"It's a great game, it's the Champions League against one of the best teams in Europe," stressed Kasper Hjulmand at the press conference in Manchester on Monday evening. "We love challenges like this - there's nothing better. We're really looking forward to tomorrow night!" When asked about his approach to the clash with the current third-placed team in the Premier League, the 53-year-old Dane said: "We're here to play our way, our style of football, that's how it is in every game. We'll have to invest a lot to do that, but we're ready."
Hjulmand: "We'll have a great team on the pitch"
On City's star striker Erling Haaland, who has scored a remarkable 22 goals in 20 competitive games so far, Hjulmand said: "He's one of the best strikers in the world, no question about it. We have of course analysed him extensively, but you can't take a player of this class out of the game completely. However, we're more concerned with the team than with individual players. They have a very good structure, especially in attack."
Hjulmand will be without a number of players, including Edmond Tapsoba (suspended after picking up a third yellow card) and Robert Andrich (suspended following a red card). Several players from the U19s will also be included in the matchday squad on Tuesday evening. Hjulmand: "We only ever concentrate on the players who are available to us. As with every game, we're fully focused on them. For me, despite the absentees, we'll have a great team on the pitch tomorrow and good options on the bench. We have great confidence in each and every one of them." The same applies to City loanee Claudio Echeverri, about whom the Dane said when asked: "Of course Claudio has an important role in our thoughts for tomorrow's game. In general, he's played a lot of minutes in the Champions League (135 in four games, including two starts, editor's note). He's absolutely ready for tomorrow!"
Garcia: "Have the chance to CAUSE CITY problems"
Long-serving City player Aleix Garcia spoke of a "challenging game and a special evening for me. But I see the chance to cause City problems and also to pick up three points." For the Spaniard, it will also be a reunion with Pep Guardiola: "He's one of the best, if not the best, coaches in the world. I learnt a lot from him here." Their last meeting to date was on the golf course in the summer. "Unfortunately, Pep was slightly better," said Garcia with a grin. The Werkself player naturally wants to be able to say the same about himself after the 90 minutes on the football pitch against Guardiola's Blues tomorrow evening.
