Man City have the best players in the world ―Arteta

Mikel Arteta will tomorrow night take charge of the team he rates as the best in the world as Manchester City kick off their Champions League campaign.

The Blues face Lyon in their group opener at the Etihad Stadium and manager Pep Guardiola will watch from the stands as he serves a one-match UEFA ban.

That means 36-year-old Arteta – tipped by many to eventually succeed Guardiola as City boss after nearly being appointed Arsenal boss in the summer– will take charge of the Blues.

He has already assumed managerial duties, taking today’s official UEFA press conference in place of Guardiola.

Guardiola will not be allowed contact with the squad from the time the team coach arrives at the stadium until the match is finished, after being found guilty of misconduct when he berated referee Mateu Lahoz for disallowing Leroy Sane’s legitimate goal at half time of City’s 2-1 home defeat by Liverpool in last season’s quarter-final.

Arteta said he has no regrets about Arsenal’s last-minute decision to appoint Unai Emery and is relishing the chance to take charge – and he says that he has the world’s finest squad at his disposal.

“For me, we have the best players in the world and I look at our players as if they are the best,” said the former Arsenal and Eveton midfield star.

“I wouldn’t change my players for any others. They are absolutely fantastic.

“The hunger is this group is incredible.”

He also railed against the suggestion that City’s record spending – they have the most expensive squad in world football – makes that excellence a given and makes City favourites to win the Champions League this season.

“Because we have the money to spend…people have to look inside this club,” he said.

“I don’t believe that (spending) is the reason people think we can challenge. I think the reason is how consistent we have been and the way we play against big teams. But it is a very difficult competition.”

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Even though he thinks the City players are the best in the world, Arteta acknowledged that the only way they can back that up is by triumphing in Europe and continuing to be successful.

And with Champions League is high on the list: “That is the aim,” he said. “We have a very young squad. They gained a lot of experience in the last two years and we feel we are better prepared.