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DoomMerchant's Mini B*l**xKompany hails Pellegrini approach Manchester City skipper Vincent Kompany was impressed with new boss Manuel Pellegrini's approach after the first day's training at Carrington.
Manchester City skipper Vincent Kompany has praised new manager Manuel Pellegrini for his first day's training - and said the Blues are determined to right the wrongs of last season.
Pellegrini had the chance to check out his squad for the first time on Monday at sunny Carrington.
And Kompany reckons the Blues are already in good shape.
“I think all of us have done some preparation work during the holidays though because the guys look very sharp after a long break, so that’s great.
“It was also nice to start work with the new manager and I think his approach with the team today was really good.
“It’s important now to try and improve on the last campaign and make sure that whatever the new manager brings in, that we try and make it our own as quick as possible.”
Kompany added on
www.mcfc.co.uk : “We’re at a big club, so the only goal we can have is to win trophies. There’s about six or seven clubs in England alone in this situation, so it will be very competitive.
“Our objective this year is to win things and to play well together. We all know that we have to be very strong as a team and bond with each other.
“It’s an important year for everyone; we have a lot to put right after last season and internationally it’s a World Cup year, so there are so many reasons to perform well.
“We’ve got the squad to do that, but a lot of hard work needs to be done first.”
Mancini expects City to struggle in Europe
Roberto Mancini feels Manchester City are ‘still a bit behind the big European clubs’ and could struggle to challenge for the Champions League.
While City have enjoyed domestic success in recent years, they have struggled to reproduce their form in Europe, failing to progress beyond the group stages of the Champions League in successive campaigns.
Failure in Europe contributed to Mancini’s sacking but the Italian does not believe his successor Manuel Pellegrini will fare much better.
Indeed, Mancini believes the loss of Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli will prove costly when they embark on another Champions League campaign.
“I would say City are a bit like Juventus. They are growing but are still a bit behind the big European clubs,” Mancini is quoted as saying in The Sun.
“To win the Champions League you need experience and the right squad. There aren’t many games, so if you get two wrong then you’re out of the running.
“In the Champions League last year, we had the toughest group. Now they have lost two important players in Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli.”
Bayern Munich defeated Borussia Dortmund in an all-German final last May but Mancini has dismissed the notion that Germany is now the dominant force in the Champions League.
“I do not agree with those who say German or even English clubs are dominant in Europe,” he declared.
“The Germans have the benefit of a long winter break, while the English lose intensity as time goes on because they never stop playing.
“Bayern Munich are the team to beat, as they are full of stars, solid at the back and strong on the counter-attack. I still consider Barcelona to be the strongest team, though.”
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