Owen Hargreaves believes Manchester City are the best team remaining in this season’s Champions League, and are deserving of their tags as favourites.
City are in Portugal this evening as they face Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of their last-16 tie, where they are heavy favourites to progress.
Pep Guardiola’s side will be aiming to end their wait for a first Champions League crown this season as they chase a historic treble, with City already boasting a healthy lead in the Premier League and in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
European glory though will be their biggest aim, having come agonisingly close to ending their wait last season, only to be beaten at the final hurdle by Chelsea.
They are the favourites once again to go all the way, and former City midfielder Hargreaves can’t see past his old side as potential winners.
“It’s his (Guardiola’s) best team and they’re the best team in the competition,” Hargreaves told BT Sport.
“I think he’s just got such a great group of players, they virtually tick every box. Defence, goalkeeper, midfield, so many attacking options - I think right now this is his best group of players.
“He trusts these players. They’re favourites to win this competition. I think these players have delivered time and time again.
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“The margins are fine, we’ve seen that in the Champions League, but I think he backs his players to get the job done this season.”
Guardiola has once again made five changes to his side in Portugal this evening, having rested plenty of his big players at Norwich at the weekend.
Kevin De Bruyne, Aymeric Laporte, John Stones, Rodri and Joao Cancelo return to the side as City look to create an advantage ahead of the second leg at the Etihad in three weeks’ time.
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