Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Co get ready for Lyon test as Manchester City prepare to begin their Champions League campaign
- Manchester City step up preparations for their opening Champions League tie
- Pep Guardiola’s talented side host French outfit Lyon for the first Group F match
- But the boss will be in the stands as he must serve a touchline ban from last year
- Mikel Arteta will look to inspire the players from the side in Guardiola’s absence
Pep Guardiola pushed his talented players on Tuesday afternoon as they prepare to get their latest Champions League campaign underway.
City are one of the favourites to lift the trophy in May inside Atletico Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano but Guardiola, who will not be on the touchline, will be warning his side against complacency when it all starts at home to Lyon on Wednesday.
Guardiola must serve a touchline ban for the opening Group F match against Lyon having been sent off in last season’s quarter-final defeat to league rivals Liverpool.
Manchester City’s stars rallied together on Tuesday afternoon as they trained to face Lyon
Boss Pep Guardiola will not be on the touchline for the first Champions League tie due to a ban
Mikel Arteta will look to fill the void in the technical area left by Guardiola who is in the stands
Fresh from beating Fulham 3-0, Sergio Aguero and Co are full of confidence for the home tie
Mikel Arteta will fill the void left by the former Barcelona boss on the touchline but fresh from beating Fulham 3-0 on Saturday, Arteta believes Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Leroy Sane and Co are full of confidence ahead of facing the Ligue 1 outfit.
‘For me we have the best players in the world and I look at our players as if they are the best,’ the ex-Arsenal midfielder told reporters.
‘I wouldn’t change my players for any others. They are absolutely fantastic, the hunger in this group is incredible.
‘People talk about money to spend but people have to look inside this club, what we have created, it’s phenomenal.’
City are one of the tournament favourites this season as they look to go better than last year
Leroy Sane is pushing for a start having made an impact on Saturday after being out of the side
Guardiola’s side will take on Lyon, Hoffenheim and Shakhtar Donestk as part of Group F
Arteta will be allowed no contact with Guardiola during the match and he accepted it is not ideal to be without the inspirational head coach for the opening group game.
Arteta said: ‘Obviously he is very disappointed. We all know how much the Champions League means to him.
‘But he had a reaction to something in a big game and they made a decision and this is the situation. We respect the decision. He wouldn’t choose the situation but I am here, I will try to do my best to reduce the impact of not having Pep.
‘It is a good challenge, a very nice challenge, but if I had to choose, I would choose Pep on the touchline because he does that job better than anyone else.’
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