Prior to their opening game against Napoli on Thursday, Pep Guardiola acknowledged that Manchester City are not regarded as one of the favorites to win the Champions League.
City have consistently surpassed the top clubs in Europe in recent years, winning the trophy for the first time in 2023.
In a two-legged play-off with a place in the knockout stages in doubt, they were forced to suffer a painful early exit last season, falling to 15-time champions Madrid.
Favorite of the Season
The bookmakers predict that Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Arsenal, and Liverpool, the defending champions, will all be the more likely winners of the Champions League this season.
At his pre-game press conference on Wednesday, Guardiola was asked if he thought City might be a contender.
He responded, “Apparently, we are not.”
“And (we must) take in the journey and the moment.” We’re delighted to be present.
We have always been that way. That’s a lot of work because we only managed to win once. (We are)
Simply focusing on the game we must play tomorrow to start this competition well, he continued.
After finishing last season without a trophy for the first time in eight years, City are determined to make their mark.
They struggled to win the first three games of the Premier League season, but they came back to defeat Manchester United 3-0 on Sunday.
De Bruyne At Etihad ,
Over the past two transfer windows, Guardiola has rebuilt his team, with the departures of many veteran players, including Ederson, Kevin De Bruyne, and Ilkay Gundogan.
De Bruyne, who left Napoli in June after a 10-year trophy-laden spell in Manchester, will make an emotionally charged return to the Etihad on Thursday.
Guardiola stated that he was looking forward to seeing the midfielder “after the game.”
De Bruyne’s quick settle-in to Italy, according to the City manager, was no surprise.
He praised his former player’s talent and vision, saying that the players at that level don’t need much time to adapt and perform well.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, City’s new goalkeeper, also told reporters on the day of the game against Napoli, highlighting the club’s top choice.
The Italian international completed a £26 million ($36 million) deadline-day transfer to City after winning the Champions League with PSG in May but was determined to be insufficient by the French club.
“It was my intention to visit here. Donnarumma, who has taken Ederson as first-choice goalkeeper, said, “That was my first and only option, the only thing I wanted.”
Source: Channels TV
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