Tag: Man City

  • ‘Man City can make extra push to win Champions League’ – Samaras

    ‘Man City can make extra push to win Champions League’ – Samaras

    Manchester City are capable of making the “extra push” required to land a much-coveted Champions League crown, says Georgios Samaras, with Pep Guardiola being backed to deliver more major silverware.

    European success has remained elusive for those at the Etihad Stadium.

    Big spending has allowed domestic dominance to be enjoyed, with Guardiola overseeing two Premier League title triumphs and four victorious runs through cup competitions.

    He was, however, appointed to get City over the line on a continental stage and has been unable to guide them past the quarter-final stage thus far.

    Another Champions League quest has been opened in 2020-21 and Samaras believes that added experience among the elite will serve the Blues well as they seek to land the biggest of prizes.

    READ ALSO: Schalke confirm AC Milan interest in Turkish Centre-back Kabak

    The former City striker told the club’s official website: “The club is going in the right direction with the players they have brought in over the last few years and under Pep’s leadership.

    “The only thing needed is that extra detail to get into the semi-finals and then into the final – but City are learning and every year it is more experience and another lesson.

    “Barcelona and Real Madrid know the competition well, whereas City have only been competing for 10 years and are trying to become one of these elite clubs.”

    Samaras – who took in 67 appearances for City under Stuart Pearce, Sven-Goran Eriksson and Mark Hughes – added on the progress being made in Manchester: “When I came to City, I stayed three seasons and in that time we had three different coaches and three different boards – it was crazy for the players because they don’t feel comfortable and it is very unsettling.

    “Each season I had a new manager, new owner with many new players in an players out.

    “There was no philosophy or continuity – now, everything is different and there is a real philosophy and that goes from the ground staff to the owner – a football club is just not about players, it is about everybody, from the head to the toes.

    “I never regret one moment of my time with City. I was very happy there and the people were very friendly with me – there were a lot of changes and I was just 20 when I arrived but playing for City lead me to eventually play for Celtic for seven years so those 10 years were great for me, playing in top leagues, Europe and the national team.

    “Manchester is a great city and I had a good time there.

    “If I were to compare how the club was in 2006 to today, it is completely different, but in a very good way.

    “I’m just happy for the people at the club and the City fans because they deserve the best – they had a lot of times when things weren’t so good and now they deserve the time to enjoy these titles and to win many more.

    “There are many more titles and things to achieve in the coming years for City and I am absolutely delighted for the fans and the club because, as I say, they deserve it.

    City have taken maximum points from two Champions League outings against Porto and Marseille this term and will be back in European action on Tuesday when playing host to Greek giants Olympiakos.

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  • ‘It’s tough, really tough’ – Harder than ever for Man City to claim maiden Champions League title, insists Guardiola

    ‘It’s tough, really tough’ – Harder than ever for Man City to claim maiden Champions League title, insists Guardiola

    Pep Guardiola has claimed this season’s Champions League will be more difficult than ever for Manchester City to win.

    City are in their 10th consecutive season in the competition and have never got further than a semi-final appearance in 2015-16 when Manuel Pellegrini was in charge.

    Guardiola, who twice won the Champions League as Barcelona head coach, was appointed City manager with a remit to bring European silverware to the club.

    Under the Catalan they have consistently reached the knockout phase but have never progressed beyond the quarter-final stage, and ahead of their Group C clash with Olympiacos on Tuesday, Guardiola acknowledged the quest to become European champions seems to become more of a challenge with each passing season.

    READ ALSO: Lukaku out of Real Madrid clash with thigh injury

    “It’s tough, really tough. There’s many examples to prove what I’m saying,” Guardiola told a media conference on Monday. “There are more games with managers better prepared, more games where they know what they have to do. Teams are better.

    “There is more money everywhere not just a few clubs, a lot of clubs have the possibility to spend and buy players, and there are important managers.

    “It’s difficult. Last season, Atalanta, look what happened, semi-finals of the Champions League, and the Italian league was incredible. Shakhtar Donetsk, look what happened and now in Real Madrid and a draw against Inter. It ridiculous, this didn’t exist before. It doesn’t matter where you go.

    “It’s hard to qualify [for the knockout stage], every time we qualify I say to players ‘congratulations, enjoy that moment’ but it’s the first success of the season, to qualify for the next round.”

    Guardiola won his two previous Champions League matches against Olympiacos, emerging victorious 3-0 away and 4-0 at home as Bayern Munich manager in the 2015-16 season.

    His City side are unbeaten in their last 13 games in the group stage of the competition, winning five of the six games at the Etihad Stadium.

  • Man City boss positive on Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero injury comeback

    Man City boss positive on Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero injury comeback

    Pep Guardiola says Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero are both nearing a return to action but Tuesday’s Champions League fixture and Sunday’s Premier League clash with Liverpool may come too soon for the forward pair.

    Guardiola confirmed Jesus, who has been out since the end of September through injury, re-joined first-team training this week, while Aguero is “getting better” following a thigh issue.

    READ ALSO: Jose Mourinho: ‘I’m going to check Madrid reaction!’

    Aguero is ruled out of City’s Champions League match at home to Olympiakos on Tuesday and remains a doubt for the visit of league champions Liverpool on Sunday.

    Guardiola is confident the Argentine will be back for the trip to Tottenham on November 21, following an international break.

    Asked about Aguero’s chances of facing Jurgen Klopp’s side, Guardiola said: “Right now, I don’t know but it is getting better.

