Pep Guardiola may have to abandon preferred Man City Champions League tactic vs Sevilla

In years gone by, Pep Guardiola has insisted that Manchester City's first target in a season is to secure a top-four finish, and therefore qualify for the Champions League. A secondary target that he often triumphs is qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League each season.

Both targets have something in common, too. Guardiola is keen to get them achieved as soon as possible, in order to then focus on winning the league or going as far as possible in Europe.

On the eve of City's latest Champions League campaign getting underway, history suggests Guardiola will field strong teams in every group game until qualification for the last 16 is secure. However, this season presents different challenges to consider that may force Guardiola to rethink.

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City's first group game of 2022/23 is their trickiest on paper - away to the second-seeded side straight up, at a ground that has plenty of European pedigree and against a team with recent history of lifting European trophies.

Sevilla are Europa League experts, although have struggled to truly replicate their success in that competition to the Champions League. Still, they will relish the tag of being underdogs and boast some familiar names to Champions League viewers. The Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan will present a tough test that Guardiola will inevitably take with the seriousness he should.

However, there is more than three points at Sevilla to consider. A home game against Tottenham in the Premier League will be extremely difficult on Saturday, as will the visit of Borussia Dortmund next week. The following trip to Wolves could be easier, too.

Guardiola is battling various fitness concerns