Guardiola rules out Manchester City as favourites for the Champions League | OneFootball

The Manchester City coach, Pep Guardiola, said in a press conference on Wednesday, a day before the match against Napoli in the first round of the Champions League, that he does not see his team as one of the favourites for the continental title.

The English team, which won the Champions in 2023, has been participating in the decisive phases of the tournament in recent years. Last season, however, they were eliminated in the playoff for access to the round of 16 by Real Madrid.

According to the betting houses, Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, and Paris Saint-Germain, the current champion, are the main candidates to lift the “Big Ears”.

When asked if he saw City as one of the favourites to win the Champions, Guardiola replied: “At first, we are not. We just have to enjoy the moment, the journey. We are happy to be here and we just have to focus on tomorrow's game”.

The Spanish coach also spoke about the return to the Etihad Stadium of Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who in June signed with Napoli after ten years defending Manchester City.

“Of course, it’s nice for him to come back. I look forward to seeing him after the game. It does not surprise me that he is playing so well. Players of his level do not need to adapt”, concluded Guardiola.

Next City game

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.