Man City change pre-match routine
Manchester City’s typical preparations for a Champions League away game have been altered ahead of a meeting with Young Boys on the Swiss club’s artificial surface at its Wankdorf Stadium.
City typically does not use the opportunity of training at the stadium where they are playing the game, preferring to prepare in Manchester before traveling.
City, on the other hand, flew to Bern early Tuesday and practiced on foreign territory inside Young Boys’ stadium.
Pep Guardiola, City manager, stated at a news conference later Tuesday that he would like to play on natural grass but accepted the conditions.
“If UEFA allows games to be played here, it’s because it is in good conditions,” Guardiola said.
“That’s one of the reasons we never train away but this is an exception. This is why we travel in the morning for the players to feel how the ball runs, how to move left, right, backwards, forwards. That’s why. We’ll try it and the players will know it immediately.”
“We are not used to it. Any team that plays here is not used to it. It suits the Swiss league and, in the Champions League, the teams that come here have to adapt. We will not be the first in this situation. We have to use it as a benefit but the grass is better.”
