'I don't like leaving five or six guys at home, some will have to leave' - Guardiola tells reporters

The two clubs share a familial connection through their ownership, controlled by two brothers.

City won their opening match against Wydad Casablanca 2-0 and currently sit second in Group G, behind Juventus.

The UAE representatives, meanwhile, suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat to Juventus and as they prepare to meet Manchester City.

Guardiola then provided further clarification on his squad and the desire to trim it down, ensuring sufficient playing time for all.

The former Barcelona manager also clarified that Rodri would be starting, contrary to recent speculation. "I don't have news, I don't have good news. We have too many players, the squad is too big.

"We cannot go into the season with 26-27 players because many of them won't play. For me, it's not a problem to have more players to choose from, but I don't like leaving five or six guys at home if it's not due to injuries.

"They don’t do it for themselves, it’s for them. We'll see what happens before the window closes, but some of them will leave," Guardiola explained, as reported by Sportal.

"We have enormous respect for Al Ain because of the link with our owners who are from Abu Dhabi of course, but at the same time we have a chance to go through to the next phase. Everything can happen but we’re taking the tournament very seriously," Guardiola commented.