Under the management of Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini, Manchester City have not been short of silverware in the English game in recent seasons.
But it is no longer enough for this supposedly world class side who really should have progressed further than they have in the Champions League for the past two seasons.
It is time for the Premier League champions to focus on making a name for themselves in Europe, but what exactly needs to be done for that to happen?
In their 2012/13 campaign, the men of Eastlands had a tough time coming to terms with their sudden world class status and failed to win any of their games in the group stage.
The following year things did improve with an outstanding win against Bayern Munich in the group stage which sent them through to the last 16, but this then led to an unfortunate loss to Barcelona.
For a club that have won the Premier League twice in three seasons in dramatic fashion, Pellegrini’s side have not exactly produced the performances expected of them on the European stage and it is high time for this to change.
The manager seems to have come to this realisation and has added two players to his side who have enormous experience playing in Europe.
Bacary Sagna, who transferred over from Arsenal this summer, has spent seven years with a club who have consistently qualified for the Champions League and produced great performances that have got them to the quarter-finals and semi-finals with Sagna in their side.
Frank Lampard, who has signed for New York City recently, has also decided to join Manchester City on a six month loan and we all know how crucial his position in the team could be in terms of European success.
The midfielder has won the Champions League in the blue shirt of Chelsea and is very often a vital figure in orchestrating goal-scoring opportunities.
“We’ll particularly benefit from having him in the Champions League because that’s where we need to improve this year,” said Samir Nasri of the Lampard loan deal.
“He’s a great player and any team will benefit from his experience. He’s won it and I think he can help us. It’s good that he’s an English player too and we’ve had a little problem with that.”
After failing the Financial Fair Play test this year, Pellegrini has done well to advance his team with these two experienced players as the Sky Blues face being restricted to a 21-man squad that must involve five home-grown players.
Lampard’s decision to join the club will help with this challenge and he has played in the tournament for eleven seasons, something that will no doubt help City to improve on their current European record.
But it’s not just about having great individuals on your side. More often than not on the world stage spectators have seen the importance of fluid teamwork, well planned tactics and that all important factor, pace.
Manchester City have the potential to mix in all of these ingredients when stepping out against big European sides, but consistency is key for their progression in the tournament… it is no good for them to don the ‘typical’ City attitude and rely on pulling out an enthralling performance at the last minute after knocking fans down.
European football success requires immense focus and proficiency and City will need to keep their heads screwed on if they want to get anywhere near the Olympiastadion for the final next year.
It is undeniable that we can expect great things from the blue side of Manchester this season, but fans know only too well how getting their hopes up has turned out in the past.
Fingers crossed that this time, the masters of the English game can prove their worth in the European one.
Main image courtesy of Sky Sports via YouTube, with thanks.
