Manchester City

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola on Kevin de Bruyne and whether he has started the season well after recovering from injury: "I agree, but it is the same with Erling [Haaland] in all the comments after the game. They help us in the Premier League games, in the competitions we had, but I will see. Yeah, I'm happy he's playing at a good level."

On Phil Foden and whether he expect him to be playing more in the central areas when he is back fit: "Yeah, we have Gundo (Ilkay Gundogan) now back and other players but yeah, his position, he's better there. When everybody is fit, competition is tough and they have to compete for themselves, to perform well.

"I want to rotate but they have to prove, when I rotate, that they are ready to play. When they don't perform well, I rotate well. The business here is to win the next game and not because I give presents for this player, the other one. I want everyone involved because it is the best way - mentally, physicality - but they have to perform."

Manchester City

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola on his memories of the 2023 final against Inter: "That was nice. [It was a] tight game, first half much better than second, after the goal we had one clear chance to fulfil, they had two clear chances. Inter have many Champions Leagues, we have one.

"I said in the days before the final I remember how tough the opponent [was], now the people believe me more. People need to see how strong they are but this is not a final now, it's a game at home. We are not going to go to Milan, it's completely different and with our people, our games at home, we'll try to do it."

On how much inspiration his players can draw from that night: "I think they have to know what they have to do, the way [Inter] attack is so difficult to control."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City

Manchester City midfielder Rodri is now speaking to the media, which you can watch at the top of this page. Before we bring you his key comments, here's more from City boss Pep Guardiola.

Manchester City

On gaining inspiration from winning the 2023 final, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said: "About inspiration, about emotion, I'm so cold on that. It's the first game in a group stage of eight games. Tactically, we have to be present in what we have to do."

Image source, PA Media

Manchester City

On playing extra games in the new Champions League format, boss Pep Guardiola said: "I don't think much about what happens in January or February. Many things can happen. I'm focused on trying to win tomorrow, and for the rest of the days [on Sunday against] Arsenal. In modern football you have to handle the present and that's all."

Image source, Reuters

Manchester City

On how this Inter Milan team compares to the Inter side Manchester City beat in the 2023 Champions League final, boss Pep Guardiola said: "It was a good team in that moment, it's a really good team right now.

"They always have been, [the Serie A is] a tough, tough league, so competitive, and tomorrow will not be an exception.

"It'll be a different game because the Champions League final is different from any other game. This is the group stage but we'll see if we can impose our game and play a good game."

The Spaniard added that yesterday was the first time he's watched the final back.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City

On whether teams can stop Erling Haaland scoring, Pep Guardiola said: "The opponents will find a solution, and we have to find a solution to beat them, to find a way.

"After, when that happens, it's because there will be more players over him and I have to find an environment around him for another player score the goals, but hopefully he can continue with his mindset positive."

Manchester City

On whether he's surprised by just how many goals Erling Haaland has scored, Pep Guardiola joked "I played for 11 years and scored 11 goals. This guy, in four games he's scored nine!"

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City

Pep Guardiola is now speaking to the media and his news conference begins with our very own Simon Stone asking the Manchester City boss about what his approach to the new format will be.

To summarise, he said it's simply to "win our first game, then the second one, then we will see".

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Pep Guardiola is one of the most decorated managers in the game.

He has won the Champions League on three occasions, twice with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011, and with Manchester City in 2023.

City have reached at least the quarter-finals in seven successive seasons.

Guardiola tended to go hard early in the old group stage, which would mean there were 'dead' games towards the end of a four-team group.

The new format is different. City will be looking to secure a top-eight spot, which would mean they avoid a play-off and two extra games in February.

However, will they push to secure a top-two berth, which would mean they avoid the other side that finishes in the top two until the final?

Guardiola will get a chance to talk through his strategy when he speaks to the media this lunchtime.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

It is not even matchday but there is something different about the Champions League.

There are more officials scurrying around in the media room downstairs, more cameras, even now there are 18 fixtures across three days in this particular matchround.

We are expecting Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola to come in first, with Rodri afterwards.

Image source, BBC Sport

Manchester City

At about 12:30 BST we will be hearing from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and midfielder Rodri ahead of their Champions League opener against Inter Milan on Wednesday.

You can watch their news conference right here at the top of this page and we'll also write up the main quotes.

Ryan

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, who has won four Europa League titles, three as Sevilla manager and one with Villarreal, on the new Champions League format: "I prefer this one but of course I didn't play before. I think it needed a change and I think this one will be better. It's better to play more intense matches because knockout football is so quick.

"I think it's more fair and more attractive to supporters."

Rory Smith
Football writer speaking on The Monday Night Club

Uefa’s argument is that because there is seeding in the knockout rounds [of the new Champions League format], technically every game should be alive.

I suppose if you’ve got a team that’s top and has won their first seven games and no-one can catch them, maybe they can take it easy, but that used to happen anyway.

I think with pretty much every other scenario, teams should be incentivised to want to finish higher in the league because it would, in theory, make their run to the semi-finals or the final easier and Uefa think that will off-set that.

The old group stage had been running for 30 years and I think teams had worked out the rhythms of it and the pitfalls of it and how best to qualify from it. You knew you needed 11 or 12 points to get through [as group winners].

If you're strong for the first four games, you've qualified and you can maybe drop a few players for the other two. We had been saying for years the group stage had got predictable.

This is a bit messy, I don’t think it’s a pure competition in the way that it would be ideal, because they’re not all playing each other twice. Certain teams have harder runs than others in those eight [games].

Aston Villa

Aston Villa's Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans on the new Champions League format: "With this new format now every game is really important with the point system. Hopefully we can get a win but it's going to be very difficult.

"It's basically a bit of a competition where the more points you get the bigger the results are and hopefully being in the first eight you qualify straight away from the group stage."

Image source, Getty Images

Mike, Reading

Chris

Chris and Mike not exactly on the same hymn sheet...

Interesting to read Tony's comments in that last post on the new Champions League format.

As an Aston Villa supporter, he believes the new extended league phase could give his side a "better chance" of progressing.

Not every reader who has been in touch with us today has been so positive...

Aston Villa fans Paul, Tony and Scott are in Bern for their side's first match in Europe's top competition for 41 years.

Paul: "We arrived yesterday, flew out of Heathrow, arrived into Zurich, got a train down to Bern, went into the city centre last night with the Villa fans in the Irish bars and what have you - had a bit of a party.

"We have actually come to this European tour without tickets, we don't have tickets for this game, so we're going to go and sit in a bar. This has been my dream for a long, long time to come and be part of the pride."

Tony: "I like the fact that it's now a one-off game rather than home and away because you have a better chance of getting through. If you can get 10 or 11 points from your games, we've got a good chance of progressing.

"Villa are growing. We're back where we should be. We're at the top table now."

BBC Radio WM

Anyone living in the Birmingham area will be able to listen to Mike Taylor's commentary of Aston Villa's Champions League opener at Young Boys on BBC Radio WM.

Build-up begins from 17:30 BST.