Roberto Mancini is backing Manchester City to win the UEFA Champions League at some stage in the near future.
City ended their long wait for top flight title success in 2011/12, but flopped in Europe as they suffered a surprise exit at the group stage of the continent’s premier club competition.
They have the opportunity to make amends this season, but have been placed in a tough group alongside the reigning champions of Spain, Germany and Holland.
Mancini acknowledges that edging past Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Ajax will be difficult, but believes both he and his team are capable of competing on the grandest of stages.
“I don’t need to learn,” he said on a record which has seen him secure just one Champions Leaguequarter-final appearance during coaching spells at Lazio, Inter Milan and City.
“The football is the same. It is still 11 against 11. The problem is that it is always against the best teams from other countries and every game is difficult.
“I hope I can improve my record in the Champions League. I think the time will come when we can win it, but we are in a difficult group.
“My ambition is to win it, but we have another five games and we want to go into the second stage. It will be difficult.
“This is only the second year we are playing in the Champions League and we have had a hard group.
“We are as good a team as Manchester United and Arsenal.Look how we improved in the Premier League.
“I think we need time to improve in the Champions League, but we do not have time; we have only five games and we cannot concede goals like we did against Real Madrid. If we want to go through, we have to improve quickly.”
SkySports
