The Champions league is not a trophy you can buy, that much is clear. When it comes to Europe’s elite competition, it can often differ greatly from your every day league fare. New opponents and differing styles from different countries are served up every game and a new degree of adaptability is required. Last night Man City finally took their first tentative steps in this prestigious competition and achieved a creditable if unspectacular draw at home to Napoli, which does rather beg the question, just what are the club’s expectations in Europe this season?
First things first – as groups go, Man City hardly have the easiest. They combine a rather effective mixture of counter-attacking pizzazz (yeah, that’s right, I went there) with a rock-solid back line.
Then there are perennial La Liga also-rans Villarreal. While they may not boast a side of the quality of years gone by, they still have the incredible talent of the likes of Guiseppe Rossi and Nilmar to call upon.
Bayern Munich remain City’s biggest obstacle to topping the group. Despite an under-par showing last term whereby a young and vibrant Dortmund side swept all before them in the Bundesliga, Bayern still scored 81 league goals despite finishing in an unusually poor third place. They still retain the incisive attacking threat of triumvirate Mario Gomez, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery and although they are still susceptible to lapses of concentration at the back, they remain a formidable force.
There is simply no weak link in this group. No side finished higher than 3rd in their respective league last campaign which only serves to highlight what a competitive group this will be. City’s performance last night only further exemplifies this as they found it decidedly tougher going last night than they have done in the league so far.
Mancini complained after the game about the perceived nervousness of his side which resulted in an over-complicating of their cut-throat style of play in the final third. These nerves will subside the more they play but we would do well to remember just what a tricky proposition Napoli offer.
Now to City – it’s fair to say that they will be a force to be reckoned with in the competition. They have bought fantastically well this summer and the new recruits appear to be gelling in with the rest of the side at an alarmingly quick rate. While the quality of opposition in the Premier League has hardly been testing so far, they have been mightily impressive in their attacking application.
But what remains the minimum of their ambitions in Europe this term? And what could be deemed a success by the club?
There is a school of thought that thinks that there may be a danger of expecting too much too soon from City this term. They failed to set the world alight in the Europa Leaguelast season and many have argued that they could struggle on their debut.