Kyle Walker may have missed out on England selection this week but can expect to start for Manchester City against Brighton on Saturday after Pep Guardiola gave the defender his full backing.
Gareth Southgate has favoured youth for England’s upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Kosovo, selecting Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Trent Alexander-Arnold instead, but Guardiola has no concerns that Walker will be affected by the decision.
Guardiola admitted he was “a little bit” surprised by the decision, but added: “I’m not involved. We respect the decision. I think Kyle is coming back and is stronger.
“But the decision, of course I understand it and we support the manager of the national team, Gareth, and of course Kyle.
“I’m sure the players want to go to the national team and play but this happens, so you adapt.”
Walker also faces added competition at club level following the signing of Joao Cancelo, who made his debut as a substitute last week, but Guardiola hinted he remains first-choice for now with the Portuguese still settling in.
“There are many things Kyle knows completely and Joao is starting to understand what to do,” he said.
While Walker was disappointed, fellow City defender Aymeric Laporte got better news with a long-awaited France call-up – his first since March 2017 – and a chance for the 25-year-old to win his first senior cap.
“For me he is the best left-sided centre-back,” Guardiola said. “You cannot find another guy who can create, be defensive and offensive, the mentality of how he is.
“I am incredibly grateful to Didier Deschamps and so happy for him because he deserves it.”
City were handed a favourable-looking Champions League draw on Thursday, grouped with Shakhtar Donetsk, Dinamo Zagreb and Atalanta to strengthen their status as one of the competition’s favourites.
Guardiola won the competition twice with Barcelona but could not bring the trophy to Bayern Munich in his three-year tenure.
It remains the missing piece in City’s trophy cabinet, but Guardiola downplayed any pressure to win it.
“It’s important, I know it’s important and if it happens, it will be important,” he said.
“But (if not) I will be the same guy, I’ll wake up in the morning, work a lot, go to sleep as early as possible, eat good, take care of myself as best as possible and love the people I love.
“I’m going to do my best but it’s not going to change my life.”
And the City boss had little interest in dissecting his team’s Group C rivals.
1/33 Champions League Group Stage Power Rankings
All 32 teams ranked from those with the worst chances of winning it all to those with the best.
Getty Images
2/33 32. Club Brugges
Squeaked past Champions League minnows LASK in qualifying. Likely to find it difficult on this, the biggest stage.
Getty
3/33 31. Dinamo Zagreb
Passionately supported, but it is tough to forecast a Croatia 2018 style fairytale run.
AFP/Getty Images
4/33 30. Slavia Prague
Beat Cluj to win their place in the group stage and made life difficult for Chelsea in the Europa League last season.
Getty
5/33 29. Olympiacos
Stormed past FC Krasnodar in the Play-off round, but that might be the height of their Champions League efforts this season
AFP/Getty Images
6/33 28. Genk
Surprise Belgian champions last season, but may struggle to step up. Gheorghe Hagi never won the Champions League as a player, but I doubt son Ianis will right his father’s wrongs in his first season in Belgium.
AFP/Getty Images
7/33 27. Lokomotiv Moscow
Some canny additions with plenty of European experience to complement a strong Russian base, but not enough top-end quality to predict progression.
Getty Images
8/33 26. Galatasaray
Jean Michael Seri and Ryan Babel have joined the Turkish champions, which bodes well after Fulham’s efforts last season, even if Babel was something of a find. Europa League a realistic target.
AFP/Getty Images
9/33 25. Red Star Belgrade
The Serbian side will be bothersome at home, and have just installed a tank outside their ground for extra intimidation points, as they were last year, when they beat Liverpool. Lack true forward quality, though.
Getty Images
10/33 24. FC Salzburg
Austrian champions in each of the last six seasons, which counts for something. Not much, mind you, hence the low ranking.
Getty Images
11/33 23. Atalanta
Punched well above their weight as the surprise Serie A packages last season, but they may struggle more at this level.
Getty Images
12/33 22. Shakhtar Donetsk
A faded force from the heady Uefa Cup winning days, but they remain an entertaining Brazilian/Ukranian ying and yang. They’ll have at least one 5-4 result, or something along those lines.
