PEP’S CITY SLICKERS READY TO ROUGH IT

PEP GUARDIOLA said his Premier League champions are ready to rough it at

Rodney Parade as they seek to avoid an FA Cup upset.

The City boss insisted his players will not hold back against League Two side Newport tonight, despite having a Champions League last-16 clash on Wednesday.

And he added that cramped changing rooms or a potential cabbage patch pitch will not be new to players who have been there and done that.

“We have to adapt. All of us know it will be tough and just because they are in a lower division it will not be easy. To think that would be a mistake,” said Guardiola.

“But we will take it seriously. All I can say is all my players, when they were young they played in these kinds of conditions. It’s not the first time for them on these kinds of pitches. At 15, 16, 17, they’ve played on them, me too.”

Guardiola (right) expects to take a near full-strength side to

Wales, although there could be starts for

Riyad

Mahrez,

Gabriel

Jesus and Phil Foden (above). And he warned his starters that he does not want them holding anything back with the trip to Schalke next week in mind.

He added: “They have to take a risk. It would be a problem for them if they don’t take a risk and play like a professional to win the game.

“If they think about the next one, maybe the next one they stay here, they don’t travel to Germany. So no risk. They have to take a risk, they have to play like it was a game like the previous ones they played.

“I’m not a sweet guy in those situations, they have to take it seriously and play the game like it deserves.

“The FA Cup is so nice, we got to the semi-finals in my first season, last season we were out at this stage so we want to go through.”

Guardiola will use the example of their disappointing fifth-round exit against Wigan last term to warn his squad of the dangers of relaxing.

“Hopefully, we have learned from it,” he said.

“I’ll tell them how tough it can be. Wigan was in League One and they were in incredible

condition.”