Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
‘CITY HAVE THE BEST SQUAD IN THE WORLD’
PEP GUARDIOLA has the best squad in the world, says his Manchester City right-hand man Mikel Arteta.
Arteta will take charge of City for tonight’s Champions League groupstage opener against Lyon, with Guardiola beginning a one-match touchline ban.
Guardiola was sent to the stands during City’s quarter-final defeat by
Liverpool last season after haranguing the referee at half-time. Arteta, linked with the Arsenal job in the summer before Unai Emery landed it, said City have the best squad on the planet and can go all the way in the Champions League this season. “We have the best players in the world,” said the 36-year-old. “I see how they behave, how they react, their qualities and weaknesses. I wouldn’t change my players for any others. People talk about the money there is to spend. But they have to look at what we have created – it’s phenomenal.” Bookmakers have installed City favourites for the Champions League but Arteta said: “I am surprised given there is a team (Real Madrid) that has won it three times in a row but that means people seriously think we’re candidates to compete. “It has to be a motivation, not a pressure, and that’s the way we take it. Hopefully we can improve on the last two seasons. “Real Madrid have something special in this competition. They deal with every detail better than everyone else. They are the favourites. The rest of us have to catch up and make that gap smaller, but I think this season it’s a very open Champions League.”