Stefan Savic declared Atletico Madrid are ready to "suffer" as he returns to Manchester City a decade on from helping Roberto Mancini's side win the Premier League.
Defender Savic only played a fleeting part in that title success in 2011-12 but was involved enough to earn a medal, before moving on to Fiorentina after just one season.
Now the Montenegro centre-back is relishing going back to the Etihad Stadium with Atletico for Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Having helped the LaLiga giants edge past Manchester United in the previous round, Savic will be back on the blue side of the city but with his allegiances firmly now with Atletico.
Diego Simeone's side have a formidable work rate that, coupled with abundant ability, has seen them grow into one of Europe's leading teams.
They have twice reached the Champions League final during Simeone's reign, but, like City, have yet to get their hands on the trophy.
"After 10 years I am going to play there again," Savic said of the return to his old stamping ground.
"For me, it will be a special game because it was my first experience outside Montenegro, and to do it in a team as important as Manchester City, the truth is that it was a huge experience where we also won the league after many years."
City's league triumph during Savic's time at the club ended a 44-year wait for a domestic league title, but four have since followed that long-awaited success, with Abu Dhabi owners and world-class coaching and playing staff turning the club into a colossal winning machine.
Savic played a small, almost forgettable part in the early stages of that success, but he said: "I had the opportunity to train and play with the most important players in the world of football at that time and it was a very good experience in my career."
He featured with the likes of Yaya Toure, David Silva, Vincent Kompany, Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero, all of whom have since either retired or moved elsewhere.
City have replaced class with class, so the modern-day stars such as Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling are those that will pose a threat to Atletico.
"We know they are one of the strongest teams in the Champions League, but I think we have the quality and the strength to face this game against Manchester City, and we will have our chance to go through," Savic said, in an interview on Atletico's YouTube page.
"They have enormous attacking potential, but United had it, too. We know that it will be a game where we are going to suffer and even more in their field, because they have very good attacking players, and they are the leaders in the Premier League, so it will be a tough game, but we are ready to face it."
Atletico stretched their winning run in LaLiga to six games on Saturday when they chalked up a 4-1 win over Deportivo Alaves, and they are well placed to clinch a return to next season's Champions League through their domestic results.
Last season was a title-winning campaign for Atletico, and although this term has fallen short of that standard, Simeone's side are currently showing sublime form.
"I think this year the team is in a better moment because we found that regularity," Savic said. "We are very happy, and we hope to continue in that line because now comes the most important part of the season, which is the Champions League and the final stretch of the league, so we hope to get good results."
Tonali set for August return after receiving suspended two-month ban from FA
Sandro Tonali has been given a suspended two-month ban by the Football Association (FA) after admitting to breaching gambling rules.
The sanction means the Newcastle United midfielder will be eligible to return to action on August 27, 2024, when his 10-month suspension issued by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) expires.
FIFA ratified that ban, causing it to become applicable worldwide, after Tonali admitted to placing bets on matches as part of an investigation into unregulated betting platforms in Italy.
In March, the FA charged Tonali with breaching English football's gambling rules 50 times between August and October last year, leading to fears his spell out of the game could be extended.
However, on Thursday it was confirmed that the FA had suspended Tonali's punishment for the duration of the 2024-25 season, meaning he can return in August if he does not reoffend.
In a statement, Newcastle said: "Sandro Tonali has been given a suspended two-month ban from competitive football by an independent regulatory commission after self-declaring breaches of FA betting rules.
"He has also been fined £20,000 and warned by the FA as to his future conduct.
"Provided that he does not commit any further breach of the FA betting rules during the suspension period, Sandro will not serve any part of the two-month sanction.
"As acknowledged by the FA in the independent regulatory commission's written reasons, the level of assistance Sandro has provided by self-referring and fully cooperating with a subsequent investigation is extraordinary and unprecedented.
"Sandro is continuing to follow a therapeutic plan and educational programme with the club's full support and will continue to train with his team-mates."
Tonali's initial ban has limited him to just eight Premier League appearances since he joined Newcastle from Milan in a £55million deal, while he will also miss Italy's Euro 2024 campaign.
Will Still leaves Reims job with immediate effect
Will Still has left his role as Reims head coach with immediate effect, the Ligue 1 club announced on Thursday.
Still took over as Reims boss – initially on an interim basis – after Oscar Garcia was sacked in October 2022 and went unbeaten through his first 19 league games at the helm.
The 31-year-old was eventually handed the role on a permanent basis and led Reims to an 11th-placed finish in Ligue 1 in 2022-23, with his lack of a UEFA Pro Licence causing the club to be fined €25,000 per match until he began the course.
Reims are currently 11th in Ligue 1 again, though they are winless in their last five games and have lost each of their last three.
In a statement, the club said: "Following a meeting this morning between president Jean-Pierre Caillot, general manager Mathieu Lacour and head coach Will Still, it was mutually agreed that the two parties would not continue the sporting adventure together next season.
"In order to allow Reims to confidently look forward to the next year, it was also decided that Will Still and his deputy Nicolas Still would step down from their respective functions as of today."
Still was linked with the Sunderland job earlier this season and said in February that he would be open to joining an "ambitious" Championship club.
Grealish praises 'togetherness' in Man City's squad during title charge
Jack Grealish credits Manchester City’s togetherness for their recent success ahead of another crucial run-in in the Premier League.
Pep Guardiola’s men are second in the table, just one point behind Arsenal with a game in hand, as they aim to win an unprecedented fourth consecutive league title.
City have already won the Club World Cup this season, beating Fluminense to earn the trophy, and they will also play in the FA Cup final against Manchester United for the second year in a row later this month.
Despite the hopes of back-to-back trebles being ended by their Champions League quarter-final exit to Real Madrid, Grealish is confident that City will finish the season successfully, highlighting the crucial strong bond amongst the team.
"I've said in a lot of interviews that, for me, the team I'm in now - and especially last year - it's just unbelievable, the togetherness we have. Over the years, there have been so many top teams in the Premier League that haven't done what we've done," he told Sky Sports.
"Even City's team in 2018-19, with David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne and Man United's team in 2008-09, with Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez - none of these teams won the treble.
"That says something about our team because you can have all of the talent in the world, but you need to have the other side of it as well, like that togetherness of the pitch. That's something we had so much of, and we've got it this season as well.
"With the experience we have and the quality we have, we don't really doubt ourselves.
"I feel like everyone knows how hard it is to win a treble. We did it last year, and it was one of the best feelings I've ever had in football, especially having played such a big part in it.
"I just want to finish the season strongly, try and win every competition we're in at the moment."
Grealish has struggled with injuries this season, managing 33 appearances in all competitions, and scoring just three goals.
Since making his return against Arsenal at the end of March, the 28-year-old has played in all but one of City’s eight games, and he is determined to make a successful finish to the season.
"When I'm injured, I start watching clips of myself and just remember how many good moments I have had in football. It brings back my love for football," he said.
"There's nothing that beats it. It's what I'm used to, and it's what I've done my whole life, so when I'm stuck indoors while the team are out training for a month or six weeks, it is difficult at times.
"Being injured certainly gave me that extra motivation to come back and just play well again and try and succeed with City. I'm over the moon to be back and, hopefully, I can have a strong end to the season."
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