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Attendance: 49,308
Manchester City logo
Champions League | Group Stage
Oct 22, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
Atalanta logo

5-1

Aguero (34', 38' pen.), Sterling (58', 64', 69')
FT(HT: 2-1)
Malinovskiy (28' pen.)

Joao Cancelo wary of Atalanta threat in Champions League

Joao Cancelo wary of Atalanta threat in Champions League
© Reuters
The right-back moved from Juventus in the summer to join Pep Guardiola's bid for glory.

Joao Cancelo believes Manchester City are well placed to win the Champions League.

The Portugal right-back swapped Juventus for the Etihad Stadium in the summer in order to be part of Pep Guardiola's glory quest.

He feels the team he has left are still capable of winning the competition, but the opportunity to work under Guardiola was too good to turn down.

Joao Cancelo says he joined Manchester City to learn from Pep Guardiola
Joao Cancelo says he joined Manchester City to learn from Pep Guardiola (Nick Potts/PA)

Speaking at a press conference ahead of Tuesday's Group C clash with Atalanta, the 25-year-old said: "When I came here, I came here also to learn. Pep, I think, is the best manager in today's football.

"I came here to learn from him, and I think that when I play for him I will always learn something and that's exactly what I'm doing.

"City are one of the teams that can win the Champions League – no doubt about it.

"I've been aiming to win this competition since I was a child. Juventus also want to win but I came here because this is my type of football."

Cancelo was happy to bide his time before getting his chance at Manchester City
Cancelo was happy to bide his time before getting his chance at Manchester City (Barrington Coombs/PA)

Cancelo, who has also played for Benfica, Valencia and Inter Milan, joined City in a £60million deal in the summer.

It has taken him time to reach the levels of intensity demanded by Guardiola and to claim a place in the side but he has started City's last three matches.

Cancelo said: "It's true it took me some time to learn but what is important is that the club wins.

"I chose to come here. I was happy to wait for my moment and when I finally had an opportunity to play, I did well and the team won."

City have begun their Champions League campaign with convincing wins over Shakhtar Donetsk and Dinamo Zagreb, both of whom have beaten Atalanta.

Yet the unheralded Italian side are currently third in Serie A and finished in that position last season.

From his experience of playing against them in recent years, Cancelo expects it could be a difficult encounter.

He said: "They're a strong team, a physical team. Atalanta press very well.

"They have players that are technically skilled and I believe it will be a difficult match. We will have to play well because they have some quality players.

"It will be a lively, interesting match. I hope we will get the three points because obviously if we get to nine points, we will be in a more secure position in the group."

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Joao Cancelo pictured in Manchester City gear on August 10, 2019
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League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
1Aston Villa33009
2Liverpool33009
3Man City32107
4B. Leverkusen32107
5Brest32107
6Inter Milan32107
7Monaco32107
8Sporting Lisbon32107
9Arsenal32107
10Real Madrid32016
11Lille32016
12Feyenoord32016
13Barcelona32016
14Dortmund32016
15Benfica32016
16Juventus32016
17Atalanta31205
18Stuttgart31114
19Sparta Prague31114
20PSG31114
21Celtic31114
22Dinamo Zagreb31114
23AC Milan31023
24Bayern31023
25Girona31023
26Brugge31023
27Atletico31023
28PSV30212
29Bologna30121
30Shakhtar30121
31RB Leipzig30030
32Sturm Graz30030
33Salzburg30030
34Red Star30030
35Young Boys30030
36Slovan Bratislava30030


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