Manchester City 4 - 2 Viktoria Plzeň: Thoughts and Ratings

By Jack Mumford

A 4-2 win in the Champions League should never be a disappointment but that was the general feeling at the Etihad Stadium last night.

Obviously with City already being through and Bayern’s earlier victory in Moscow, the Blues would have to get an unlikely win 3-0 in the Allianz Arena - resulting in this game being a dead rubber. 

Manuel Pellegrini made seven changes to the side that dismantled Tottenham and I went to the Etihad expecting fringe players like Edin Džeko and Joleon Lescott attempt to stake their claim for a future starting berth. 

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

However, against much weaker opposition many of these players looked like they had found their level or were suffering from a lack of motivation. In truth, the players that impressed most were those who are already regulars. Samir Nasri, Sergio Agüero and Fernandinho seemed to drag the rest of the team kicking and screaming through the match.

Match Reflection: Manchester City 4 - 2 Viktoria Plzeň

Pellegrini's progressors show Hart against a vivacious Viktoria Plzeň 

By Adam Bailey

Manchester City's impeccable home record almost suffered a frightening blow on Wednesday night as a vibrant Viktoria Plzeň side launched a full scale assault inside the Etihad Stadium.

A relaxed home crowd, buoyed by their side's progression into the last 16 of the Champions League, were treated to yet another goalscoring flurry on home territory. Seven changes were made to the outfit that savaged Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon and a shaky defence had their attackers to thank in a below par performance.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Match Preview: Manchester City vs Viktoria Plzeň

City face Czech champions in final home European group tie

By Aaron Leggott

As the football season hits December, many fans across Europe start to prepare for an exhilarating month of football as the Champions League group stage reaches its climax. 

However, those connected with Manchester City will, in some ways, be glad to be able to focus on other competitions after qualification to the knockout stages was secured against CSKA Moscow earlier this month.

Of course, Manuel Pellegrini would prefer to see his side top Group D and receive a potentially easier route into the quarter finals, but the Chilean will acknowledge that any possibility of that happening will only occur if Pep Guardiola's side have a major slip up - which doesn't look likely on current form.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

City's opponents for their penultimate fixture appear in the form of Czech champions Viktoria Plzeň - the team yet to register a point in the Champions League this season.

Manchester City 5 - 2 CSKA Moscow: Thoughts and Ratings

By Aaron Leggott

My thoughts

What a great performance to cap off and ensure Champions League qualification at the third time of asking. 

Despite the group we were given, it is a hugely impressive feat to qualify with two games spare. Not only does it give us the opportunity to rest players in the remaining two fixtures against Viktoria Plzeň and Bayern Munich, but it also gives the players a new breed of confidence as they enter new territory. 

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Of course, our form in the Premier League will also benefit if we are to rest key players, and will give us an advantage on rivals who are still yet to qualify from their respective groups.

Match Reflection: Manchester City 5 - 2 CSKA Moscow

‘Beauty and the Beast’ seal last 16 qualification for the first time in City history

By Adam Bailey

The Etihad Stadium was treated to another five Manchester City goals on Tuesday night as Álvaro Negredo and Sergio Agüero ran riot in a 5-2 win over CSKA Moscow. 

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Manuel Pellegrini’s impressive Champions League credentials were on the line before the crucial tie in Manchester, but his side were in fine form to seal a comprehensive victory that fired them into the last sixteen for the first time in their history. 

Match Preview: Manchester City vs CSKA Moscow

Group Stage qualification just one win away for City in the Champions League

By Aaron Leggott

Following the 2-1 victory in Russia's capital city a fortnight ago, City and CSKA Moscow meet again at the Etihad Stadium with the Blues needing a win to ensure qualification from the Champions League for the first time in their history.

The reverse fixture between the teams was marred by hundreds of CSKA fans aiming racist abuse at Yaya Touré, and the Ivorian will probably be looking to silence the minority and help his team reach the knockout stages.

And following the 7-0 drubbing of Norwich City at the weekend, City come into the game in good form, winning four of the last five in all competitions.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

CSKA Moscow 1 - 2 Manchester City: Thoughts and Ratings

By Adam Bailey

My thoughts

In truth, I anticipated a rugged encounter in Moscow, but to my absolute delight, it turned out to be a relatively straightforward victory for the blues. The pitch was in terrible nick and the paint job only amplified the shoddiness of CSKA’s match preparation. As for the racist chants, well, it just shows you which countries are still insistent on living in the dark ages.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Freezing conditions and an intimidating foreign crowd usually carry bad omens for City, but we dominated from the off. David Silva’s return to the team has ensured a return our normal style of play and unsurprisingly, the Spaniard bossed the midfield once again on Wednesday night. Fernandinho capitalised on his impressive display against West Ham last weekend and his effortless composure on the ball made City look like magicians on a beachy playing surface.