AFP/Getty Images
13/33 21. Benfica
Benfica remain extremely talented despite the departure of Joao Felix, but the hardened centre that is required for Champions League success isn’t quite there.
AFP/Getty Images
14/33 20. Lille
An odd mishmash of forgotten faces (Jose Fonte, Loic Remy) and potential stars (Timothy Weah, Renato Sanches, Jonathan Bamba) but that might be to their detriment. Boom or bust.
AFP/Getty Images
15/33 19. Zenit St Petersburg
Ever a tricky trip, Zenit have a sneakily fun squad.
Malcom will look to rebound from his torrid time at Barcelona.
Getty Images
16/33 18. Valencia
Europa League semi-finalists after dropping down last season, the squad is a coherent one with experience. Round of 16 likely if they get a friendly group draw.
Bongarts/Getty Images
17/33 17. Lyon
More impressive in the Champions League than Ligue 1 last season, in many ways. Gone are Tanguy Ndombele, Ferland Mendy and Nabil Fekir, however – a tough ask to replace such quality.
AFP/Getty Images
18/33 16. Bayer Leverkusen
They’ve lost Julian Brandt, but in Jonathan Tah, Leon Bailey and particularly Kai Havertz possess some of the best young talent in Germany. They’ll be in the Round of 16 mix.
Bongarts/Getty Images
19/33 15. Chelsea
Untested manager, untested squad, and lost their only true attacking difference-maker in the summer. The Champions League could go very, very badly for Chelsea.
AFP/Getty Images
20/33 14. Ajax
Last year’s semi-finalists, although they were made to sweat in qualifying this time around, and have lost star players Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt.
AFP/Getty Images
21/33 13. Napoli
Dark horses part one.
Kostas Manolas and Kalidou Koulibaly might be the best centre-half pairing in the competition, and they have plenty of attacking resources from which to draw.
AFP/Getty Images
22/33 12. RB Leipzig
Dark horses part two.
The installation of Julian Naglesmann as manager will further stimulate a squad that, if it clicks, can cause serious damage.
AFP/Getty Images
23/33 11. Inter Milan
Antonio Conte is a shrewd appointment who will drill his side well defensively, and Romelu Lukaku is a proven goalscorer, scoff as you might. Diego Godin could be talismanic.
Getty Images
24/33 10. Tottenham Hotspur
Calm yourselves, Spurs fans, but it is hard not to forecast a regression to something resembling the mean.
Rode their luck a bit last time out all the way to the final, and already flirting with a soft implosion. They may yet turn it around, of course.
Getty Images
25/33 9. Atletico Madrid
Probably not Atletico’s year given the summer talent drain, but Diego Simeone’s ability to grind out wins cannot be fully discounted.
Getty Images
26/33 8. Bayern Munich
Interesting defensive additions, but probably another year or two away from re-assembling themselves for another proper tilt for the crown.
Bongarts/Getty Images
27/33 7. Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund above Bayern? Yep!
Lucien Favre is putting something special together. The re-signing of Mats Hummels shores up an inexperienced defence.
Bongarts/Getty Images
28/33 6. PSG
Neymar leaving could be a blessing in disguise, should he indeed depart for Barcelona, with the forward line’s roles better clarified and Kylian Mbappe fulfilling his destiny as a super-club’s key player.
AFP/Getty Images
29/33 5. Real Madrid
It could all come tumbling down in Madrid this year, but do not rule out Zinedine Zidane cobbling together a meaningful Champions League run from a squad that has plenty of pure talent.
AFP/Getty Images
30/33 4. Juventus
The Ronaldo project worked, to some extent, in year one, and Juventus are making the right moves to improve the team around him and properly contend in the Champions League this year. Matthijs De Ligt’s development will be fun to watch, though Maurizio Sarri’s rigidity may hinder the Italians.
AFP/Getty Images
31/33 3. Liverpool
Right in the mix, again. Jurgen Klopp’s side are possibly due a slightly less successful campaign, though, and an injury drastically alters the appearance of such a settled lineup in key areas.
