It emerged late Monday night that David Silva believes Manchester City could win the Champions League in their first season in the competition. “We’ve got to do well in the Champions League and we should aim to win it,” stated a confident Silva and when questioned on whether they could actually go on to do so, his reply was ambitious, “”Why not? I don’t think that is out of the question.”
While he is correct to claim it is not out of the question, the Group stage is not even over yet and furthermore they won’t be winning their group. Going on history, there isn’t any condemning figure to slam down their unquestionable ambition. 2010 winners, Jose Mourinho’s Inter, drew their first two games in the group stage and finished 2nd in their group to Barcelona. They went on to beat Bayern Munich in the final 2-0.
Since stuttering to a slow start in the Champions League, a draw followed by the now infamous loss to Bayern Munich, which preceded their first ever Champions League win, a last minute 2-1 victory over Villarreal courtesy of Sergio Aguero, City picked up 7 points from their opening four games and lost on Tuesday night, to leave them with only an outside chance of even qualifying.
However, their slow start may have already cost them in their chance of qualifying and it isn’t a start synonymous with Champions League winners; the last team to win the Champions League after an equally poor start, 1 point from the opening two games, was Mourinho’s Porto who won the 2004 Champions League Final having drawn and lost their opening games. Porto went on to finish 2nd in their group and in the final they defeated Monaco 3-0. Monaco now ply their trade in the second tier of French football, Ligue 2.
What’s the common denominator in winning the Champions League when the odds are against you from the Group stage onwards?
Jose Mourinho.
Manchester City don’t have The Special One, but they do have the Vincent Kompany, Edin Dzeko, Mario Balotelli, Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Yaya Toure – the list is exhaustive. Last season, as Silva pointed out, was a season in which City won their, “first trophy for 35 years and qualified for the Champions League, claiming a place amongst the best teams in Europe.” It was a the mark of the rising blue moon as some have phrased it. The season was a season of transition; from top ten to top four, from aiming for Europe to aiming for the Champions League final, from aiming to beat United to serious title contenders.
Their ambition doesn’t stop at wanting to conquer Europe at the first time of asking. “We must finish in the top four in the Premier League and secure Champions League football every season,” said a demanding Silva. At current, City sit comfortably top. They are five points clear of 2nd placed rivals Manchester United and they remain the only unbeaten team in the Premier League having beaten Newcastle 3-1 on Saturday.
Even with Harry Redknapp harrumphing on about Spurs, “If we keep up [our] form, we’ll win the league,” Manchester City remain unfazed by anyone. Their 6-1 result against Manchester United will remain as a testament to that for as long as they remain top.
Can their ability match their ambition though?