Guardiola dismisses report claiming Napoli will rest stars vs. Manchester City

Pep Guardiola isn’t buying into reports suggesting Napoli will rest its star players during Tuesday’s Champions League encounter with Manchester City.

The Manchester City boss claimed he even knows which players will line up opposite his squad at the Etihad Stadium.

Napoli’s president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, hinted that manager Maurizio Sarri could give the team’s regulars a breather during the mid-week tie in order to ensure they’re fit for a crucial Serie A clash with Inter this weekend.

Guardiola, however, wasn’t willing to take the bait

“Absolutely not,” Guardiola told reporters, according to Rory O’Callaghan of Sky Sports, when asked if he believed De Laurentiis.

“If he is travelling this afternoon with Maurizio Sarri in the same plane, or in a private jet, he can ask him what team he is going to play.

“I think in the last 10 games they have played the same lineup. I can announce to you which players are going to play for Napoli against us.”

Napoli’s previous Champions League match – a 3-1 win over Feyenoord last month – featured virtually the same squad that appeared in the starting XI this past weekend against Roma, with the exception of defender Nikola Maksimovic.

Napoli went on to beat Roma 1-0 on Sunday to maintain the team’s perfect start to the Serie A campaign through eight matches.