Match Reflection: CSKA Moscow 1 - 2 Manchester City

Crucial victory in Moscow as Agüero stars yet again for gutsy City

By Jack Mumford

City battled to a 2-1 victory over a struggling CSKA Moscow side thanks to another two goals from Sergio Agüero on Wednesday evening. CSKA weren’t City’s only obstacle to the three points as the Arena Khimki pitch certainly didn’t lend itself to the passing brand of football City currently play. 

However Agüero, who is going through a purple patch of eight goals in his last six games, replied to CSKA’s opener quickly to guide City to a victory that is the perfect response to their recent crushing defeat against Bayern Munich.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Manuel Pellegrini chose to keep the same 4-4-2 formation that worked so well at West Ham on Saturday but rotated his fullbacks as Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandar Kolarov came in for Micah Richards and Pablo Zabaleta respectively. The only other change to the line-up was Samir Nasri dropping to the bench as Jesús Navas filled his right sided midfielder role.

Match Preview: CSKA Moscow vs Manchester City

City looking to bounce back after Bayern defeat

By Rebecca Halliwell

Manchester City have made the long trip to the Russian capital as they prepare to face CSKA Moscow in their third match of the 13/14 Champions League campaign.

At the weekend, the Blues secured a win against West Ham United, meaning their first league away win of this season. Manchester City played well with Sergio Agüero scoring two goals and David Silva netting the third. The Blues are now sitting fourth in the league and second in their Champions League group.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Manchester City 1 - 3 Bayern Munich: Thoughts and Ratings

By Aaron Leggott

My thoughts

I'll start this off by saying that I wasn't too surprised with the result on Wednesday. A lot of City fans went into the game thinking we could at least match the quality of Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich - but the match proved their superiority - not only over City, but the rest of Europe as well.

The front six of Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Arjen Robben, Toni Kroos, Franck Ribéry and Thomas Müller was used to devastating effect, with Micah Richards describing the game as playing against an extra man. 

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Match Preview: Manchester City vs Bayern Munich

City set to take on European Champions

By Aaron Leggott

After a convincing win in the Czech Republic a fortnight ago, Manchester City are getting ready to face a totally different challenge this evening in the Champions League.

That challenge comes in the form of current holders Bayern Munich, who travel to the Etihad for the second time in three years. That game saw City come out as comfortable 2-0 winners, but it was essentially a dead rubber with Bayern resting a number of key players.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

In the Spotlight: FC Bayern Munich

No. 7: Previous meetings, Pep Guardiola and Franck Ribéry

By Aaron Leggott

Our first Champions League game at the Etihad Stadium this season sees the Blues pit their wits against the current holders, Bayern Munich. We caught up with Enis Köylü (@eniskoylu) - a German and Turkish football expert who works as a sub editor and site manager for Goal. 

Photo: Official Bayern München Facebook

Viktoria Plzeň 0 - 3 Manchester City: Thoughts and Ratings

By Aaron Leggott

My thoughts

I'll be honest with you all - after last weekend's rather abject performance against Stoke City, I was starting to wonder how long it'd take for Manuel Pellegrini to bed in and implement his ideas properly. 

I was also worried about the forthcoming week, which saw us play the Czech champions and of course, United on Sunday.

But, the players put in a truly brilliant European performance and put themselves in a strong position to build upon that result, and in turn qualify for the knockout phases in the new year. 

I was particularly impressed with Samir Nasri. After some recently deserved criticism, he bounced back against Plzeň and delivered what we all came to expect of the Frenchman when he joined for £25 million in 2011.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Match Reflection: Viktoria Plzeň 0 - 3 Manchester City

Yaya Touré helps City record first win in Champions League since 2011 

By Aaron Leggott

Manuel Pellegrini's men strolled to a convincing 3-0 victory in the Czech Republic last night, with goals from Edin Džeko, Yaya Touré and Sergio Agüero securing the win.

It probably would have had Roberto Mancini scratching his head as he sat at home - with only two new summer additions starting in a team that failed so badly under him in Europe last season.

