MX23RW : Saturday, November 23 00:25:41| >> :60:1313:1313:

Pep Guardiola: 'Manchester City nowhere near Barcelona's level'

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola targets Champions League glory with the Citizens before comparisons with his former Barcelona side can begin.

Pep Guardiola has insisted that there is still plenty of work to be done before his Manchester City side can be compared to former club Barcelona.

The Citizens are embarking on an era of domestic dominance in English football, having already lifted the EFL Cup and dropped just nine points in their opening 29 Premier League games.

City are now within four wins of a third top-flight triumph in six years, and also hold a four-goal advantage over Basel heading into the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

Guardiola has played down comparisons with the great Barca side he led to European glory in 2009 and 2011, however, as City have only won one trophy - the EFL Cup - under his leadership so far.

"It's completely different players; the players in the past won a lot. We are nil, most of us," he told reporters at his pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday's visit of Basel. "We are new here. Now we can say we have won one title but it is not comparing, so no.

"It's not good for us to be compared with that team. That team has dominated for the last decade, 15 or 20 years with different managers and different players.

"Every season, they have won a lot of things and we have won just the first title. To join this kind of team, you have to be there for a long time - many years - but we've won just one title, that's all."

Guardiola won 14 major honours during his four years at Camp Nou, including three La Liga crowns and a couple of Copas del Rey.

ID:320226: cacheID:320226:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2740:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
General view outside The Emirates ahead of the Premier League game between Arsenal and Chelsea on January 3, 2018
Read Next:
Arsenal 'quoted £62.5m for Geubbels'
>
Read more about Pep Guardiola Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!