City travel to West Brom on Boxing Day for a clash between the sides.
“I have a lot of respect for West Bromwich, and I have a lot of respect for (manager) Roy Hodgson – he is one of the best managers in Europe,” said the Italian.
“I think it will be very hard because they play good football. They have had some problems but they have won their last two away games and seem to be in good form, it will be a hard match,”