In order to secure consecutive Champions League titles, Manchester City should steer clear of facing Arsenal.

Manchester City will need to avoid facing Arsenal if they want to win back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles, according to former City defender Joleon Lescott.

Pep Guardiola’s team will face FC Copenhagen in the second leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday, after securing a 3-1 win in the first leg. Meanwhile, Arsenal find themselves 1-0 down to Porto heading into their second leg at home.

Lescott believes that Mikel Arteta’s side is better equipped to deal with City than any other team left in the competition. He stated, “I’m confident for City to win the trophy as long as they avoid Arsenal. We’ll probably expect every predictable team to go through the tie – Arsenal and Porto are fairly similar in terms of their league stature – but I think that Arsenal would understand and have slightly less respect and fear for Man City.”

Lescott also highlighted that Arsenal have already beaten City twice this season, with a penalty shoot-out victory in the Community Shield and a 1-0 victory in the Premier League. He explained that City’s experience from last season’s triumph in the competition, particularly the semi-final victory over Real Madrid, gives them the confidence to go all the way.

However, Lescott acknowledged that facing Arsenal would be a challenge for City. He said, “I don’t think Arsenal are the best fitted to beat everyone else. I think City’s worst team they could face would be Arsenal over two legs. I would be more nervous facing Arsenal than against Real Madrid.”

Looking ahead to City’s upcoming matches, Lescott suggested that Guardiola should consider resting some key players for the match against Copenhagen, with a potential title showdown against Liverpool on Sunday. He mentioned that players like Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne could benefit from a rest, especially considering the physical and emotional demands of playing at Anfield.

In conclusion, Lescott believes that City’s biggest challenge in the Champions League would be facing Arsenal, but he remains confident in their ability to win the trophy. He also suggested that Guardiola should carefully manage his squad to ensure they are fresh for important upcoming matches.