Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini welcomes back fit-again Eliaquim Mangala as well as his key players for Wednesday’s Champions League last-16, first-leg tie at Dynamo Kiev.
The Chilean rested his star names and fielded six teenagers in the 5-1 FA Cup defeat at Chelsea on Sunday.
Wingers Kevin de Bruyne and Jesus Navas, midfielders Samir Nasri and Fabian Delph as well as striker Wilfried Bony remain out for City.
Editor’s Note: Manuel Pellegrini rung the changes last Sunday for their F.A. Cup tie against Chelsea with this Champions League fixture in mind. They were outclassed in a performance of Men vs Boys last Weekend they now have to show that playing a weakened side isn’t all in vain as they aim to deliver a first Champions League crown.
Tonight’s lineup will be more in tune with the side that played Tottenham the previous weekend and lost 2-1 at The Etihad. A defeat which saw them fall to 4th in the Premier League and 6 points from the summit of leaders Leicester.
It’s not been a particularly good few weeks for City. Key losses at home to Leicester and Spurs, an F.A. Cup thumping on Sunday has seen them fall away in the League and their quadruple chances slimmed down to a less than likely treble. Can Manuel Pellegrini add at least one more trophy win to his haul before he makes way for the incoming Pep Guardiola.
He could win a trophy as soon as this coming Sunday what with the Capital One Cup Final against Liverpool on horizon but for now the focus is on overcoming the potentially difficult tie with Ukrainian side Dynamo Kiev.
Manchester City have reached this stage of the competition for the past 2 seasons but have crashed out each time, admittedly they’ve had arguably the toughest draw in Barcelona so you can’t levy too much criticism at them but for a club to really be classed as a European giant they need to start progressing to the latter stages of the competition more often.
Tonight they go up against a Kiev side which are currently second in the Ukrainian Premier League but only due to a lesser Goal Difference compared to their nearest domestic rivals Shakhtar Donetsk. Last season they won their domestic title and also progressed to the Quarter Finals of the Europa League
Their key man will be Andrey Yarmolenko, Everton fans will no doubt break into a sweat when they here that name as he tormented their side in the Europa League last season both Home and Away. He has often been linked with a move to the Premier League so tonight could really put him in the shop window
I think City even with their injuries should have enough to get a 1st leg advantage but going to Kiev is never an easy task for any side. I can certainly see City getting a crucial away goal Tonight. I think they will win it but I doubt they’ll be too upset if they come home with a score draw to give them the advantage back at The Etihad.
