Manchester City took to training smiling from ear to ear ahead of their Champions League tie with Schalke on Wednesday.

Unsurprisingly, the Citizens were in good spirits having dismantled Chelsea 6-0, and followed it up with a straightforward win over Newport County in the FA Cup.

Their attention now turns to Europe’s elite competition but with a relatively simple draw on the cards – compared with title rivals Liverpool  who face German champions Bayern Munich on Tuesday – the pressure won’t be so keenly felt.  

Manchester City were in good spirits ahead of their Champions League tie with Schalke

Pep Guardiola’s side are in excellent form having thrashed Chelsea and Newport County

They also have an easier Champions League tie than title rivals Liverpool, who face Bayern

That transpired at the Etihad campus as Pep Guardiola dusted off his football boots for some juggling while Raheem Sterling was pictured in hysterics. 

The Citizens were also boosted by the return of Benjamin Mendy, who joins Vincent Kompany and Eliaquim Mangala who have also recently resumed training.

Mendy has been beset by knee trouble and has not featured since late November, but the rampaging full back is now on the mend.

Eliaquim Mangala was pleased to be furthering his recovery after an injury lay-off 

Mangala and club captain Vincent Kompany have only recently returned to training 

Guardiola was also able to have a good look at returning French left-back Benjamin Mendy

Mendy, Kompany and Mangala are all not expected to travel to Germany on Wednesday night

He is not expected to feature at the VELTINS-Arena in Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday and nor is Kompany or Mangala.

Sergio Aguero, Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva all took part ahead of City’s trip to Germany.

Phil Foden was also in action along with several under 23 players including Jeremie Frimpong, Eric Garcia, Ian Carlo Poveda and Philippe Sandler.

Sergio Aguero is in a rich vein of form and he will be eager to continue that in Europe

Influential playmaker Kevin de Bruyne looks almost back to full match sharpness 

Foden will be eager to capitalise on his match-winning performance against Newport in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

The 18-year-old netted twice and his all-round performance certainly impressed boss Guardiola.

He said: ‘Phil has to compete with Kevin [De Bruyne], with [Ilkay] Gündogan, with Bernardo Silva, with David Silva, but he’s a player who is ready – ready to play.

Guardiola is spoiled for choice regarding attacking options with David Silva also in the mix 

After his excellent performance against Newport, Phil Foden will also be hoping for a recall

‘And today was a good test for him, with second balls, long balls, he had to adapt. He learned a lot, I’m sure, and he helped us to win the game with two incredible goals. 

‘We know that he’s a guy who [gets] close to the box and has this mentality to score goals, and he has the ability to do that. He was brilliant. He was top.’

Trainer Nicky Henderson believes Buveur D’Air can emulate See You Then and become a three-time Champion Hurdle winner, but insists he will need to leave behind last year’s performance to complete the achievement.

The JP McManus-owned gelding would become just the sixth horse in the history of the two-mile championship to be victorious three times should he lift the Grade One prize on March 12.

Henderson – who sent out See You Then to claim three consecutive runnings between 1985 and 1987 – said: ‘I do think he has to pull out more. He has to be better than last year, because I think it is a better race than last year.

Trainer Nicky Henderson (above) believes Buveur D’Air can emulate See You Then

‘The opposition appears to be inIreland. Apple’s Jade looked very good and it will be interesting to seeLaurina, how she runs this week (at Punchestown on Wednesday).

‘I still think he is the one to beat if all goes well between now and then. At least he has had that run at Sandown, as he does take an awful lot of work.

‘Barry (Geraghty) said he felt fantastic at Newcastle (in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle).

‘Two miles on fast ground round Kempton (Christmas Hurdle), we got caught out a little bit and Nico (de Boinville) got a lovely run round in his slipstream and she (Verdana Blue, stablemate and winner) does have a serious turn of foot.’

Revealing why his star hurdler may not have been atthis best at Cheltenham 12 months ago, Henderson said: ‘I don’t think he was at his best on the day, and I tellyou for why.

‘He lived in a box next to WeHave A Dream and on the Monday his temperature was screaming. They livedabsolutely nose to nose.

‘Buveur D’Air is as tough asteak and he didn’t get over Cheltenham. He wasn’t impressive in the ChampionHurdle and I think it took him apart. It gave us a scare.

‘He didn’t take Cheltenham welllast year. He won it with a certain amount of ability and quite a lot of gutsas well.’

Leeds United have been fined £200,000 over ‘Spygate’ but won’t face a points deduction.

Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa admitted that he sent a member of staff to spy on Derby’s training session before their game at Elland Road last month and subsequently revealed that Leeds had spied on all their Championship opponents this season.

A statement from the EFL read: ‘After finalising its investigations into the incident at Derby County‘s training ground on Thursday 10 January, the EFL reached the conclusion that the conduct undertaken by Leeds United in observing opponents’ training sessions, is a breach of Regulation 3.4.

‘Regulation 3.4 provides that ‘in all matters and transactions relating to the League, each Club shall behave towards each other Club and The League with the utmost good faith.’

‘Leeds United has fully co-operated with the EFL’s inquiries and following a comprehensive review of all the evidence provided, the Club has now formally admitted a breach of Regulation 3.4.

‘As a consequence the Club has been fined £200,000 (inclusive of a contribution to costs) and received a formal reprimand and warning to the effect that the Club’s conduct fell significantly short of the standards expected by the EFL and must not be repeated.’

‘In addition, Leeds United has agreed to support a new EFL Regulation that make it clear that Clubs will be expressly prohibited from viewing opposition training in the 72 hours immediately prior to a fixture, unless invited to do so.

‘The EFL has informed all the Championship Clubs, who sought additional clarification regarding the conduct of Leeds United, of the findings that relate to their Club.

EFL Chief Executive Shaun Harvey said: ‘The regulatory requirement to act in ‘utmost good faith’ was brought into EFL Regulations two years ago and was bolstered in 2018 by the introduction of the Club Charter, which sets out in more detail the standards of behaviour expected of member Clubs.

‘The facts of this particular case were not ones we would have expected – and have to deal with a complaint about – and it is clearly impossible to have a specific set of Regulations that will apply in all circumstances of poor conduct, so, this charge was brought under a general Regulation. In doing this, the EFL has demonstrated we have appropriate provisions in place to protect our competitions and apply to all Clubs.

‘The sanctions imposed highlight how actions such as this cannot be condoned and act as a clear deterrent should any Club seek to undertake poor conduct in the future. I would like to thank Leeds United for their assistance in helping to bring this matter to a conclusion as quickly as was practically possible.

‘We will now look to move on from this incident and commence the discussions about introducing a specific Regulation at a meeting with all Clubs later this month.’

A Leeds United spokesperson said: ‘We accept that whilst we have not broken any specific rule, we have fallen short of the standard expected by the EFL with regards to regulation 3.4.

‘We apologise for acting in a way that has been judged culturally unacceptable in the English game and would like to thank Shaun Harvey and the EFL for the manner in which they conducted their investigations.

‘Our focus can now return to matters on the field.’