Marc Guéhi sees Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League fixture against AEK Athens as another chance for Manchester City to grow amid a packed schedule. The Blues are preparing for their third consecutive home game in under two weeks, with the match coming after a 3-2 Premier League win against Ipswich and a 4-2 home loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
Guéhi has been ever-present during this demanding run, playing every minute since the season resumed. City currently top the Premier League with seven wins from seven matches, but defensive lapses remain an issue. The Blues have conceded nine goals at the Etihad across the last three league games.
“I wouldn’t say [it’s] a concern,” Guéhi said at his pre-match press conference. “There are many things we have to consider. New manager and getting used to playing together in the system the manager wants us to [use] and hopefully as time goes by, we learn and improve.”
The defender acknowledged that recovery and tactical work are vital given the frequency of games. “There have been a lot of meetings and reviewing clips inside. Things that we can do better. For example, in the last game I know I can do better but that’s just football,” he said. “I’m glad I’ve got teammates to help me out at the other end as well.”
Guéhi stressed that learning happens both on and off the field. “As much learning [as we can] whether it’s on the pitch or off the field with the clips that we’re watching. When we can we get on the pitch to go through things and tactics but it’s a lot of recovery, sleep, and making sure the body is right for the next game,” he added.
City have earned three points from their two Champions League group stage matches so far. They began with a 2-0 win at FC Porto before last week’s loss to reigning champions PSG. Both City and AEK Athens currently sit on three points in the group, with City 17th and AEK 20th in the composite table.
Guéhi expects a tough encounter against the Greek champions, who are enjoying their first Champions League campaign since 2018/19. “We know they’re a very good team and got a win in their first game and have very good attackers that have a lot of experience,” he said. “So we need to be aware and mindful of that. They are going to come here and try to make the game difficult [but] hopefully we can do well and get the three points.”
The match kicks off at 20:00 UK time on 20 October at the Etihad Stadium. City are encouraging supporters to attend, with tickets starting at £35 for adults and £20 for under-18s. Hospitality packages are also available, starting at £150 per person.
Meanwhile, City face a further challenge with the absence of Semenyo, who is out for eight weeks according to manager Enzo Maresca. The squad will look to maintain their momentum as the congested fixture list continues.
According to Yahoo Sports.
