City seek lift-off against Juventus

Manchester

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After four years of disappointment, Manchester City intend to make a mark on this season’s Champions League, starting with today’s Group D opener against underperforming Juventus, last season’s beaten finalists.

Eliminated in the group phase in 2012 and 2013, City have fallen to Barcelona in the last 16 in the past two years, but an imperious start to the Premier League season has raised hopes of a European breakthrough.

The draw, once again, was not entirely kind to Manuel Pellegrini’s team, who will also face Borussia Moenchengladbach and Europa League winners Sevilla, but captain Vincent Kompany is no longer willing to tolerate excuses for near-misses.

“Nobody left the Champions League satisfied last year,” said the Belgium centre-back.

“OK, we came up against the best team in the world, which made it a little bit easier to understand, but that’s not what we want.

“We want to compete with the strongest teams and at least beat them on a regular basis. But it’s another year and another season full of hope.”

City would be eyeing their opening fixture with more confidence were it not for the absence of Sergio Aguero, who limped off with a knee injury during Saturday’s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace.

Pellegrini confirmed in Monday’s pre-match press conference that the Argentina striker will not face Juventus, but could return in time for Saturday’s league game at home to West Ham United.

Wilfried Bony is expected to deputise, while David Silva and Raheem Sterling are both in contention after missing the trip to Selhurst Park with ankle and hamstring problems respectively.

Teenage Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho, the match-winner at Palace, will not feature, having not been included in City’s Champions League squad, but Pellegrini is satisfied with his attacking alternatives.

Allegri calls for bravery 

 “It’s not the best moment not to have him (Iheanacho), but we have Wilfried, also Raheem can play as a forward, so we have different options,” said the Chilean, whose side have won all five league games to date this season, scoring 11 goals and conceding none.

There was no shame in City’s elimination last season at the hands of Barcelona, who beat them 3-1 on aggregate before overcoming Juventus by the same scoreline in the final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion.

But it demonstrated the gulf separating City from the European elite, which moved the Etihad Stadium hierarchy to splash out on Sterling, Nicolas Otamendi, Fabian Delph and £54 million ($83.3 million, 73.5 million euros) record signing Kevin De Bruyne, who made an eye-catching debut at
Palace.