Are Manchester City’s Champions Leagues Hopes Finished?
Manchester City have had an awful start to their Champions League season. After surging to second place in the Premier League, they seem to be the most Jekyl and Hyde team in Europe — maybe second only to Borussia Dortmund. After a heartbreaking last-minute loss to Bayern Munich (in which Jerome Boateng, a former City player, scored), and an entertaining draw to A.S. Roma, the latest heartbreak is a 2-2 draw in a behind-closed-doors match against CSKA Moscow, where the Russians came from 2-0 down.
Bayern Munich look to be the juggernaut of the group, taking points from City, edging a win in Russia and then demolishing Roma 7-1. On goal difference alone, these games might allow Munich to claim the top spot in the group.
The second spot is where it gets too close to call. Roma appeared to be the team to beat after a 5-1 drubbing of Moscow, but was steamrolled by Munich in the second round of the group. They are a team that you never really know what you are going to get from them until the game itself. Gervinho is indicative of the entire team, lighting the Champions League up with three goals in three games for the Italians, but going missing for a majority of the game against Munich.
Moscow appear to be the whipping boy of the group, claiming one point in three games, with a 2-2 come-from-behind draw with City. They need to start firing on all cylinders if they are to have any sort of hope of coming second.
City is the team that could surprise the group. They have a deep and terrific squad that features world class players in all three phases of the pitch. They control the flow of play against lesser teams, and can change between pace and strength with a substitution. That’s why it’s puzzling that they would drop points so easily against lesser opponents like Moscow and Roma.
All hope is not lost for the Citizens. They have one away game against Roma that will throw up a roadblock to the knockout rounds, but the other two games are at the Etihad, which City have made a fortress in recent seasons.
City have an outside shot of edging Roma for the second place spot, should they get a win over the Italian side and a much-needed win against Moscow. If this doesn’t happen, Manuel Pelligrini could see his time in Manchester come to a much sooner end than expected.
Nick Burgess is a soccer columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickBurgess92, “Like” him on Facebook and connect with him on Google.
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