Pep: We must make home advantage tell in the Champions League | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has stressed the importance of City making home advantage count ahead of Wednesday’s Etihad Champions League clash with Sparta Prague.

A 4-0 win away at Slovan Bratislava last time out moved City up into eighth place in the table.

The new-look league format for this season’s competition means only the top eight teams automatically quality for the knockout stages after the eight-match initial schedule.

Like City, Sparta are also unbeaten after the first two games, having four points and lying in 10th place with Guardiola expecting another tough examination.

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And with tough away trips to come against Sporting CP, Juventus and Paris Saint Germain, the boss pointed out how important seeking to make home advantage tell would be.

“The truth is every week there are incredible games on a Tuesday and a Wednesday,” Pep pointed out.

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“We have now many teams - 36 teams - and just eight qualify [automatically].

“So I’m pretty sure there will be extra qualification games for a top, top team.

“I’m pretty sure if we don’t close the games at home after our draw with Inter, we have three incredible tough away games, at Lisbon, Juventus and PSG.

“It is not easy. The games we have at home we have to close it, otherwise it’ll be difficult to finish in the first eight and that’s the target we want to achieve.

“Sparta have the same points as us.

“They played attractive football in Germany to draw against Stuttgart [in their last game] and created a lot of problems.

“I didn’t know Sparta Prague until the last two days and I have an impression.”

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City will go into the game on the back of a memorable and dramatic 2-1 Premier League win at Wolves on Sunday, sealed by John Stones’ 95th minute winner.

It was just the latest example of City’s capacity under Guardiola to fight until the very last whistle in search of victory.

And the boss said the manner of both the win and the way his players celebrated the achievement afterwards spoke volumes about the spirit and desire of his squad.

“We are still there close to top of the league. I like the way we won in the last minutes, the celebrations are so important. I know it’s coming,” Pep added.

“I have exceptional admiration for Wolves - they did well against Liverpool and Chelsea and  I saw how good they play and they were not able to do it against us.

“How we celebrate it in October, not in May or April, I see the team still has the passion and see it in the locker room.

“Still, they want it and we are there. It means a lot to me. A lot.”