Pellegrini calls for improvement

MANCHESTER City boss Manuel Pellegrini is keen for his players to put in a performance in the Champions League Group ‘D’ match at Bayern Munich that will “change the image” conveyed by their previous meeting

City were outplayed for much of the contest when Bayern beat them 3–1 at the Etihad Stadium in their initial Group ‘D’ encounter this season.

It did not give a great impression of the Blues’ continental credentials, but they have since secured qualification for the knock–out stages for the first time, achieving it at the third attempt after unsuccessful efforts in both 2012–13 and 2011–12, when they were Champions League debutants.

They could even emerge from tonight’s clash – the two teams’ final Group ‘D’ game – having qualified in top spot, though it would require second–placed City, currently three points behind defending champions Bayern, to win in the Allianz Arena with a better scoreline than that by which they were beaten in the reverse fixture.

Pellegrini has readily acknowledged that it is an incredibly tall order, but the Chilean feels it is vital that at the very least City show they are capable of playing Bayern on level terms.

‘It is very important to improve on what we did against Bayern at home,” Pellegrini said. “We didn’t play well in that game and all of us know why. We will try to change the image that the team gave in that match.”