Pep: 'Next we play Nottingham Forest. They have more Champions Leagues than us'

Manchester City kicked off their Champions League campaign with a 3-1 victory over Red Star Belgrade, the one-time Champions League winners. However, their next challenge is against a team with a richer history in the competition.

Pep Guardiola, the Man City manager, acknowledged the pedigree of their next opponents, Nottingham Forest, saying, “Next we have Nottingham Forest. Two Champions League winners. They have won one more than us.” This statement underlines the historical significance of Forest in English and European football.

Nottingham Forest was a dominant force in England and Europe in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They clinched the First Division title (now known as the Premier League) in 1978 and followed it up with back-to-back European Cup victories (now known as the Champions League) in 1979 and 1980.

As for Red Star Belgrade, they had their moment of glory in 1991 when they won the Champions League.

Manchester City’s victory over Red Star Belgrade marks a positive start to their Champions League journey. However, their upcoming match against Nottingham Forest, a team with a rich history in the competition, will be a significant test. It will be interesting to see how Guardiola’s side fares against a team that has tasted more success in this prestigious tournament.