Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City’s Champions League clash with Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday is more important than Sunday’s derby against Manchester United.
City are looking to take another stride towards qualification for the last 16 in the European competition by repeating last month’s victory over Shakhtar in Ukraine on home soil.
Guardiola insists the game is currently his sole focus and is not yet looking ahead to this weekend’s more-hyped Premier League contest.
The City manager said: “Every game is important and you have to evaluate. The most important will be Shakhtar, first because it is the next one and second because it is a final.
“After dropping points against Lyon, every game is a final. We have a big chance to make an incredible step to qualify for the next round and after we have three or four days to think about United.”
City have bounced back from their loss to Lyon in their Group F opener with back-to-back away wins over Hoffenheim and Shakhtar. It is almost a year, however, since they last won a Champions League game at home. They have actually lost their last three at the Etihad Stadium, stretching back to defeats by Basel and Liverpool last season.
Guardiola said: “It’s also really difficult to win away and we won the last two away. I don’t count.
“Every game is completely different. We have a big chance to go to the next round. We feel more comfortable playing home than away and I prefer to play here than in Donetsk, for example.”
