“Manchester City handed Group of Death” is the common headline among all sports media.
It is a catchy headline, and it is a common them now to use that phrase about the group with the best teams in it in all competitions these days. However, it is not necessarily true in the case of City.
The term “Group of Death” implies struggle and an eventual elimination. By this measure, it is Viktoria Plzen who have been handed the group of death. They fill face FC Barcelona, AC Milan and BATE Borisov.
Plzen stand no chance of advancing and frankly will be lucky to get a point. City on the other hand could well have received a fantastic draw.
Regardless of how much money they have, the Citizens must still overcome the stigma of not being a traditional powerhouse. It is not east for example to get players away from Manchester United and Barcelona, simply because players want to join proven winners at the elite level.
This group which places City in competition with 2010 Finalists Bayern Munich, 2006 Semi-Finalists Villarreal and 1989 UEFA Cup winners Napoli gives City the chance to make a real statement early in the competition.
It is possible City could have been drawn with FC Porto, Marseille and Otelul Galati. Many would have tipped them to advance from that group, but they would have proved little in doing so.
With this draw, City have a chance to not only advance to the knockout stages, but to send a message of their progress around Europe as they do so.
The lack of Champions League experience Manchester City have is a cause for concern among some fans, but if you scratch beneath the surface that is less of a worry.
It is true that City as a club have no experience, but it is players that win big games, and this group of players has plenty of big time experience.
Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz and Mario Balotelli all have experience of winning the UEFA Champions League, which will help in the dressing room. In addition to that, Sergio Aguero has won the UEFA Europa League and David Silva has won the World Cup.
City also have strength in numbers, and their depth will make them less susceptible to injury and loss of form than their Group A opponents.
To advance from such a tough group will bring City worldwide exposure, and will assure their fan of an exciting ride. Club administration officer Brian Marwood acknowledged as much when he told BBC Sport; “This is a fantastic part of Manchester City’s history to be part of the competition and our fans will enjoy every minute of this year’s Champions League tournament.
When the group stages are over, rather than a group of death, this draw could be seen as a gateway for City to prove just what a contender they really are in Europe this season.
The term “Group of Death” implies struggle and an eventual elimination. By this measure, it is Viktoria Plzen who have been handed the group of death. They fill face FC Barcelona, AC Milan and BATE Borisov.
Plzen stand no chance of advancing and frankly will be lucky to get a point. City on the other hand could well have received a fantastic draw.
Regardless of how much money they have, the Citizens must still overcome the stigma of not being a traditional powerhouse. It is not east for example to get players away from Manchester United and Barcelona, simply because players want to join proven winners at the elite level.
This group which places City in competition with 2010 Finalists Bayern Munich, 2006 Semi-Finalists Villarreal and 1989 UEFA Cup winners Napoli gives City the chance to make a real statement early in the competition.
It is possible City could have been drawn with FC Porto, Marseille and Otelul Galati. Many would have tipped them to advance from that group, but they would have proved little in doing so.
With this draw, City have a chance to not only advance to the knockout stages, but to send a message of their progress around Europe as they do so.
The lack of Champions League experience Manchester City have is a cause for concern among some fans, but if you scratch beneath the surface that is less of a worry.
It is true that City as a club have no experience, but it is players that win big games, and this group of players has plenty of big time experience.
Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz and Mario Balotelli all have experience of winning the UEFA Champions League, which will help in the dressing room. In addition to that, Sergio Aguero has won the UEFA Europa League and David Silva has won the World Cup.
City also have strength in numbers, and their depth will make them less susceptible to injury and loss of form than their Group A opponents.
To advance from such a tough group will bring City worldwide exposure, and will assure their fan of an exciting ride. Club administration officer Brian Marwood acknowledged as much when he told BBC Sport; “This is a fantastic part of Manchester City’s history to be part of the competition and our fans will enjoy every minute of this year’s Champions League tournament.
When the group stages are over, rather than a group of death, this draw could be seen as a gateway for City to prove just what a contender they really are in Europe this season.
