Manchester City expecting "very tough" Champions League group

Bayern Munich head coach Pep Guardiola looks on prior to kick-off in the Champions League quarter final match against Manchester United on April 9, 2014
© AFP
Man City director of football Txiki Begiristain expects a "very tough" Champions League group stage, having been drawn alongside Barcelona, Celtic and Monchengladbach.

Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain has admitted that his side have been drawn in a "very tough" Champions League group.

The Citizens were drawn alongside two former winners of the competition in Group C, with the standout tie seeing manager Pep Guardiola return to Barcelona, where he spent a trophy-laden four-year spell at the beginning of his managerial career.

Celtic and Borussia Monchengladbach join City and Barca in the group, but despite expecting things to be difficult, Begiristain insists that the club are pleased with the draw.

"It is not a nightmare because we are in a wonderful competition. We are really happy but it will be very tough," he told BT Sport.

"We were in the semi-final last season and we want to be there again. It is an amazing competition, an amazing group."

City beat Steaua Bucuresti 6-0 on aggregate to confirm their place in the Champions League group stages for a sixth consecutive year.

Bayern Munich head coach Pep Guardiola looks on prior to kick-off in the Champions League quarter final match against Manchester United on April 9, 2014
Read Next:
Pep Guardiola's City drawn alongside Barcelona
>

CountryGoldGSilverSBronzeBTotal
1 ChinaChina615029140
2 Great BritainGreat Britain31172270
3 UkraineUkraine26202470
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City4400114712
2Chelsea431094510
3Everton431072510
4Manchester UnitedMan Utd43017349
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs42207258
6Liverpool42119727
7Arsenal42118627
8Hull City42115327
9Middlesbrough41214405
10Watford411278-14
11Crystal Palace411234-14
12West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom411223-14
13Swansea CitySwansea411246-24
14Bournemouth411235-24
15Burnley411235-24
16Leicester CityLeicester411247-34
17West Ham UnitedWest Ham410359-43
18Southampton402236-32
19Sunderland401338-51
20Stoke CityStoke4013210-81