Pep Guardiola expects ‘complicated’ Champions League draw

Pep Guardiola has insisted he is anticipating a difficult task in the Champions League last 16 regardless of who Manchester City are drawn against.

City ensured they would finish top of group F with a 1-0 win over Feyenoord at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, courtesy of a late Raheem Sterling strike.

The three points earned Guardiola’s City a six point lead over second place Shakhtar Donetsk, but finishing first could see City potentially face Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the next round, with the draw for the knockout stages to be held on December 11.

In spite of this, Guardiola claimed City are focused on winning their final group match against Shakhtar.

‘We play to win the games and after that we will see how things finish,’ Guardiola said.

‘We have one game left. It is important that City have got 15 points at this stage for the first time and we are going to go now to Shakhtar to try to finish well and to try to go and win the game.

‘In the last 16, it doesn’t matter which one (you get), it always will be complicated.’

Raheem Sterling lifts the ball over the Feyenoord goalkeeper to secure a late 1-0 win

The victory at the Etihad extended City’s winning streak to 17 matches in all competitions but will be without Kevin de Bruyne for their trip to Shakhtar in a fortnight through suspension.

With City one of two English sides – alongside Tottenham – to have qualified for the next phase so far, Guardiola refused to get ahead of himself. 

‘We have now qualified from the Champions League group stages, playing the game the way that we know can play,’ he added.

‘We are taking it step by step but we are confident that we can challenge the other teams.’

But despite the victory, Guardiola refused to get ahead of himself and insisted his City side are focused on winning each game and expect a ‘complicated’ last 16 opponent