The four teams Man City could face in Champions League last 16 as Pep Guardiola prepares for tricky test

Manchester City have discovered which four teams they could face in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Pep Guardiola’s side were remarkably one of eight teams with 13 points heading into the final round of League Phae fixtures and were positioned outside of the top eight ahead of their important home clash with Galatasaray on Wednesday.

However, a depleted Citizens squad - missing nine players through a mix of injury, ineligibility and suspension - secured a 2-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium to climb up to eighth place and secure automatic last-16 qualification, avoiding the knockout playoff round.

First-half strikes from Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki helped City claim maximum points, though the night was somewhat tarnished by the injury to Jeremy Doku, who assisted both goals and may now face a spell on the sidelines following a worrying update from Guardiola.

Man City’s focus will now shift back to the Premier League, but Citizens supporters will be keen to learn which team they will soon face in the last 16 of the Champions League in March.

Benfica, Bodo/Glimt, Inter or Real Madrid will face Man City in last 16

After finishing eighth in the 36-team table, City already know that they will face Benfica, Bodo/Glimt, Inter Milan or Real Madrid in the last 16, with the draw and potential route to the final to be confirmed on Friday.

Some will argue that the Citizens are guaranteed a tricky test against any of those four opponents, with Guardiola’s side having already suffered a disappointing 3-1 away defeat to Bodo/Glimt in this season’s competition.

Jose Mourinho’s Benfica ended their League Phase campaign with three wins in their final four matches and beat Real Madrid 4-2 in a dramatic matchday eight fixture to secure their place in the playoff round via goal difference.

That defeat for 15-time Champions League winners Los Blancos has seen them slip out of the top eight and finish one place behind Man City in ninth spot, despite accumulating 15 points from their eight fixtures.

Man City and Real Madrid have recently formed a European rivalry, facing each other in each of the last five years in the Champions League, including a 2-1 triumph for the Citizens at the Bernabeu in December.

Serie A leaders Inter, meanwhile, also picked up 15 points in the League Phase and will be out for revenge against City if they are drawn against each other in the last 16, after losing in the 2023 Champions League final to Guardiola’s side.

Guardiola claims every Champions League opponent is “really, really tough”

Commenting on Man City’s win over Galatasaray and progression to the last 16, Guardiola told reporters: “The first half was better than the second, but in the second half there were more chances than the first. A lot of things to improve.

“We’re really pleased to finish top eight considering how the Champions League has become. When I started 16 or 17 years ago, qualification was not as difficult.

“Today, every team is really, really tough, and I’m really pleased and hopefully we can arrive in March in our best.

“We started really well and had chances. We had no proper holding midfielders there. Jeremy and Omar were excellent, but we had incredible chances and maybe we [could have] needed more goals to qualify.

“But I’m really pleased because we have long weeks [until the Round of 16] and we need it. Not just that, that we’ve already qualified. Hopefully in that moment we can arrive better.

“Look how many incredible teams are out of the top 24 and how many are not in the top eight and still it’s the youngest team we have played in my years here in the Champions League.

“It’s a process to learn and hopefully Rodri, Marc (Guehi) and (Antoine) Semenyo will be back when we are there. That’s good news.”

Man City will now turn their attention to Sunday’s Premier League trip to Tottenham Hotspur, as they attempt to reduce the four-point gap to leaders Arsenal.