Pep and Rodgers in ‘tough draw’
in the last 16 in both the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. They lost all four games and had a player sent off in three of the clashes.
But Guardiola will draw on his inside knowledge of the Spanish club when he seeks revenge for Bayern Munich’s semi-final defeat by Barcelona in 2015.
The draw also means an immediate return to Barca for City’s new goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, who yesterday completed his £13.75million move to the Etihad as a replacement for the unwanted Joe Hart.
City’s other Group C opponents will be Borussia Monchengladbach, who they beat twice in the group stage last season, and Scottish champions Celtic, managed by former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers.
City’s sporting director Txiki Begiristain, a former Barcelona player and director, said: “For Bravo, Pep, me and Ferran [Soriano, City’s chief executive] it’s back home again – three times in four seasons. At least we know the way!
“It’s a tough draw but it’s better to face Barcelona in the group stage than in the round of 16 like before.
“We were in the semi-finals last season and we want to get there again.”
Guardiola spent most of his playing career with Barca, and was a member of Johan Cruyff’s ‘Dream Team’ that won the club’s first European Cup in 1992.
In contrast to City, the three other English clubs – Leicester, Arsenal and Tottenham – were relatively happy with their draws.
The Foxes are in with Porto, Club Brugge and Copenhagen; the Gunners face Paris Saint-Germain, Basle and Ludogorets while Spurs are up against CSKA Moscow, Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco.