Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City will face one of the three best footballing sides in Europe in this season’s Champions League.
City’s seventh successive campaign in the elite competition will feature group games against Shakhtar Donetsk, Napoli and Feyenoord.
A general opinion is that the draw could have been tougher but Guardiola is expecting some difficult competition, particularly from Italian outfit Napoli.
The City manager said: “When the (team from the) third pot is Napoli – the best team in that pot – it is complicated.
“In the Champions League we expect pots one and two will be strong but here all the teams are strong.
“We’re going to face the team who played the best football in Italy. I’m not talking about winning – I like to watch the teams who want to play – and in Italy, where the culture is defensive in the box, they play 40 metres in front. With the ball they are fantastic.
“For me, they are one of the three best teams right now in Europe playing football.
“And of course the other ones we are going to see. The Champions League is always complicated. Everyone can beat you home and away.”
Guardiola believes Napoli play the best football in Italy.
While that competition will not begin until next month, City’s immediate thoughts are on Saturday’s Premier League trip to Bournemouth.
City will be looking to get back to winning ways after being held to a draw by Everton on Monday.
The Cherries have lost both their league games so far but Guardiola is wary of Eddie Howe’s side.
Guardiola said: “Bournemouth can play the football they want to play. The manager is so good like that. They had a fantastic season last season.
“They started with two defeats but sometimes that can happen. It is just in the beginning. I know it will be very complicated.”