The 8th round of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League will feature a highly anticipated match, with Manchester City hosting Galatasaray from the Turkish Super League at the Etihad Stadium. Guardiola stated that the players only need to focus on the game and need not worry about the behind-the-scenes situation.

In the previous Champions League match, Manchester City came back from 3 goals down to lose 1-3 to Bodø/Glimt after Rajon Scherki scored.

After losing three crucial points, Manchester City are currently 11th in the standings with 13 points, tied with 8th-placed Chelsea. This means that the "Citizens" must defeat Galatasaray to avoid participating in the play-offs and advance to the round of 16.

However, in the earlier Premier League match, Manchester City defeated Wolves 2-0 thanks to goals from Malmush and Semenho, successfully giving the players a boost of morale.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said, "Of course I would prefer us to get more points, but the current result is what we deserve. We just need to stay focused, try to win the game, and then see what the final standings are. In the last 10 minutes, we will know the results of the other teams, and then we will see what we need to do. We must focus on the game we are in, that is the most important thing."

“We will strive for victory, while Galatasaray is currently leading the Turkish Super League, and their players are all excellent. They have great strength, Osimhen is a top player, and the team will build around him. Sané and the two wingers are very fast, and Gundogan and Lemina are also experienced players.”

Guardiola also said, "Every football culture is different. We have never played a Turkish team away from home, and I really want to go there. We have experienced historic nights, but I would also like to visit the stadiums of Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, and Besiktas."

Furthermore, when discussing Galatasaray midfielders Gundogan and Sané who previously played for Manchester City, Guardiola said, "I am very grateful to both of them. They made incredible contributions to the team and are both very good people. I am happy to see them back here. Gundogan has been here longer than Sané, but Sané brought something unique to us."

“Sané is a very special player with incredible chemistry with the midfield, especially with De Bruyne. Gundogan was the captain of the treble-winning season and is a player with great leadership qualities. Like Bernardo Silva, he always steps up in crucial matches and is a top player.”

Image source: Internet