Man City learning as they progress – Pep

Monchengladbach took the lead midway through the first half when Raffael lashed a rising drive past Claudio Bravo, but David Silva levelled just before the break as he profited from Kevin de Bruyne’s low cross.

Guardiola said Kompany would be out for “the next weeks” ahead of Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League and, ahead of the weekend trip to Burnley, the former Bayern Munich boss conceded the Belgium worldwide was facing an absence of up to six weeks after a visit to his favoured physician in Barcelona.

“Hopefully we can do well and qualify for the quarter-finals”.

In seven seasons as coach of Barcelona and Bayern Munich, the 45-year-old won the Champions League twice and never failed to reach the semi-finals. I was a trainer here in Germany and I know how hard Gladbach are.

The City manager said: “We have qualified with one game left and it’s a big compliment for the team, for the whole stage”.

Pep Guardiola: “This game is key for us”.

“We know that in Europe every team you play can cause you problems”, he told The Mirror.

Manchester City would like to resume being tough domestically.

City’s first real opportunity of the match came in the 45th minute when De Bruyne played the ball over the top for Raheem Sterling. Capable of some devastating intensity displayed against Barcelona, they have been exposed in some of their domestic performances of late with home draws against Southampton, Everton and Middlesbrough while they made hard work of picking up three points last week at Palace.

With no recall clause on Belgium defender Jason Denayer’s season long loan arrangement with Sunderland, City are likely to explore the option of signing a new centre half in January but there is an acceptance that finding a player with the quality Guardiola demands in that position will be hard enough next summer let alone in the shorter winter transfer window.

“His teammates love him”.

It should have been 2-0 on 32 minutes when Sweden’s Oscar Wendt found his way through the City defence, but Bravo saved from close range. The Clarets continued their struggles on the road, having taken just one point from five matches while being outscored a staggering 13-1 in those contests.

Sean Dyche believes Ben Mee’s steady rise at Burnley proves there is life for young players beyond the Premier League elite. Guardiola went through the three away games, arguing that the 3-3 draw at Celtic was too insane for analysis and that they had competed well enough at the Nou Camp before Claudio Bravo’s dismissal caused their roof to cave in.

The Etihad midfielder is poised for a first-team return after three months out with a groin problem.