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Guardiola Relishing the Challenge of Getting City Back on Track

Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Manchester City - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 5, 2024 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. (Action Images via Reuters)
Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Manchester City - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 5, 2024 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. (Action Images via Reuters)
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Guardiola Relishing the Challenge of Getting City Back on Track

Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Manchester City - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 5, 2024 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. (Action Images via Reuters)
Soccer Football - Champions League - Sporting CP v Manchester City - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - November 5, 2024 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. (Action Images via Reuters)

Manchester City's 4-1 Champions League defeat at Sporting on Tuesday saw them lose three matches in a row for the first time since 2018 but manager Pep Guardiola said he is looking forward to the challenge of getting them back on track.

The defeat in Europe's elite club competition came after they were knocked out of the League Cup by Tottenham Hotspur and had a 32-match unbeaten run in the Premier League ended by Bournemouth.

Injury-hit City were without the likes of Rodri, Jack Grealish, Ruben Dias and John Stones and gave a first start to 19-year-old defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey in the match.

"It is a tough challenge, but I am here. It will be a tough season - we knew that from the start. But this is what it is. I like it, I love it, I want to face it and lift my players and try it ...," Guardiola told reporters.

"I have to try and find an explanation. Sometimes it is just football. We have to accept it. Life is that, sport is that."

City, second in the Premier League behind Liverpool, travel to face eighth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

"We are coming back to Manchester to prepare the game against Brighton. I am not giving up. Maybe people are waiting but I am not giving up," Guardiola said.

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Bayern Have Attacking Options to Replace Kane, Says Kompany

Bayern's head coach Vincent Kompany claps hands during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP)
Bayern's head coach Vincent Kompany claps hands during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP)
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Bayern Have Attacking Options to Replace Kane, Says Kompany

Bayern's head coach Vincent Kompany claps hands during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP)
Bayern's head coach Vincent Kompany claps hands during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP)

Bayern Munich have enough talented players to replace injured striker Harry Kane, starting on Tuesday with their German Cup round of 16 tie against holders Bayer Leverkusen, coach Vincent Kompany.

The England captain, who has netted 20 goals across all competitions this season and leads the Bundesliga scorers' list with 14, suffered a thigh muscle injury in Saturday's 1-1 league draw at Borussia Dortmund.

Kane is expected to be out for a couple of weeks but Kompany said he hoped he could still return to action before the winter break starts on Dec. 22. Bayern are top of the Bundesliga with a four-point lead over Eintracht Frankfurt.

"It is difficult to say at this moment but there is a chance for him to still play this year," Kompany told a press conference on Monday.

"But he will miss several games and to replace him, you know you cannot replace the goals or the player one-for-one. That's why he is a top player."

Kompany said players like Thomas Mueller, Serge Gnabry, Michael Olise and Leroy Sane had enough experience to fill the gap.

"We have talent in the team and need to solve it differently. We won't be lacking talent tomorrow but it will look different," Kompany said.

"We have many options. Thomas Mueller, Mathys Tel, Gnabry, Olise, Leroy. I now named almost everyone. Obviously, Harry has scored 20 goals... but we have dangerous players in attack."

Bayern last won the German Cup in 2020 and have failed to get past the quarter-finals since, losing in the second round in three of the past four seasons.

"We play the Cup holders tomorrow. One of the top two or three games in Germany, and I hope our performance will match the importance of the game," Kompany said.