Euro ban threat for Guardiola
Pep confident midfielder will join the Etihad big guns and pen new contract
PEP GUARDIOLA is confident Leroy Sane will become the latest star name to sign a new Manchester City deal.
And Guardiola revealed he wants him to extend his stay because of the huge improvement he has made amid fierce internal competition.
Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Fernandinho and goalkeeper Ederson have all penned contract extensions with record-breaking City this year.
But Sane, who has recaptured his best form after a poor start to the season which saw him dropped from the squad, has yet to commit to a new deal, although Guardiola believes he can stay at City for years to come.
“I don’t have any info about the club, about there being trouble with Leroy,” said Guardiola, ahead of tonight’s trip to Watford. “The last info I had was that it’s going well, but the process is not one day. Raheem Sterling, it was not done in one day, except Kevin De Bruyne, it was done in one or two days.
“The other ones sometimes take longer but hopefully Leroy can stay here for many many years.”
Sane produced a breathtaking display in Saturday’s 3-1
Watford are winless in their eight Premier League meetings with City, losing each of the last six in a row (D2).
City’s last two away league games against Watford have seen them win 5-0 and 6-0 – the only team to score 5+ goals in three consecutive top-flight away games against an opponent is West Brom v Birmingham, between December 1957 and April 1960. win over Bournemouth, setting up two of the goals in the victory which consolidated City’s position at the top of the table.
And Guardiola is convinced the summer arrival of £60million winger Riyad Mahrez from Leicester has brought out the best in Sane, with the pair in direct
Watford have beaten the reigning champions at home in their last two Prem campaigns, seeing off Leicester 2-1 in 2016-17 and Chelsea 4-1 last term. City are unbeaten in 13 away Prem games, winning 10 and drawing three. 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 competition for the slot on the left side of City’s attack.
Asked how difficult it is picking between the pair for one spot, Guardiola (above) said: ”It’s not easy, many players don’t play. I said many times it’s the toughest period, the toughest situation
In that run they’ve scored 30 goals, while conceding just five and never more than once in a match.
Sergio Aguero has scored 10 goals in six against Watford, including a hat-trick in this exact fixture last term. Games 26 32 12 Goals 5 10 5 Goals per game 0.19 0.31 0.42 I have to handle. When Leroy plays, he has to play good, Riyad the same, and it’s raised the level, I’m pretty sure of that, so they feel it, the players – they’re not stupid. “The players know they have to play good or the other one will play. It’s the only way.”
Guardiola has told Sterling he can reach another level – despite his heroics this season.
Sterling has eight goals this season, including four in his last four Premier League games, and is joint top in terms of assists with six, having emerged as one of City’s most influential performers.
But Guardiola is convinced the England winger, 23, can take his game to another level.
“He can do better,” said Guardiola. “We are so delighted in what he has done in three years, but he can do better – be more consistent, first controls, his receptions, many, many things.” MANCHESTER CITY will face a Champions League ban if UEFA find them guilty of breaking strict spending rules.
UEFA have confirmed they are re-examining their Financial Fair Player investigation into the club after whistleblowers Football Leaks published damning documents in German magazine Der Spiegel.
President Aleksander Ceferin yesterday described the issue as a “concrete case” and confirmed they are reassessing the issue.
But UEFA insiders are making it clear the only viable sanction now is a Champions League suspension because even a massive fine would not hurt mega-rich City, managed by Pep Guardiola (above).
Ceferin said: “We have an independent body working on it. Very soon we will have the answers on what will happen in this concrete case.”
City, who accepted a £49million fine in 2014 as part of a UEFA punishment for breaching FFP rules, have repeatedly described Der Spiegel’s reports as the product of a “clear and organised” attempt to tarnish their reputation.