Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes his team can still win the Champions League this season.
The Premier League champions have again made an underwhelming start to the competition, collecting just two points from their opening three games in Group E.
They are already seven points behind group leaders Bayern Munich and can ill afford to drop more as they host CSKA Moscow at the Etihad Stadium tonight.
But while there is a danger City could fail to get out of the group for a third time in four seasons, Pellegrini is not entertaining negative thoughts and has even not ruled out a shot at glory.
The Chilean said: “Of course our target is always to try to win the Champions League.
"We must put in our mind that we are able to do it, that we have a good squad.
“Maybe there are five or six squads better than our squad or at the same level as our squad that also want to do it, but with a winning mentality and an ambitious mind, you must always think you can do it. I think we have time to prove it.”
City will at least be aiming to improve on last season’s effort when they reached the last 16 for the first time after two previous failures to get out of the group.
Pellegrini said: “This team are doing very well here in domestic games because in the last three years we won two Premier Leagues and one runner-up and won two cups also.
"So, you must add international games with the Champions League.
“Last year we did one stage more than the other years. I hope that this year we are going to continue improving.”
City need to beat Russian champions CSKA at home to breathe some life into their campaign.
Anything less than victory would further complicate matters, and take City’s destiny out their hands, but Bayern’s dominance of the group thus far does suggest the battle for second spot will be close.
Wary Guardiola fears a backlash from a wounded Roma side
Pep Guardiola insists Bayern Munich’s record 7-1 away victory over Roma a fortnight ago is more of a hindrance than a help ahead of tonight’s return tie.
A fourth consecutive group-phase victory at the Allianz Arena will put Bayern into the last 16 with two matches to spare and see them qualify for the Champions League knockout phase for the seventh successive year.
The German champions trounced Rudi Garcia’s side at the Olympic Stadium last month.
Dutch winger Arjen Robben scored twice to keep Bayern in firm control of Group E and five points ahead of nearest rivals Roma.
Guardiola says the result, the club’s record away win in Europe, now offers them little help in their quest for a place in the Champions League final in Berlin on June 6.
“Unfortunately, we won 7-1 and that will make our task harder,” said Guardiola. “Roma have their pride and won’t want to experience something like that again.
“They have a very good, youthful side and can impose their game on you if you give them too much room. It’s a different game. We’re focused on the massive chance we have to progress to the next round.”
Roma are determined to avoid a repeat of the thrashing at the Stadio Olimpico, and reaffirm their status as one of the continent’s best up-and-coming teams.
Midfielder Miralem Pjanic said: “Bayern play good football and have a top coach, but as I said we’re intent on making sure this game is different. We’re confident in our ability and we’re set on showing that tomorrow against one of the best teams in Europe.
“It is a rematch but it won’t be a repeat of what happened in Rome. We want to prove the difference isn’t so great”
Suarez will try not celebrate
Luis Suarez says he will attempt not to celebrate if he registers his first goal for Barcelona in tonight’s must-win Champions League trip to former club Ajax.
The controversial Uruguayan star has endured an indifferent start to his Barca career, suffering two defeats and failing to score in his first two games for the club.
And although he is desperate to make his mark in a game which the Catalan team need to win to maintain realistic hopes of topping the group, Suarez is also keen to avoid upsetting supporters of the club where he established his reputation in Europe with a successful spell between 2007 and 2011.
Suarez, who scored 111 goals in 159 games for the Dutch giants, said: “I would love to celebrate if I score but out of respect for Ajax, I probably won’t do it. But we’ll have to see what happens according to the moment.
“Everyone knows how much affection I have for Ajax and the city after the way I was treated here.”
If selected, Suarez will be making his first Champions League appearance since 2010 after three seasons of absence at Liverpool.
Suarez, who has five goals in 11 Champions League games, added: “It’s a joy to return to the Champions League and I will enjoy the game to the full, defending the colours of Barcelona – the club where I have always wanted to be.”
Thiago Silva aims for the summit
Knowing victory against APOEL will put them in good shape to win Group E is all the motivation Paris Saint-Germain need for tonight’s clash, according to Thiago Silva.
PSG lead the way after a draw against Ajax was followed up by a 3-2 win over Barcelona and a 1-0 triumph over the Cypriot side.
“We are very motivated because if we win, we get a chance to finish first in the group,” Silva said. “APOEL are a very difficult team to play against, very aggressive. They play very defensively and it’s not easy finding space.”
Meanwhile, Ernesto Valverde believes the pressure to win will prove to be a positive as Athletic Bilbao look to keep alive their campaign with victory over Porto.
The Basque outfit have picked up only one point from their first three Group H matches and Valverde acknowledges that a third defeat today would be unthinkable.
He said: “When you have a points advantage you can try to calculate things, but (our situation) simplifies everything down and means we do not look at anything else – our only choice is to win all three.”
Elsewhere, BATE Borisov midfielder Yevgeniy Yablonskiy admits his team-mates are ready for a fight as they look to avenge last month’s humiliating home 7-0 defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk when the sides meet again in Lviv.
“We’re in a good mood, I would even say a fighting one,” he said. “Everyone is looking forward to the game. There is no fear as we believe the match in Lviv will be different.”
In Group G, unbeaten Schalke host Sporting at the Veltins Arena.
Jose Mourinho reluctant to play Oscar over fears of burnout
Jose Mourinho faces a selection quandary ahead of Chelsea’s Group G clash at Maribor.
Mourinho is determined to avoid complacency against a side beaten 6-0 at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago, with the assumption being that those with a point to prove may be given the chance.
Yet the Blues boss may be reluctant to turn to his fringe stars after being critical of their performance at Shrewsbury in the League Cup.
Oscar played at Manchester United, Shrewsbury and against QPR and could be rewarded with a rest ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash at Liverpool, yet Mourinho may not feel he can be without the Brazilian.
Mourinho said: “Does he need a rest? Maybe yes after last week. But is it the right decision to leave him out? I don’t know.
“You can imagine it’s not easy to make a decision to rest a player who, in this moment, is my best player.”
