Pep Guardiola's 100th Champions League Match: Manchester City Boss Seeks European Glory

Pep Guardiola will reach his 100th Champions League match as Manchester City manager when they host Bayer Leverkusen today, and the 54-year-old Spanish coach is taking the milestone with his usual dry humor. "I realize I'm getting old," he joked about the achievement.

City sits fourth in the Champions League's new single-group format and needs a win against the German champions to stay in the top eight spots that guarantee direct qualification to the round of 16. They're looking for their fourth victory in five group matches.

Guardiola has been at City since 2016 and finally delivered the club's first Champions League title in 2023. Earlier this month, he also celebrated his 1,000th match as a manager across all competitions. "Every weekend there's a new event to celebrate," he said about the constant milestones in his career.

The match against Leverkusen represents more than just another number for Guardiola. City's position in the top eight is crucial under the tournament's new format, which allows the highest-ranked teams to skip an extra playoff round. Leverkusen, meanwhile, had an incredible unbeaten season last year when they won the Bundesliga and reached the Europa League final.

For City, maintaining their spot means avoiding the uncertainty of additional knockout matches in an already packed schedule. Guardiola's team has been managing injuries and fixture congestion, making direct qualification even more valuable this season.