Guardiola: "I never think we're going to win by four or five goals."

In the pre-match interview, Guardiola stated that he doesn’t expect a repeat of Manchester City’s previous 5-0 win against Sporting CP, considering it will be a challenging test.



"I don’t know why, but before a game, I never think we’re going to win by four or five goals. I’ve never felt that way.

"This is a different game. That was in the knockout stage. Our situation is different now, and with many players unavailable, we’re in a very different condition compared to back then.

"They play similarly to how they did when we faced them two years ago, with a very clear style. Now, they’re building more from the back.

"Two years ago, they had a different forward; now they pair up with Chermiti, who moves back to defend. They connect well in midfield, can transition to attack, and have great movement up front.

"They have changed players, but the coach and their mentality remain the same. Winning the league for the first time in 20 years and then doing it again last season shows the outstanding work of [Ruben] Amorim."