[Sport]'It's an opportunity' - what is at stake for Man City

[Drennn]

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has described his side's Champions League situation as "not a problem" but "an opportunity" as they look to avoid exiting the competition at the group stage.

The 2022-23 champions are 25th in the 36-team league, two points out of the positions that qualify for the knockout phase play-offs.

They must beat Belgians Club Brugge at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday to avoid being eliminated at the group stage.

"The situation that we have is that we have to win the game and if not we will not continue in this competition," Guardiola said.

"We want to have another chance to play another two games, to have the chance of the next stages. It's not a problem, it's an opportunity."

Manchester City have received an injury boost before the game with Guardiola confirming Oscar Bobb will be available for selection.

The midfielder has spent five months on the sidelines after breaking a bone in his leg last summer.

City reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League last term and Guardiola, who has won the Champions League three times as a manager, is treating the game like a knockout fixture.

He added: "These type of games I've played many times. Sooner or later you have to play them where if you win you go through and if you don't you go out.

"We are here for the reasons we know, that we have not been good enough, and this is a situation we have lived many times."

Manchester City are one of 25 teams out of the 36 in the league still waiting to learn their fate.

The 4-2 defeat by Paris St-Germain in their previous match was costly because it leaves Guardiola's side in the elimination zone.

If City fail to beat Club Brugge, they would not drop into the Europa League. It would be the end of European football for them this season.

Failing to qualify for the next round means taking a hefty financial hit.

Every club in the league phase gets 18.62m euros (£15.6m) for participating, with performance bonuses of 2.1m euros per win and 700,000 euros per draw.

Reaching the play-offs is worth an additional 1m euros but getting past that is when things start to get lucrative.

Reaching the last 16 banks a club 11m euros, the quarter-finals is worth an extra 12.5m euros and clubs getting to the semi-finals receive 15m euros.

Getting to the final is worth a guaranteed 18.5m euros, with the champions pocketing 25m euros.

That means if Manchester City fail to get out of the group stage then they would miss out on a potential 64.5m euros (£54.1m).

The knock-on effect could impact what business Guardiola can do in the transfer market, although he would not be drawn on that situation on Tuesday.

"I didn't speak with my chief executive about that," he said.

"I would say the budget is positive. I'm not naive enough to know how important this competition is financially for the club but we want to try and go though for sporting reasons." 

Link: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c5y7gmk47k7o