Champions League: Manchester City face Barcelona

In the just concluded European championship league draws Manchester City will trade tackle with Barcelona in the group stage of this season’s Champions League.

The other teams in the group are Borussia Mochengladbach and Celtic.

In other draws, defending champions Real Madrid face Borussia Dortmund in Group F, Arsenal will play Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich are in Group D with Atletico Madrid.

GROUP A

Paris Saint-Germain
Arsenal
FC Basel
Ludogorets Razgrad

GROUP B

Benfica
Napoli
Dynamo Kiev
Besiktas

GROUP C

Barcelona
Manchester City
Borussia Monchengladbach
Celtic

GROUP D

Bayern Munich
Atletico Madrid
PSV Eindhoven
Rostov

GROUP E

CSKA Moscow
Bayer Leverkusen
Tottenham Hotspur
Monaco

GROUP F

Real Madrid
Borussia Dortmund
Sporting
Legia Warsaw

GROUP G

Leicester City
Porto
Club Brugge
FC Copenhagen

GROUP H

Juventus
Sevilla
Lyon
Dynamo Zagreb

Group Stage Matchdays
September 13, 14
September 27, 28
October 18, 19
November 1, 2
November 22, 23
December 6, 7

Round of 16 draw: Monday, Dec. 12.

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Guardiola warns Bayern to respect wounded Arsenal

Pep Guardiola has warned his Bayern Munich players to brace themselves for a ferocious test from an Arsenal side fighting for Champions League survival. Arsene Wenger’s side are in severe danger of failing to reach the knockout stages for the first time in 16 years after two dismal defeats.

The Gunners were beaten at Dinamo Zagreb and then suffered the embarrassment of losing at home to Olympiakos, leaving them pointless at the bottom of Group F. Another loss when Bayern visit the Emirates Stadium would put Arsenal on the verge of a stunning exit and Bayern boss Guardiola expects the hosts to fight like wounded animals on Tuesday.

“For them, they have an advantage because they have to win, when that happens with these kind of players, and the history of this club, they are going to make the best performance possible,” Guardiola told reporters on Monday.

“I don’t expect anything other than a fight for the 90 minutes.

“We have to look for another way to compete against them because of the enthusiasm they will have, so we will have to be intelligent and control our game.

“Of course I prefer to come here with six points, but I can imagine my team with zero points and playing in Germany against Arsenal.

“I can imagine the mentality of my team — we would be an animal, because it is our last chance, you give everything and that will happen with Arsenal, so you have to be prepared.

“We saw what happened with Arsenal against Zagreb and Olympiakos, when no-one expected them (their opponents) to win, and it will be the same for us tomorrow.”

Guardiola’s team have won all of their opening nine German league matches -– a Bundesliga record -– and have also made a 100 percent start to their Champions League campaign.

But Guardiola has no intention of letting his players rest on their laurels.

“There are still 12 points up for grabs, we are not qualified yet and have to fight and against one of the best teams in Europe,” Guardiola added.

“They have great quality and are a very technical team.

“It is very difficult to play against them and find one Arsenal player who does not have quality.”

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Guardiola warns Bayern to respect wounded Arsenal

Pep Guardiola has warned his Bayern Munich players to brace themselves for a ferocious test from an Arsenal side fighting for Champions League survival. Arsene Wenger’s side are in severe danger of failing to reach the knockout stages for the first time in 16 years after two dismal defeats.

The Gunners were beaten at Dinamo Zagreb and then suffered the embarrassment of losing at home to Olympiakos, leaving them pointless at the bottom of Group F. Another loss when Bayern visit the Emirates Stadium would put Arsenal on the verge of a stunning exit and Bayern boss Guardiola expects the hosts to fight like wounded animals on Tuesday.

“For them, they have an advantage because they have to win, when that happens with these kind of players, and the history of this club, they are going to make the best performance possible,” Guardiola told reporters on Monday.

“I don’t expect anything other than a fight for the 90 minutes.

“We have to look for another way to compete against them because of the enthusiasm they will have, so we will have to be intelligent and control our game.

“Of course I prefer to come here with six points, but I can imagine my team with zero points and playing in Germany against Arsenal.

“I can imagine the mentality of my team — we would be an animal, because it is our last chance, you give everything and that will happen with Arsenal, so you have to be prepared.

“We saw what happened with Arsenal against Zagreb and Olympiakos, when no-one expected them (their opponents) to win, and it will be the same for us tomorrow.”

Guardiola’s team have won all of their opening nine German league matches -– a Bundesliga record -– and have also made a 100 percent start to their Champions League campaign.

But Guardiola has no intention of letting his players rest on their laurels.

“There are still 12 points up for grabs, we are not qualified yet and have to fight and against one of the best teams in Europe,” Guardiola added.

“They have great quality and are a very technical team.

“It is very difficult to play against them and find one Arsenal player who does not have quality.”

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Guardiola will leave Bayern in 2016, says Effenberg

The ex-Germany international has little doubt the Spaniard will be on the move come 2016 and feels Jurgen Klopp would be a good replacement. Former Bayern Munich midfielder Stefan Effenberg believes Pep Guardiola will leave the Bundesliga champions at the end of his contract in June 2016.

The former Barcelona coach has so far been reluctant to open talks over a new deal and has been heavily linked with a departure at the end of the season. Manchester City are keen to lure him to the Premier League and Effenberg feels an exit next year is inevitable, adding that former Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp could be the Spaniard's replacement at the Allianz Arena.

"I am pretty certain that Guardiola will no longer be in charge of Bayern after 2016," Effenberg told Sky. "Who could replace him? I am thinking about Jurgen Klopp. He is definitely an alternative for Guardiola in Munich." Effenberg also briefly discussed the upcoming DFL Supercup match versus Wolfsburg and expects Bayern to be gunning for revenge after their 4-1 Bundesliga defeat last term.

"Bayern will take the game seriously. They will still be a tad annoyed that they lost 4-1. They will want to get their revenge." FCB last won the German Supercup in 2012, when they beat Dortmund 2-1.

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Guardiola will leave Bayern in 2016, says Effenberg

The ex-Germany international has little doubt the Spaniard will be on the move come 2016 and feels Jurgen Klopp would be a good replacement. Former Bayern Munich midfielder Stefan Effenberg believes Pep Guardiola will leave the Bundesliga champions at the end of his contract in June 2016.

The former Barcelona coach has so far been reluctant to open talks over a new deal and has been heavily linked with a departure at the end of the season. Manchester City are keen to lure him to the Premier League and Effenberg feels an exit next year is inevitable, adding that former Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp could be the Spaniard's replacement at the Allianz Arena.

"I am pretty certain that Guardiola will no longer be in charge of Bayern after 2016," Effenberg told Sky. "Who could replace him? I am thinking about Jurgen Klopp. He is definitely an alternative for Guardiola in Munich." Effenberg also briefly discussed the upcoming DFL Supercup match versus Wolfsburg and expects Bayern to be gunning for revenge after their 4-1 Bundesliga defeat last term.

"Bayern will take the game seriously. They will still be a tad annoyed that they lost 4-1. They will want to get their revenge." FCB last won the German Supercup in 2012, when they beat Dortmund 2-1.

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