Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Manchester City Press Conference - Etihad Campus, Manchester, Britain - January 27, 2026 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola during the press conference Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes
Jan 27 (Reuters) - Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on Tuesday told his players to forget about the top-eight permutations ahead of their final Champions League group match and concentrate on what matters most, beating Turkish side Galatasaray.
After their shock 3-1 defeat at Norway's Bodo/Glimt last week, City are in 11th place in the Champions League standings and sit outside the top eight on goal difference.
The leading eight teams in the table automatically advance to the last 16, while the sides positioned ninth to 24th enter a playoff round to determine the other qualifiers.
City, the 2023 Champions League winners, are one of eight teams on 13 points after seven matches, with three points separating third place from 15th in the table.
They need to beat Galatasaray at home and have other fixtures go their way in order to avoid the playoffs, with goal difference likely to play a big role.
"I prefer to have more (points) but it is what we deserve. We need to focus and try to win our game then see what position we finish," Guardiola told reporters.
"We'll see the result in the last 10 minutes and then we will see (what needs to be done about goal difference). We have to focus on our game, that's the key. We will try to win tomorrow.
"Galatasaray are leading the Turkish league and all their players are exceptional. The quality they have... We have to make an incredible effort with our fans."
City head into the match with talismanic forward Erling Haaland struggling in front of goal.
After the Norwegian's blistering start to the season, with 39 goals in 36 games for club and country, he has scored once in his last nine matches and was benched for City's 2-0 league win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
Asked why Haaland had been under-performing, Guardiola said: "The team. They have to play better, create more chances and he will score. Never underestimate the strikers, the goalscorers because always they will make you silent."
GUNDOGAN, SANE RETURN TO ETIHAD
Guardiola said he was looking forward to a reunion with Galatasaray midfielder Ilkay Gundogan and winger Leroy Sane, both of whom enjoyed trophy-laden spells at City under the Spanish manager.
"I am grateful to both of them. Incredible contributions and lovely people and I am happy to see them back tomorrow," he added.
"He (Ilkay Gundogan) was here longer than Leroy but Leroy gave us something unique. He was a special player and had a connection with Kevin (De Bruyne).
"Gundogan was captain in the treble-winning season and a massive character. A big player in the big games. Top."
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
