Pep Guardiola could afford to rest his star players in this evening’s Champions League round-of-16 clash between Manchester City and Basel at the Etihad Stadium.The Premier League leaders held a 4-0 lead from the first leg, pretty much sealing their place in the quarter-final three weeks ago.Guardiola’s side did the damage in the first leg and they are considered genuine contenders to win the entire competition.But the City boss isn’t getting ahead of himself just yet, admitting his team aren’t quite on the level of his former Barcelona side yet.“They have won a lot in the past. We are new – we’ve won one title [the League Cup] but it is not a [fair] comparison,” Guardiola said this week.“It is not good for us comparing [ourselves] with that Barcelona team. That team dominated the last decade, 15 to 20 years with different managers, different players. We have just won the first title. To join this kind of team you have to be there a long time.”

What Man City fans said about Bernardo Silva

Guardiola named Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero on the bench and handed starts to Yaya Toure and 17-year-old Phil Foden, who became the youngest English player to ever play in a Champions League knockout match.

But it was Bernardo Silva who Man City fans were talking about, the Portuguese playmaker continuing his fine run of form with another impressive display.

Silva provided the assist for Gabriel Jesus to open the scoring in the eighth.

Watch: Silva's assist

With Raheem Sterling out through injury, Man City fans believe the England international faces a battle to regain his place in the starting line-up, despite having a wonderful season himself.

With games coming thick and fast for Man City, it's a rather nice headache for Guardiola to have. 

The 47-year-old, who won the Champions League twice as Barcelona boss, wants his players to remain calm right now.

“We are almost in the quarter-finals, we are almost champions of the Premier League. We are not in the quarter-finals, we are not champions," he added.

"That is why we have to be calm. That is the best advice I can give to my players.”