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Manchester City on a different level to other UEFA Champions League teams says Rio Ferdinand

Alex Livie

Published 07/11/2023 at 23:01 GMT

Manchester City cruised into the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League with two games to spare following a 3-0 win over Young Boys at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday evening. Pep Guardiola’s City side looked in excellent shape in seeing off the Swiss side, and Rio Ferdinand said on TNT Sports that no other team in the competition has what City have.

Haaland esulta per il gol in Manchester City-Young Boys Berna - Champions League 2023/2024

Image credit: Getty Images

Manchester City are operating on a different level to other teams, “like sixth formers against third years”, according to Rio Ferdinand.
Defending champions City booked their place in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League with two games to spare following a 3-0 win over Young Boys.
Pep Guardiola was able to rotate his squad against the Swiss side, and will likely have that luxury in their final two games of Group G.
While Real Madrid and Bayern Munich could be seen as threats in the knockout stages, Ferdinand feels only City are the complete package.
"Real Madrid have obviously got that relationship with this tournament and they've got some fantastic players, Jude Bellingham in fine form as well,” Ferdinand said on TNT Sports.
“They’ll be one you'd mention. I think the forward line, the front line, especially at Bayern Munich, could cause any team in this competition problems with Harry Kane scoring at the rate he is at the moment, but I don't see anybody who is the full package.
“You could pick holes in all these teams. This is the only team you look at and think they are a complete team and that's the problem for everybody else.”
Reflecting on the dominant win over Young Boys, Ferdinand said: “They are like sixth formers against third years. It's just at the moment, it just seems like no one can get near them.
“I think I heard people mention they've had a slow start to the season, but they are just picking teams off and just doing it at a level where they're not exerting too much.
“Today, the rotations of players, the amount of players, I think six players started the game changed from the game at the weekend. No other teams are able to do this at the moment.”
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