Ancelotti: All the teams and games are difficult

Aug 31, 2012 10:55:00 AM

The Italian believes that his side were lucky to escape Group D, but warns every fixture in the Champions League will be tough, regardless of who the opposition may be

Despite Paris Saint-Germain spending big this summer to land world class players who are used to playing on the world stage, manager Carlo Ancelotti is keen to maintain focus ahead of their first Champions League fixture against Dynamo Kiev next month.

The Parisian club were handed a group that includes Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb, Ukrainian side Dynamo Kiev and Portuguese champions Porto.

"I think the hardest part was Group D with Real Madrid, Manchester City and Dortmund," explained Ancelotti, when speaking to FranceFootball.fr.

"Us, we are in a balanced group. Is it a good draw? All teams and all games are difficult in the Champions League."

PSG's sporting director Leonardo also gave his thoughts on the group.

"The Champions League is not like the Championship, which is a marathon," explained Leonardo, also speaking to FranceFootball.fr.

"It's more like a 100-metre race, you have to be ready. There is no theory that this is easy or difficult. Okay, there is Group D, it is the most difficult, but we cannot know.

"No other team has experienced this past year as we have, with all these new players arriving, a change of president, coach, athletic director," reasoned the Brazilian.

"The other teams in our group are used to playing in the Champions League. Zagreb, Kiev and Porto often play and have even won it not so long ago.

"We do not fear, it is up to us to enter the competition, it is not a matter of the players we have, it is a matter of putting it all into a symphony," he explained.

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