City, who were eliminated by Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals last season, have made a strong start to their new European campaign with a draw against Inter and a 4-0 destruction of Slovan Bratislava earlier this month. The Premier League champions will play Sparta Prague, Sporting CP, Feyenoord, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, and Club Bruges in their last European matchups before the competition breaks. Barcelona, however, lost to Monaco in their Champions League opening last month before defeating Young Boys 5-0 at home.

Guardiola said he wants to stay away from his previous club this season for sentimental reasons.

Guardiola was asked on Sunday evening’s episode of Italian chat program Che Tempo Che Fa to select the side he wants to avoid in this season’s Champions League. ‘Great question. Guardiola said, “Barcelona maybe.” On October 1, 2024, Robert Lewandowski celebrates a goal during a match between FC Barcelona and BSC Young Boys in week 2 of the League Stage of the UEFA Champions League, at the Lluis Companys Stadium in Barcelona, Spain.

My love for them destroys me. I was born in a nearby little town, and playing against them is never easy. When asked how he felt about the new Champions League format, Guardiola responded, ‘I don’t understand; I simply coach. ‘I believe we will be able to answer this question only at the end of the season.’ Guardiola also praised Lionel Messi when asked how he got the most out of the Argentine during their time at Barcelona.

‘You have to know him,’ Guardiola explained. ‘For me, it’s simple to say he’s the greatest player of all time, but the stars aligned at that time. ‘Maybe it’s a lack of respect for Pele and Maradona, but he’s the finest of all time in my opinion. I’ve never seen anyone like him in training; you wouldn’t believe he could keep this consistency for 15-20 years. ‘When you see him up close, he reminds you of Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan; we were fortunate to be contemporaries of these people. I think of Sorrentino’s ‘The terrific Beauty’… it’s a ter