Getty Images
32/33 2. Barcelona
Lionel Messi wants another Champions League. That should be reason enough to rank Barcelona this highly, even after their recent misfires. Antoine Griezmann has arrived, Neymar may be on his way, Frenkie De Jong is the best young player in Europe – this might just be the Catalans’ year.
Getty Images
33/33 1. Manchester City
Pep Guardiola’s City tenure will not feel fully complete without taking them to the top of the Champions League mountain, and they are shaping as favourites, with squad depth, consistency and an ability to rip teams apart in four or five different ways.
Getty Images
1/33 Champions League Group Stage Power Rankings
All 32 teams ranked from those with the worst chances of winning it all to those with the best.
Getty Images
2/33 32. Club Brugges
Squeaked past Champions League minnows LASK in qualifying. Likely to find it difficult on this, the biggest stage.
Getty
3/33 31. Dinamo Zagreb
Passionately supported, but it is tough to forecast a Croatia 2018 style fairytale run.
AFP/Getty Images
4/33 30. Slavia Prague
Beat Cluj to win their place in the group stage and made life difficult for Chelsea in the Europa League last season.
Getty
5/33 29. Olympiacos
Stormed past FC Krasnodar in the Play-off round, but that might be the height of their Champions League efforts this season
AFP/Getty Images
6/33 28. Genk
Surprise Belgian champions last season, but may struggle to step up. Gheorghe Hagi never won the Champions League as a player, but I doubt son Ianis will right his father’s wrongs in his first season in Belgium.
AFP/Getty Images
7/33 27. Lokomotiv Moscow
Some canny additions with plenty of European experience to complement a strong Russian base, but not enough top-end quality to predict progression.
Getty Images
8/33 26. Galatasaray
Jean Michael Seri and Ryan Babel have joined the Turkish champions, which bodes well after Fulham’s efforts last season, even if Babel was something of a find. Europa League a realistic target.
AFP/Getty Images
9/33 25. Red Star Belgrade
The Serbian side will be bothersome at home, and have just installed a tank outside their ground for extra intimidation points, as they were last year, when they beat Liverpool. Lack true forward quality, though.
Getty Images
10/33 24. FC Salzburg
Austrian champions in each of the last six seasons, which counts for something. Not much, mind you, hence the low ranking.
Getty Images
11/33 23. Atalanta
Punched well above their weight as the surprise Serie A packages last season, but they may struggle more at this level.
Getty Images
12/33 22. Shakhtar Donetsk
A faded force from the heady Uefa Cup winning days, but they remain an entertaining Brazilian/Ukranian ying and yang. They’ll have at least one 5-4 result, or something along those lines.
AFP/Getty Images
13/33 21. Benfica
Benfica remain extremely talented despite the departure of Joao Felix, but the hardened centre that is required for Champions League success isn’t quite there.
AFP/Getty Images
14/33 20. Lille
An odd mishmash of forgotten faces (Jose Fonte, Loic Remy) and potential stars (Timothy Weah, Renato Sanches, Jonathan Bamba) but that might be to their detriment. Boom or bust.
AFP/Getty Images
15/33 19. Zenit St Petersburg
Ever a tricky trip, Zenit have a sneakily fun squad.
Malcom will look to rebound from his torrid time at Barcelona.
Getty Images
16/33 18. Valencia
Europa League semi-finalists after dropping down last season, the squad is a coherent one with experience. Round of 16 likely if they get a friendly group draw.
Bongarts/Getty Images
17/33 17. Lyon
More impressive in the Champions League than Ligue 1 last season, in many ways. Gone are Tanguy Ndombele, Ferland Mendy and Nabil Fekir, however – a tough ask to replace such quality.
AFP/Getty Images
18/33 16. Bayer Leverkusen
They’ve lost Julian Brandt, but in Jonathan Tah, Leon Bailey and particularly Kai Havertz possess some of the best young talent in Germany. They’ll be in the Round of 16 mix.
