Champions League

Pep Guardiola: Manchester City "not ready" to compete with Europe's best sides

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 11 September 2016

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola insists that his side must continue to improve at their current rate if they are to stand any chance of winning the Champions League.

Pep Guardiola has warned supporters not to get carried away by Manchester City's perfect start to the season, claiming that the club are still "not ready" to compete with Europe's top sides.

The Citizens have won six out of six under their new boss since he took charge in the summer, beating rivals Manchester United 2-1 in a scintillating manner in their last outing to maintain that run.

Despite all the fanfare following City's impressive start to the new Etihad Stadium era, Guardiola is a little more cautious ahead of the start of the Champions League on Tuesday evening - a competition the Spaniard has won twice as a manager.

"Until now in the Premier League it has been okay, but to compete against the best clubs in Europe, in this moment with the way we are playing, we are not able to," Sky Sports News quotes him as saying.

"We have played, not all of the games, but part of most of the games at a high level, and of course we have to continue. If you ask me whether we are ready to compete in Europe, we are not ready.

"We create, but in front we need more. But it is just two months together, so we have time to get better."

City reached the group stage of the Champions League by brushing aside Steaua Bucuresti 6-0 on aggregate in the playoff round.