Pep Guardiola says Lyon a step up from Premier League opponents after Manchester City scrape draw

Pep Guardiola says Lyon a step up from Premier League opponents after Manchester City scrape draw
Pep Guardiola felt Lyon’s performance proved how superior the Champions League is to the Premier League.Citytwice needed to come from behindto secure a 2-2 draw as they were outplayed for large spells by the French side in Tuesday’s Group F clash in France.3

Aymeric Laporte was on the scoresheet for Man City in Lyon

The result ensured City qualified for the last 16, but Guardiola said the game should serve as another reminder of how tough competing in Europe can be.The City manager said: “Today the Champions League showed me again that it’s a different competition, the players are better, the demands are so high.“They have weapons on set-pieces, defensively are so strong, they have quality up front. When people say it’s easy for the Champions League, you cannot imagine how confused people are.“After losing the first game, here was not a surprise.“But in February we’ll be there, another year for City. We can focus on the Premier League and try to compete against the best teams in Europe when February comes.”3

Maxwel Cornet was outstanding for Lyon, scoring both their goals

Guardiola, who twice won the Champions League as Barcelona coach, feels the demands are completely different from the Premier League, which City won comfortably last season.He said: “You don’t have time. You can lose games in the Premier League and still have 38 games. Here there is huge quality for 180 minutes.“We showed personality. We got the point that we needed for February. Qualifying for the last 16 is the happiest time for November and December.”City twice fell behind to goals from the outstanding Maxwel Cornet, who also hit the woodwork, but responded with headed equalisers from Aymeric Laporte and Sergio Aguero.There had been speculation Guardiola might start 18-year-old Phil Foden after being hit by a spate of injuries, but Raheem Sterling instead played a central midfield role.3

Pep Guardiola was relieved to leave Lyon with a draw

Guardiola said: “I decided for another player, but everybody here is ready. I came here to show we wanted to win and I put on all the strikers that we have.”City will now hope to secure top spot in the group in their final fixture against Hoffenheim next month.Lyon will also need a result in their last game against Shakhtar Donetsk to progress. Manager Bruno Genesio said: “I was very pleased to see my team perform how they did. City are one of the best teams in Europe.“I regret our concentration levels dropped after we scored our second goal but we have to take the positives from this as we played a great game. Maxwel had a massive game, as did the entire team.“We would have liked to have qualified but we are feeling very positive.”

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Real Madrid are prepared to pay â ¬350m to sign Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain this summer to help launch the club rebuild, say Diario Sport. The Brazilian joined the Parisians in a world record â ¬222m fee from Barcelona in the summer of 2017 but has long been linked with a return to Spanish football.

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Everton sign Jonas Lossl on three-year deal after Huddersfield exit Mirror.co.uk 12:06 24-May-19 Everton sign goalkeeper Jonas Lossl on free transfer as back-up to Jordan Pickford The Telegraph 12:02 24-May-19

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Manchester United will face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16, while Liverpool have been drawn against Bayern Munich. Atletico Madrid take on Juventus, Tottenham Hotspur are up against Borussia Dortmund, and Real Madrid face Ajax.
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gossip Tottenham transfer news: Spurs 'hold talks' over January deal for Jonas Hofmann, ready to make star one of their highest earners
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Tottenham have reportedly seen a £52million bid for Giovani Lo Celso turned down. The midfielder has been on loan with LaLiga side Real Betis last season and they made the move permanent in April when they triggered a £20million option in the deal.
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Liverpool fans react. After the game, some Liverpool fans showered praise of the 27-year-old for his efforts in the fact of a spirited Cardiff side: Joel Matip deserved man of the match been excellent — John Gibbons (@johngibbonsblog) 21 April 2019. Hasn't put a foot wrong for weeks. Quietly brilliant. — Kemlyn Hughes (@David_Gill78) 21
BBC SPORT | EURO2000 | SPORTSTALK | Was Beckham wrong?
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/euro2000/sportstalk/790667.stm
John Owen, England I do not think David Beckham was wrong. As the world has seen in the last few days there is something terribly wrong with English football fans. The treatment of England's best player was disgusting. I would not be surprised if David Beckham refused to play for England again. Gerald Moore, Canada
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