Bongarts/Getty Images
19/33 15. Chelsea
Untested manager, untested squad, and lost their only true attacking difference-maker in the summer. The Champions League could go very, very badly for Chelsea.
AFP/Getty Images
20/33 14. Ajax
Last year’s semi-finalists, although they were made to sweat in qualifying this time around, and have lost star players Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt.
AFP/Getty Images
21/33 13. Napoli
Dark horses part one.
Kostas Manolas and Kalidou Koulibaly might be the best centre-half pairing in the competition, and they have plenty of attacking resources from which to draw.
AFP/Getty Images
22/33 12. RB Leipzig
Dark horses part two.
The installation of Julian Naglesmann as manager will further stimulate a squad that, if it clicks, can cause serious damage.
AFP/Getty Images
23/33 11. Inter Milan
Antonio Conte is a shrewd appointment who will drill his side well defensively, and Romelu Lukaku is a proven goalscorer, scoff as you might. Diego Godin could be talismanic.
Getty Images
24/33 10. Tottenham Hotspur
Calm yourselves, Spurs fans, but it is hard not to forecast a regression to something resembling the mean.
Rode their luck a bit last time out all the way to the final, and already flirting with a soft implosion. They may yet turn it around, of course.
Getty Images
25/33 9. Atletico Madrid
Probably not Atletico’s year given the summer talent drain, but Diego Simeone’s ability to grind out wins cannot be fully discounted.
Getty Images
26/33 8. Bayern Munich
Interesting defensive additions, but probably another year or two away from re-assembling themselves for another proper tilt for the crown.
Bongarts/Getty Images
27/33 7. Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund above Bayern? Yep!
Lucien Favre is putting something special together. The re-signing of Mats Hummels shores up an inexperienced defence.
Bongarts/Getty Images
28/33 6. PSG
Neymar leaving could be a blessing in disguise, should he indeed depart for Barcelona, with the forward line’s roles better clarified and Kylian Mbappe fulfilling his destiny as a super-club’s key player.
AFP/Getty Images
29/33 5. Real Madrid
It could all come tumbling down in Madrid this year, but do not rule out Zinedine Zidane cobbling together a meaningful Champions League run from a squad that has plenty of pure talent.
AFP/Getty Images
30/33 4. Juventus
The Ronaldo project worked, to some extent, in year one, and Juventus are making the right moves to improve the team around him and properly contend in the Champions League this year. Matthijs De Ligt’s development will be fun to watch, though Maurizio Sarri’s rigidity may hinder the Italians.
AFP/Getty Images
31/33 3. Liverpool
Right in the mix, again. Jurgen Klopp’s side are possibly due a slightly less successful campaign, though, and an injury drastically alters the appearance of such a settled lineup in key areas.
Getty Images
32/33 2. Barcelona
Lionel Messi wants another Champions League. That should be reason enough to rank Barcelona this highly, even after their recent misfires. Antoine Griezmann has arrived, Neymar may be on his way, Frenkie De Jong is the best young player in Europe – this might just be the Catalans’ year.
Getty Images
33/33 1. Manchester City
Pep Guardiola’s City tenure will not feel fully complete without taking them to the top of the Champions League mountain, and they are shaping as favourites, with squad depth, consistency and an ability to rip teams apart in four or five different ways.
Getty Images
“I’m not going to be distracted today talking about the Champions League when my focus is just on Brighton,” he said.
Gabriel Jesus was expected to be out until after the international break with a hamstring problem but Guardiola said both he and John Stones are “much better” and he did not rule out them being involved in Saturday’s match.
“They are much better. I don’t know if they will be able to play tomorrow but they are much better,” he said.
“If they are not ready for tomorrow, they will be ready for the Norwich game after the break.”
Guardiola began his press conference by sending his condolences to former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique following the death of his nine-year-old daughter Xana, who had been battling bone cancer.
“We knew it was not good, but always you dream everything is going well,” Guardiola said. “I don’t have words, there is absolutely nothing to say.
“Always you try to find reasons why, but there is no argument for a little girl, only nine years old.
“From Manchester City and my family, we are here, and hopefully soon I can see him and tell him how I love him and his family.”
PA