Dzeko: This is why we’re at City
City’s second game in their debut Champions League campaign has taken them to the Allianz Arena, where they will face a Bayern Munich side that has won the European Cup on four occasions and reached the final only two seasons ago.
It is a tie between a team playing its 151st game in the competition and one playing in its second, and the one which immediately caught the eye when the group stage draw was made last month and confirms City’s new-found status amongst Europe’s elite.
And this, more than money, is what drives Dzeko and his team-mates on.
“It is not about money,” said the Bosnian. “It is playing against clubs like Bayern Munich, one of the best in the world. That is why we all came to Manchester City.”
Dzeko reported that he won in the stadium once during his Wolfsburg days but conceded his overall record against the German giants is “not good”.
A very similar sentiment could be expressed about the performance of English clubs in Munich.
Of 15 trips to face Bayern in competitive combat, only once has a team emerged victorious, the accolade belonging to Norwich in a UEFA Cup second round encounter 18 years ago.
And this particular tie does not promise to be easy for the Blues either given Bayern have just completed a run of nine games in all competitions without conceding a goal.
Nevertheless, Mancini refuses to be intimidated and insists his team can win.
“Why not?” he said. “We are not here to lose. We know it will be difficult but we want to win if possible. I am certainly satisfied with the progress we have made, even if we need to improve a lot.”
Mancini hopes a fairly significant lesson has been learned from the opening game against Napoli a fortnight ago.
Then he felt City got swept up in the emotion of a momentous evening, went driving for the victory, and nearly ended up getting beaten, with a thunderous Aleksandar Kolarov free-kick saving them from a crushing setback.
As Mancini knows only too well, such risks are not necessary at such an early stage of the competition.
“We wanted to beat Napoli but we need to understand that in the Champions League you can also draw at home,” he said. “The most important thing is that we get 10 points to reach the second stage.
“Against Napoli we just wanted to win. With that pressure you can make some mistakes.
“Here it will be different because we know it will be a tough game. I am sure we will do well.”
Mancini must decide whether to stick with the team that ground out a precious three points against Everton at the weekend, or freshen things up.
Such a move may bring Nigel de Jong into contention after his recent foot problem, and also Carlos Tevez after the Argentina star was overlooked completely at the weekend.
It is a no-win situation for Mancini.
With four front-line strikers to choose from, the City chief is quizzed whenever he leaves someone out, which is virtually every game.
“I have four fantastic strikers,” said the Italian, whose conundrum is eased slightly tonight by the absence of Mario Balotelli through suspension.
“I can’t play four strikers in all the games. “Mario played against Everton. Carlos, tomorrow, could have a chance.
“I will decide the team tomorrow. I am sure that I can choose well because I have Carlos, Edin and Sergio [Aguero] to pick from.”
Bayern Munich may have won their last six Bundesliga matches without conceding a single goal — scoring 21 in the process — however, coach Jupp Heynckes believes that is nothing compared to the strength of Manchester City.
While the Bavarians have not conceded a goal or a point since the opening day of the league season, Heynckes insists tonight’s opponents are even better than his side, likening them to last season’s beaten finalists and city rivals Manchester United.
“It is going to be a real challenge for us,” he admitted.
“Manchester City are currently on a par with Manchester United, and that says enough really.
“They are a top European team. I am very impressed by them.”
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