Man City vs FC Shakhtar Donetsk - Guardiola focus on Shakhtar Donetsk rather than Man Utd

Posted Wednesday, November 07, 2018 by PA

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City’s Champions League clash with Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday is more important than Sunday’s derby against Manchester United.

City are looking to take another stride towards qualification for the last 16 in the European competition by repeating last month’s victory over Shakhtar in Ukraine on home soil.

Guardiola insists the game is currently his sole focus and is not yet looking ahead to this weekend’s more-hyped Premier League contest.

The City manager said: “Every game is important and you have to evaluate. The most important will be Shakhtar, first because it is the next one and second because it is a final.

“After dropping points against Lyon, every game is a final. We have a big chance to make an incredible step to qualify for the next round and after we have three or four days to think about United.”

City have bounced back from their loss to Lyon in their Group F opener with back-to-back away wins over Hoffenheim and Shakhtar. It is almost a year, however, since they last won a Champions League game at home. They have actually lost their last three at the Etihad Stadium, stretching back to defeats by Basel and Liverpool last season.

Guardiola said: “It’s also really difficult to win away and we won the last two away. I don’t count.

“Every game is completely different. We have a big chance to go to the next round. We feel more comfortable playing home than away and I prefer to play here than in Donetsk, for example.”

City have been eliminated at the last-16 stage and the quarter-finals in Guardiola’s previous two seasons in charge. The Spaniard, who won the competition twice as Barcelona boss, feels success is now tougher to achieve than previously.

He said: “People say it’s not enough but in my opinion to reach the quarter-finals is already a big success today.

“Big clubs are going to be out, they’re not going to qualify for the next round so going through is already a big achievement.

“My feelings from playing in it 10 seasons ago is that every season it’s tougher. The teams are stronger, more well prepared – wherever you go the opponent is tough.

“I don’t know if it’s the toughest one but I have the feeling every season that the players, teams, managers and clubs are stronger, the desire is higher and it’s more complicated.”

Kyle Walker, who was speaking alongside Guardiola at City’s pre-match press conference, claimed the players were responsible for rousing the crowd. City are regularly criticised for a lack of atmosphere at Champions League home games but Walker insists the fans are not to blame.

The right-back said: “Definitely not. The fans have their opinion on the Champions League which is what it is. It is down to us as players to create the atmosphere in there and help the fans.”

Walker was also asked why he cuts holes in the back of his socks.

“I get tight calves with my age,” he said. “I do that to relieve a bit of pressure.”

Paulo Fonseca spoke of his desire to manage in England one day.

The highly-rated Portuguese manager, who has won successive domestic doubles with the Ukrainian side, has been linked with Everton, West Ham and Aston Villa in the past year.

“Of course,” said the 45-year-old when asked if managing in the Premier League held appeal. “It is a dream for every coach and it is a big league, the best, maybe, in the world.

“I would like one day to come here and manage one team. I don’t know when it will be but I believe one day it will happen.”

Fonseca, however, insisted his immediate focus was on Shakhtar. His side, who are eight points clear at the top of the Ukrainian Premier League, are hoping to kick-start their latest European challenge as they face City at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

Shakhtar reached the last 16 of the competition last season – and have done four times in the past eight years – but have collected just two points from their opening three Group F games this time.

Fonseca said: “With regards to the team I would like to manage – I am currently with Shakhtar and this is the team I want to manage.

“My heart and soul are with them but maybe in future I will consider managing another team.”

Shakhtar were comprehensively beaten 3-0 by City when the sides met in Kharkiv a fortnight ago and Fonseca is expecting another tough evening.

He said: “Playing against Manchester City is always very complicated because they are one of the best teams in the world.

“We are going to show our strengths and show our game and we have to make sure we don’t make any mistakes playing against such a team as City. Manchester City do not have weaknesses.”