Champions League

Manchester City expecting "very tough" Champions League group

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 25 August 2016

Man City director of football Txiki Begiristain expects a "very tough" Champions League group stage, having been drawn alongside Barcelona, Celtic and Monchengladbach.

Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain has admitted that his side have been drawn in a "very tough" Champions League group.

The Citizens were drawn alongside two former winners of the competition in Group C, with the standout tie seeing manager Pep Guardiola return to Barcelona, where he spent a trophy-laden four-year spell at the beginning of his managerial career.

Celtic and Borussia Monchengladbach join City and Barca in the group, but despite expecting things to be difficult, Begiristain insists that the club are pleased with the draw.

"It is not a nightmare because we are in a wonderful competition. We are really happy but it will be very tough," he told BT Sport.

"We were in the semi-final last season and we want to be there again. It is an amazing competition, an amazing group."

City beat Steaua Bucuresti 6-0 on aggregate to confirm their place in the Champions League group stages for a sixth consecutive year.