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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke about what he wants form his team at the start of their Champions League campaign
Pep Guardiola wants Manchester City to show immediate improvement in the Champions League to confound expectations.
The Blues are fighting to show they are capable of winning trophies again after their first season without silverware in eight years. The club have spent more than £350m to rebuild the squad and are intent on making their mark in the Premier League and Champions League.
Last season was especially galling for the Blues in Europe, with the 2023 winners not even making the knockout rounds after finishing 22nd in the new-look group format and being knocked out in the play-offs by Real Madrid. They suffered tough defeats to Sporting and Juventus and threw away a three-goal lead at home to Feyenoord.
Guardiola accepts that injuries ruined City's campaign last season but is focusing on a fresh start this year as they prepare to host Kevin De Bruyne's Napoli. City may not be being talked about among the favourites in the competition, but the coach wants a better result than they managed first time out last time to get their group stage off to the best start.
"Apparently we are not," he said. "Enjoy the moment, the journey, we are happy to be here. In the past we have been [among the favourites]. We have just won once.
"It is a lot for the difficulty and we just focus on tomorrow, the game we have to play. We have to play more games than the past but when you start with a bad result always it is more difficult.
"Last season we draw the first game against Inter, hopefully this time we can make a better result.
"The group stages have been tough but when you face your group all the time you can control your opponents home and way and learn a lot. In this format it is more unexpected, you always have to have as much points as possible in the first eight, otherwise come back in the first 24."
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