The Italian will argue that his successor has been given a much kinder draw, but City played brilliantly during the whole 90 minutes and produced a European performance that was simply lacking far too often under Mancini.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

In truth, the first half was very 50/50, but City were very patient and except for Vincent Kompany's mis-hit back pass to Joe Hart midway through the first half, the Blues were very comfortable, with the hosts rarely troubling Hart's goal.

Match Preview: Viktoria Plzeň vs Manchester City

Kompany expected to return for City's first Champions League game

By Aaron Leggott

City have travelled to Eastern Europe for their first Champions League game of the season with a big boost after it was announced that Vincent Kompany is set to return to the side to face Viktoria Plzeň, the current Czech champions.

Most are predicting a comfortable victory for Manuel Pellegrini's men, but with Plzeň still yet to lose after eight domestic games, City might be in for quite a shock in the Czech Republic.

The task will not be made any easier as defenders Gaël Clichy and Micah Richards are doubtful, whilst new signing Martin Demichelis misses out once again thanks to a knee injury.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

In the Spotlight: Viktoria Plzeň

No. 5: A lowdown on the Czech champions and their chances of European success this year

By Aaron Leggott

Ahead of our first Champions League game of the season, Aaron Leggott caught up with Czech football expert Chris Boothroyd (@theczechup) - editor of the very successful website "The Czech Up." 

Štruncovy Sady, the home of Viktoria Plzeň
Photo: http://bitoredfan.blogspot.co.uk/

City vs Real Madrid: Match Preview

Special night if City 'do' one & Ron

By Dave Walker

Manchester City will be hoping Jose Mourinho’s pre-match prediction comes true and Ronaldo chalks up a hat-trick with a difference in City’s do-or-die Champions League clash with Real Madrid.

Ronaldo returns to Manchester tomorrow night
Photo: Denis Doyle/Getty Images Europe

Even the most rabid, sky blue tinted spectacle wearing City fanatic would be hard pressed to believe their beloved team can wriggle Houdini-like out of their Champions League straight jacket and concrete boots.

With a paltry two points garnered from away trips to Madrid and Amsterdam and home ties with the Dutch champions and Borussia Dortmund, it will take one of the biggest and most unlikely turnarounds in European history for City to grace the knockout stages.

It doesn't however, stop Roberto Mancini’s men going out in a blaze of glory and inflicting serious damage on Madrid’s aspirations for a record 10^th Euro crown.

Reflection: Controversial referee costs City

By Aaron Leggott

City's chances of Champions League qualification from Group D were all but over after last night's disappointing draw at home to Dutch champions Ajax.

After the 3-1 defeat in Amsterdam a fortnight ago, City knew that defeat last night was unthinkable, as was a draw. Whilst it is still not mathematically impossible, we are relying heavily on our rivals dropping points in the final two group games, which is unlikely.

Two goals from Siem de Jong in the first 17 minutes gave City a mountain as the Blues were once again unable to deal with the Ajax threat from set pieces. After Niklas Moisander exploited the weakness in zonal marking a fortnight ago, it was de Jong's turn last night, as he scored two of the easiest goals in his career.

City vs Ajax: Match Preview

City need to 'pep' up for Mancini

By Dave Walker

Manchester City are no different from the overwhelming majority of teams in the world in that they would love to play like Barcelona and emulate the success of the Spanish giants.

Unlike most teams though, City have appointed the top executive team of Ferran Soriano and Txiki Bergiristain. The duo that, along with President Joan Laporta, led Barca to their glorious recent history.

The Catalan connection is destined to take City to the ‘next level’ in their meteoric rise under the ownership of Sheikh Mansour. The big question is whether ex-Barca boss Pep Guardiola – presently on a self imposed sabbatical in New York – is destined to join to make it a Manchester-Barcelona 1-2-3?

City vs Ajax: Match Preview

"Dambusters": City on a European mission 

By Dave Walker 

As reigning champions of England and the Netherlands, Manchester City and Ajax are waging almost carbon copy defences of their domestic crowns.

Both remain undefeated and yet both are perceived to be under-performing in their respective leagues.  Ajax have won four and drawn five of their nine games so far, whereas City have won five and drawn three of their opening eight fixtures.

Whether that is a harsh judgment - based on games in the Eredivisie and the Premier League - is debatable.  City are, on a game-by-game comparison,  six points ahead of last season’s haul of 89 - so much for perception and reality.

But the criticism carries weight in Europe,  when it comes to results – if not performances - in their Group D Champions League campaign.