As Bayern Munich prepares to host Manchester City a battle for Group D supremacy in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, coach Pep Guardiola has made it clear that ceding top spotin the group to the Premier League giant is not an option. Because Bayern won the first encounter, 3-1, at the Etihad Arena, Manuel Pellegrini’s men would need to win by threeclear goals in order to take first-place.
“Coming second in the group is not really an option for us,” Guardiola told reporters ahead of the crucial clash at the Allianz Arena. “Itis something we want to avoid.” The Spaniard is fully aware of City’s English rival Arsenal’s 2-0 win in Munich in the UCL last season — a feat that City is more than capable ofreplicating, he said.
“I know how dangerous Manchester City are,” the former Barcelona coach said. “They have great players — they can get three or four chances within minutes. My playershave to really concentrate and be aware of the situation. We have a very big chance to be first in the group and that is what we have to aim for.”