Win the Champions League or we’ve failed, says Kompany
MANCHESTER City captain Vincent Kompany says his side will be deemed to have failed if they do not win the Champions League this season.
City head to the Allianz Arena tonight, to take on Group E rivals Bayern Munich for the fifth time in four seasons.
After an initial bout of stage fright in the competition, Manuel Pellegrini’s men showed they belong among the elite last term when they reached the last-16 stage, before their elimination to Barcelona.
However, Kompany believes nothing less than delivering the trophy to Manchester come May will be adequate.
“You start a season at Manchester City nowadays and it’s not acceptable not to put all the trophies on your ambitions list,” said the Belgium centre-back.
“It’s a case of me and all the players looking at all the trophies and thinking we have to go until the very end of the season. The club is asking us to win now.
“We are not favourites by any means for this competition, but we would like to compete and challenge.”
Pellegrini completes a two-match touchline ban tonight, so the team will be led by his assistant Ruben Cousillas.
Defender Pablo Zabaleta is suspended, while striker Stevan Jovetic and midfielder Fernando are sidelined by injury.