This is unbelievable – Manchester City in disbelief after learning the truth about their Champions League opponent
Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola addresses a press conference of Manchester City in Bratislava on September 30, 2024, on the eve of …
Manchester City resume their Champions League campaign on Tuesday evening with a clash against Slovan Bratislava.
Pep Guardiola‘s side kicked off their European adventure with a goalless draw to Inter Milan last week.
Manchester City then followed it up with two further draws with Arsenal and Newcastle United in the Premier League, either side of a 2-1 victory over Watford in the Carabao Cup.
Under the new Champions League format, City will be eager to get three points on the board when they face Slovakian side Slovan Bratislava.
Their opponents on Tuesday endured a sobering start to their Champions League campaign after being hammered 5-1 by Celtic on matchday one. Things will only get more difficult when they face City’s host of world-class stars.
Josep ‘Pep’ Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, looks on during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Manchester City and Watford at Etihad…
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Tuesday’s meeting sees one of the Champions League favourites come up against one of the lowest-ranked sides in the competition.
It should be a fairly simple night for Guardiola’s men, but it will be an extra special occasion for Bratislava captain Vladimir Weiss.
The 34-year-old winger will be facing City 12 years after leaving the Manchester club as an academy graduate.
Guardiola could hardly believe it when it was pointed out that Weiss was a Man City academy player and won the Youth Cup with them in 2008.
Speaking on TNT Sports, he said: “Are you joking? Wow.”
“2008? He was in the academy and won the cup? He’s the captain? That’s nice to know.”
Guardiola then confirmed that he would have to meet with Weiss after the game, presumably to talk about his time at City.
Weiss is likely not a name that springs to mind for City fans, but the Bratislava-born winger spent six years in Manchester between 2006 and 2012.
He spent three years in the academy and scored in the second leg of the 2008 Youth Cup final, before he broke through to the first team in 2009.
Weiss made five senior appearances for City and scored once – in a 3-0 win over Arsenal in the League Cup in 2009.
As quoted by Manchester City’s official website, the 34-year-old reflected on his time at the club this week: “I have the best memories of my time at City.
“It was an amazing achievement to break through to the first team at a young age with the players that were already in the squad.
“With time, there were better and better players and with Mancini coming in, my chances were getting smaller.
“I am always going to watch City, not just because they’re my first club but because they play the best football in the world for me.”
Injuries have affected the City squad but they will rise to the challenge
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There is no doubt that injuries have affected the Manchester City squad in recent weeks. Following the last international break, Nathan Ake, Kevin De Bruyne, and Rodri have all joined Oscar Bobb on City’s injury list. Losing each player has been a blow for Pep Guardiola’s side. But going forward it is expected that the City squad will rise to the challenge posed by the absence of several key players.
It was clear during Manchester City’s 1-all draw with Newcastle what effect losing key players has had on City’s play. Pep Guardiola’s side looked devoid of creativity in midfield in the absence of Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne. That was the obvious toll of losing two pieces of City’s engine room. You could also mount an argument that if fit Oscar Bobb could’ve made a difference on Saturday. But he isn’t available and won’t be for the foreseeable future, so that is a moot point. So the absence of key players is something the entire Manchester City squad must overcome as a team.
Speaking after Manchester City’s draw with Newcastle Pep Guardiola said that his team had shown in previous seasons that they can overcome the absence of key players. Guardiola is calm about City’s injury situation and has full faith in his squad to overcome it. He said: “During seven or eight years we handle it. Nine years, I would say, as it’s my ninth season here. It’s always been like that. The same. No change. This season, we have a long, long injuries list, especially with Oscar and with Rodri for a long, long time that is completely different from the past, but the schedules are the same.”
The Manchester City squad will have to adapt and overcome the loss of key players this season. They have no choice in the matter. It is the card they have been dealt and it is the one they must play with. There is no doubt that the loss of key players has upset the rhythm of the City squad. But as Pep Guardiola told the media it is a challenge they overcome before. They must now do so again starting tomorrow night against Slovan Bratislava.
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