Burnley vs. Manchester City: Pep Guardiola's Key Pre-Match Presser Comments

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has quashed speculation that he could link up with former Barcelona charge Lionel Messi ahead of his side's Premier League clash against Burnley on Saturday. Meanwhile, captain Vincent Kompany is set for a spell out of action and Sergio Aguero is a doubt for the clash.

The Mirror (h/t Metro.co.uk's Simon Rice) recently reported that a £200 million package deal could bring Messi to the Etihad Stadium, but Guardiola told the media on Friday that his former talisman won't be leaving the Camp Nou, per City's official Twitter account:

In regards to Saturday's domestic encounter, a knee injury has ruled Kompany out of the Burnley meeting, and it's now a doubt as to whether City's captain will feature again in 2016.

Guardiola added that while star striker Aguero is not injured, both he and Pablo Zabaleta will be tested on Friday afternoon to assess whether they stand a chance of playing against the Clarets this weekend.

Guardiola confirmed that his centre-back will be ruled out for four to six weeks before ruling the recently returned Yaya Toure out as an option in central defence, citing the Ivorian as a valuable attacking asset, per City's official website:

"

Dr Cugat confirmed what the doctors here said. It is a ligament problem. He will be four to six weeks out.

...

Yaya can play in many positions but I think we have other options to play there at centre-back. He played there in Barcelona once, the Champions League final against Manchester United, because we have a lot of problems there. We didn't have players. He played amazing.

Yaya will play in more attacking positions - to decide the last pass, to score goals, for our build up in the last third of the pitch. Maybe it can happen but I have other options. Fernandinho can play there, Sagna can play there. We cannot forget at Crystal Palace after one month and a half injured, Bacary played his first game at centre-back and played awesome. So we have other options.

"

Manager Sean Dyche's visitors will provide no small task on Saturday, despite the fact that they sit nine places and 13 points below the Citizens, and Guardiola is well aware of the threat they bring:

City return to domestic action after drawing 1-1 at Borussia Monchengladbach in their penultimate UEFA Champions League group fixture on Wednesday, a result that assured them of second place in Group C.

The English giants will place behind Guardiola's former employers Barcelona, but the Catalonian tactician is nonetheless content with his side's campaign thus far, per BBC Sport: "We are where want to be. In the last 16 of the Champions League. We are so happy. The Champions League is tougher than before."

Guardiola also commented on Steven Gerrard's recent retirement from football after the Liverpool legend announced on Thursday that he would be hanging up his boots following a career spanning almost 20 years, per BBC Sport.

Gerrard defeated Guardiola's Barca side in the semi-finals of the 2000-01 UEFA Cup, and the latter had only good things to say of his old opponent, who could one day manage a team against the Spaniard:

City come into Saturday's duel a point off the Premier League summit and with a five-match unbeaten streak to give them confidence, knowing a win at Turf Moor could be enough to see them reclaim the lead from Chelsea.

Burnley may be new to the English top flight, but Guardiola isn't taking his points haul for granted as he prepares for a tough outing without the services of his injury-ravaged captain.