Manchester City is the reigning champion of the English Premier League. The English club is competing in its 23rd EPL season this year. It has talented footballers like Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bryune, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez. Manchester City is second in the Premier League standing with 54 points. It recently received a two-year Champions League ban from UEFA. Read on to learn more about Man City's chances to win this season's Champions League.
Pep Guardiola's Major Task
Pep Guardiola is focusing on winning the UEFA Champions League. Some of his players have had several injuries this season and the Spanish manager wouldn't want to lose more key players. Thus, he will be keen on the fitness of Aymeric Laporte, Kevin de Bryune, Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, and Rodri Fernandinho.
Eric Garcia and Phil Foden need to work harder to maintain Man City's position in the Premier League table. Even so, the club doesn't have an inducement to finish among the top four this year. Premier League fans can visit http://www.th-footballfans.net to bet on Guardiola's side. There is almost a 0 percent probability of Man City being relegated this year. So, if Pep Guardiola won't leave the club, he might spend time preparing young players for the next Champions League campaign.
Ian Wright, a former Premier League striker said that Manchester City will only have a successful season if it wins the 2019/2020 UEFA Champions League. Liverpool is 22 points ahead of it, so it will be difficult for Man City to catch the Red Devils in the remaining 13 EPL games. Manchester City will play against Real Madrid in the last 16 stage of the Champions League. The first leg game will take place on February 26, 2020.
Ian also stated that he would start resting key players before the first leg clash if he was Manchester City's boss. Pep Guardiola won two Champions League titles with Barcelona before Man City hired him. So, he has enough experience in the European tournament. Pep Guardiola doesn't want City fans to regard him as a failure if it doesn't win the Champions League. It has never passed the quarterfinals stage of the Champions League under his management.
Reasons Why Manchester City need to Change its Defense
Manchester City has conceded 29 times in 25 games this Premier League season. They are more than the goals it conceded in the last campaign. Ian believes that injuries to some of City's main players have weakened its defense. But, Pep Guardiola needs to add other players in the defensive line this summer.
Aymeric Laporte has missed 20 games this season due to injury while Vincent Kompany left the club last year. Guardiola often picks Fernandinho instead of John Stones. Manchester City didn't score in two consecutive games recently. Guardiola didn't sign a new defender to replace Kompany in his squad.
Manchester City started the 2019/2020 football season on a high note. It won four domestic soccer tournaments in the 2018/2019 season including the FA Community Shield and the English Premier League. Man City is at the top of Group C with 14 points in this Champions League campaign. Pep Guardiola needs to change his defensive line to win the tournament.