WHY HE’S OUT IN THE COLD

had been failing. ‘Why can’t you win today and in three days’ time? It is physical, yes, but it is the same in Spain or Germany,’ he said then. The tone now is markedly more guarded, highlighting a lack of confidence. ‘The English teams are a step back in that respect,’ he said. ‘The titles and the way they play, the self-confidence shows that. That Spain (European Championship) win was so important in 2007-08 for that generation. The step for the English teams — the club teams and national teams — is to win one, or be close and then say, “OK, wow, we are there”. One thing (they need) is belief.’ Guardiola’s goalkeeper Ederson was an emblem of the spirit he hinted is missing in Toure. As he travelled with the squad, the Brazilian wore a scrum cap over injuries sustained when Liverpool’s Sadio Mane put a boot into the side of his head on Saturday. Guardiola said there was a risk the 24-yearold would feel the same anxiety as Petr Cech, who found it difficult charging out for the ball after fracturing his skull in a collision with Reading’s Stephen Hunt 11 years ago. But Ederson went up for three long balls in training yesterday and will be assessed today. Feyenoord are without striker Nicolai Jorgensen, the Dutch league’s top scorer last season. Manager Giovanni von Bronkhorst said City were ‘one of the best teams, one that can win the Champions League’. But their resolve to defeat vastly wealthy English sides was evident a year ago this week, when they beat Manchester United here 1-0.