    “We don’t want to take a step back again. I don’t know about Liverpool but after the international break he will be ready.”

    On the availability of Jesus, the City boss added: “It’s too early to know. He did one training session with the team. We’re happy he is back.”

  • Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool in Michael Olise’s chase

    Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool in Michael Olise’s chase

    Premier League giants Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool are interested in signing Reading midfielder Michael Olise.

    Olise has caught the eye of the Premier League heavyweights following his impressive form for Reading in the Sky Bet Championship this season.

    READ ALSO: Bayern Withdraws Alaba’s Contract Offer

    The 18-year-old has scored two goals and recorded three assists in 10 appearances for the Royals this term.

    Everton, Monaco and Borussia Dortmund have also been linked with the talented youngster.

    The France youth international has 18 months left on his Reading contract.

  • De Bruyne says 15 minutes of planning led to Manchester City’s win over Manchester United

    De Bruyne says 15 minutes of planning led to Manchester City’s win over Manchester United

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola needed only 15 minutes in training to get the tactical changes which led to Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Manchester United, playmaker Kevin De Bruyne said.

    The 3-1 win was in the League Cup semi-finals on Tuesday.

    Guardiola opted to play without a recognised striker at Old Trafford.

    He thus gave De Bruyne and fellow midfielder Bernardo Silva licence to push forward centrally, and the move worked perfectly as Manchester City scored three times before half-time.

    “We did 15 minutes on it (tactics) in the morning. That’s about it,” De Bruyne told the British media on the plan to play with a
    `false nine’ in the first leg.

    “We didn’t train that but it’s not like we never did it before —– we did it sometimes against teams that prefer to play man-against-man; Cardiff City, Manchester United, in Barcelona away we did it the first year with Pep… we’ve done it a couple of times.”

    In spite of Silva’s unfamiliarity in the position, he scored the opening goal in the 17th minute before Riyad Mahrez doubled the lead and Manchester United’s Andreas Pereira scored an own goal.

    Manchester United pulled one back in the 70th minute through striker Marcus Rashford to give themselves a chance in the tie.

    “With Bernardo dropping (back) it’s four against three in midfield, so they have to choose what they do,” De Bruyne said.

    “If they put their defender up there’s more space behind and if not Bernardo’s going to be free. That’s what we tried to do. I think overall we played well.

    “The second half they tried to put a bit more pressure on us and we made one mistake and they scored from it.”

    Manchester City, who succumbed to Manchester United’s counter-attacking might in a 2-1 English Premier League loss at the Etihad Stadium in December, host their neighbours in the second leg of the semi-final on Jan. 29.(Reuters/NAN)

  • League Cup final in sight for City after first leg win across Manchester at United

    League Cup final in sight for City after first leg win across Manchester at United

    Holders Manchester City took a big step towards another League Cup showpiece with a 3-1 win over Manchester United in their semi-final first leg clash at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

    Manchester City outclassed their neighbours in the first half, going in 3-0 at the break with goals from Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and an Andreas Pereira own goal.

    This was before Manchester United regrouped and avoided what could have been a more emphatic defeat.

    “We could have gone in four or five up at half-time. We had the chances. They pressed us higher in the second half, we got tired. But, overall, we are happy,” Bernardo Silva said later.

    The hosts suffered a blow before kick-off with their 80 million pounds central defender Harry Maguire failing a fitness test and Phil Jones was handed a rare start.

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola opted to play without a recognised striker, giving midfielders Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva licence to push forward centrally.

    With Raheem Sterling and Mahrez on the wings, the approach worked superbly against a flimsy-looking defence.

    It was then a brilliant strike from Bernardo Silva that put City ahead in the 17th minute, the winger cutting in from the right before unleashing a superb shot into the far, top corner.

    The busy Portugal international then created Manchester City’s second in the 33rd minute, collecting a poor headed clearance from Victor Lindelof.

    He danced past a challenge before threading the ball to Mahrez who rounded goalkeeper David de Gea and slotted home.

    Manchester City then punished Manchester United after 38 minutes with a counter-attack which ended with De Bruyne leaving Jones on the ground and blasting goalwards.

    De Gea’s parry ricocheted off Manchester United midfielder Pereira into his own net.

    Manchester United looked more solid after the introduction of midfielder Nemanja Matic at the break and got a foothold in the tie through a 70th minute goal from Marcus Rashford.

    The England striker was picked out by a perfectly-weighted pass from Mason Greenwood and coolly slipped the ball past goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.

    The last 15 teams to win away from home in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final have all progressed to the final, but Guardiola said the tie was far from over.

    “Of course Manchester United can come back. Last year here (in the UEFA Champions League), they lost to PSG and still qualified,” he said, referring to Manchester United’s 2-0 home defeat by Paris St-Germain in the last 16 which they overturned with a 3-1 win in Paris.

    “They have the shirt which means history and pride,” added the Spaniard, whose Manchester City team lost 2-1 to their rivals at the Etihad in December’s English Premier League clash.

    Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, on his part, said his side had not performed well in the crucial period after Manchester City’s opening goal.

    “From their first goal, and especially the second, we struggled to get to grips with them.

    “We responded with a good reaction in the second half. But in the first half until they scored it was back and forth. We didn’t cope with the setback well enough,” he said.

    Leicester City face Aston Villa in the first leg of the other semi-final fixture on Wednesday.(Reuters/NAN)