Champions League draw analysis: Manchester City worthy favourites after kindest possible outcome

A closer look at the task facing Pep Guardiola's side in the last 16

Manchester City have been installed as favourites after drawing Basel in the last-16 (Getty)

Manchester City are now favourites for this season’s competition after being drawn against FC Basel, arguably the weakest of the non-seeds for the last-16.

They have won the last eight Swiss titles in a row and have had some success against English sides down the years, against Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester United. But there is no doubt that Pep Guardiola will be pleased to be facing Basel rather than one of the stronger sides from that pot.

Basel’s big success over the years has been in recruitment, and spotting good players before selling them on to richer teams in Europe. Mohamed Salah and Mohamed Elneny were both signed before being sold on to England, while Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka emerged from the club’s youth academy.

All of them are now gone but Xhaka’s younger brother Taulant, who plays his international football for Albania, is still there.

Still Basel managed to sign well and Colombian centre-back Eder Alvarez Balanta is likely to be playing at a higher level before long, and they have Ricky van Wolfswinkel, once briefly of Norwich City, up front.

But for Manchester City the greatest danger in this tie will be their own complacency. Guardiola has been insistent this season that his City players must keep their focus and was even pleased when they have been run close in some games, like the narrow 2-1 win over Huddersfield Town. There has been a feeling that if they win too many games too easily they will go off the boil.

City play Arsenal away and Chelsea at home in the Premier League between the two legs against Basel and the challenge will be not to take their eyes off the ball. If they are focused they should have no problems.