Txiki Begiristain warns that Group F "will not be easy"
Manchester City will face Shakhtar Donetsk, Napoli and FC Shakhtar Donetszk in the group stages on the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League, following Thursday's draw in Monaco.
The Blues were in Pot 2 for the draw, and Pep Guardiola will have been relieved to avoid European heavyweights such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich from Pot 1. Donetsk, the reigning Ukrainian champions, will be difficult oppononents but City will be confident of progressing from the group.
Napoli, who City faced in their inaugural Champions League campaign in 2011/12, and Dutch champions Feyenoord make up the rest of Group F.
Txiki Begiristain, the Club's Director of Football, said after the draw that it's "not going to be easy" for Guardiola's side.
“Of course, it is difficult [against Shakhtar Donetsk]. They are always building good teams, they sign good players, so it’s going to be also difficult to go there and beat them.
“And the rest of the group…Napoli is probably for me now the best team playing football in Italy, they are doing unbelievable football. We saw against Nice they did unbelievable, so we have to be careful.
“And always Feyenoord, touch football, they like to play and what they do, they do well. I don’t know whether to say I am happy or nervous.
“The fact is it’s not going to be easy.”
Matchday 1 – Wednesday 13 September
Feyenoord v Manchester City
Matchday 2 – Tuesday 26 September
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Matchday 3 – Tuesday 17 October
Manchester City v Napoli
Matchday 4 – Wednesday 1 November
Napoli v Manchester City
Matchday 5 – Tuesday 21 November
Manchester City v Feyenoord
Matchday 6 – Wednesday 6 December
Shakhtar Donetsk v Manchester City