand Adidas has been kit manufacturer for six of the teams that have lifted the Champions League title, including all of the last three with Real Madrid. The Adidas logo was also on the shirts of Marseille (1993), Real Madrid (2000, 2002, 2014), AC Milan (2003, 2007), Chelsea (2012) and Bayern Munich (2001, 2013), for a total of 12. US giants Nike have also had their distinctive swoosh on the shirts of five teams to win the tournament for a total of eight wins: Borussia Dortmund (1997), Porto (2004), Barcelona (2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015), Manchester United (2008) and Inter Milan (2010). Other brands to supply kit for multiple European Cup/Champions League winners include Lotto (three - all AC Milan), Umbro (two - Ajax and Manchester United), while Kelme (Real Madrid), Meyba (Barcelona) and Reebok (Liverpool) have one apiece since 1989. Can City help Puma break their 27-year European Cup drought? Only time will tell.
