Complete ranks for "Citizen" in the quarter-finals ... except for Aguero's absence
The "Continental Glory" route to Man City passes through the Lyon Gate today
City is 3 games away from the first European dream. A.F.B.
City players are mentally and physically better prepared to play the quarter-final challenge today. Father
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Manchester City, under the leadership of its Spanish coach, Josep Guardiola, considers the exceptional mini-tournament hosted by the Portuguese capital Lisbon as the best possible opportunity to embrace continental glory and win the Champions League title for the first time in the history of the "Citizens". Today will be a date in the quarter-finals with the French team Lyon.
And after it was satisfied so far to raise the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1970, the Corona virus came to impose an exceptional reality, which may be completely in the interest of City, which has proven that it is able this time to reach the end by excluding Real Madrid, the record holder with the number of titles (13) , From the final price, by winning it back and forth with the same score 2-1.
Guardiola appeared this time more confident than before in the possibility of leading City to the prestigious title, saying: “We are here to try to win the Champions League title,” warning “that we think that (winning over Real) is enough, because it will show our small size (on the continental level). "If you want to win, you have to beat the big teams."
And it took City eight seasons in the Champions League to beat a former champion of the competition in one of their home matches. The elimination of Real Madrid by beating him twice before the suspension imposed by "Covid-19", and after him showed maturity and the ability to deal with pressure, two things that Guardiola's men had missed in previous tournaments of the most important competition.
And it seems the way now, at least on paper, paving the way for City to reach the round of four for only the second time in its history after the 2015-2016 season, when his career ended at the hands of Real Madrid, because he is facing today with Lyon, who finished the French League abbreviated in seventh place.
But City must be careful, not because Lyon eliminated Juventus from the final price (losing 1-2, and winning the first leg at home 1-0), but because his history is not encouraging in the confrontations in which he is considered the favorite candidate, and the most prominent evidence of this is his exit in The three seasons are supervised by Guardiola at the hands of French Monaco (from the final price of the 2016-2017 season), and his compatriots Liverpool (quarter-final 2017-2018 season) and Tottenham (quarter-finals 2018-2019 season).
Guardiola, who won the competition twice as a coach with Barcelona, revealed: "I have just spoken to the scouts about Lyon, and they tell me that we must be careful."
After relinquishing the domestic league title to Liverpool, and contenting himself with locally winning the League Cup title, Guardiola relies a lot on the Champions League to forget the local disappointment, but the task will not be easy, given the presence of many big clubs in the most important European championship ever.
Guardiola often complains about the atmosphere of weak enthusiasm in the "Etihad Stadium" during European evenings, compared to the "Camp Nou" and "Santiago Bernabeu" or "Anfield" stadiums of local rivals Liverpool, who gave up the continental title by getting out of the final price at the hands of Atlético. Madrid, Spain.
However, this negative point will apply to everyone in the Lisbon "bubble", in light of the game behind closed doors without an audience. With the exception of missing the services of Argentine Sergio Aguero due to injury, City is playing today's match in full ranks and in excellent physical condition, especially after Guardiola has focused on preparing his team for the Champions League since the competition has returned from the stoppage imposed by "Covid-19", instead of wasting energy in the Premier League, Since Liverpool was flying too far.
But the Spanish coach should focus on his defense, who played the main role in the nine defeats the team suffered in the Premier League this season, but all of that was before the return of French center back Emeric Laporte from injury.
On the offensive side, City is not short of talent in the presence of the Belgian playmaker Kevin de Bruyne, who has proven himself to be the best midfield player in the world, the Brazilian Gabriel Jezos, the Algerian Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling, the Portuguese Bernardo Silva or the Spaniard David Silva, who is a goodbye. My history, and winning the prestigious continental title before leaving the "Citizen".
Guardiola: "We are here to try to win the Champions League."
City is seeking to break the jinx of frequent exit from the quarter-finals, in previous seasons.