When the draw is made, there is the possibility that Manchester City will be drawn against a team that is a nightmare for them, just like every other side that will be entering the league phase of the Champions League.
During the draw that will take place on Thursday at six o’clock British Summer Time in Monaco, the 36 teams that have qualified will learn who their eight opponents will be.
Man City has been placed in pot 1, but this does not prevent them from a difficult draw. The only two restrictions that apply to the Manchester club are that they cannot compete against another Premier League club or two clubs from the same country.
The worst possible outcome for Manchester City, which would make it tough for them to advance to the next round of the competition, is presented below in advance of the draw that will take place on Thursday.
A Champions League draw that is the most difficult for Manchester City
The Swiss model was implemented for the Champions League competition that took place the previous year, and as it was a structure that Man City struggled with, they were unable to qualify in the top eight of the standings.
As a consequence of this, the team coached by Pep Guardiola was ousted by Real Madrid in the Knockout phase of the play-offs. This is a result that the Manchester club will want to avoid this time around.
There is one outcome that will throw up some challenging matches, and there may even be some matches that are similar to those that were played in the previous season. Man City will have to face two teams from each of the four pots.
PSG, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Sporting CP, PSV Eindhoven, Galatasaray, and Union Saint-Gilloise are the eight possible opponents that the Premier League giants could play. These are the games that are considered to be the most difficult.
In the league phase of the previous season, Manchester City suffered defeats at the hands of both Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus. With the upcoming Champions League season approaching, this would not be a positive indication for the club.
It would be preferable for Guardiola to steer clear of the majority of these clubs; yet, there is a possibility that the Manchester club will be drawn for an easy match.
For Manchester City, the Champions League draw could not be simpler.
During the league phase of the Champions League, the eight opponents that would be the simplest for Manchester City to face would be Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Atalanta, Villarreal, Slavia Prague, Bodø/Glimt, Pafos, and Kairat. If luck were to be on Man City’s side, these eight opponents would be the easiest.
With PSG and Villarreal being the most difficult opponents the Premier League giants would face, Guardiola’s team would be quite optimistic about their chances of finishing in the top eight positions of the league if this draw were to occur.
In actuality, the eight matches that Manchester City will participate in will be a combination of both, given that every single match in the Champions League is characterized by a certain level of difficulty.
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