Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola considers the comeback against Red Star Belgrade a valuable test as they launched their title defense in the 2023/24 Champions League campaign.
Guardiola's team faced an uphill battle in this match, trailing at halftime before staging a remarkable turnaround to secure a 3-1 victory.
The Etihad Stadium witnessed a surprising turn of events as the Serbian champions, Red Star, took the lead with Osman Bukari's goal just before halftime.
However, City displayed their team spirit, reminiscent of their recent Premier League clash against West Ham, by mounting a comeback in the second half.
Julian Alvarez scored twice, and Rodri added another goal to secure victory for the defending champions.
In his post-match analysis, Guardiola emphasized the significance of this test, saying, "After winning the treble, we need to prove to ourselves that we are capable of making a comeback. In this situation, it's nice to prove it."
He lauded his team's performance, remarking, "We played incredibly, right from the beginning of the second half."
