Returning Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko hopeful of ‘night to remember’ in Rome

Alam Khan - Reporter 07:57 10/12/2014
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  • Looking to fire: Manchester City's Edin Dzeko hopes to help the side to the knock-out stages of the Champions League in the absence of Sergio Aguero.

    Edin Dzeko says he is ready to help Manchester City overcome the loss of Sergio Aguero and make it a “night to remember” in Rome. 

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    The English champions face their Italian hosts in the deciding Group E game tonight without the in-form 19-goal Argentine striker after he suffered a knee ligament injury.

    But Saturday’s encounter with Everton also saw Dzeko back in action after a month out with a calf problem. With Aguero hurt and Stevan Jovetic struggling with a hamstring injury, it was a timely return.

    And the big Bosnian now wants to be the man to fire City into the last 16 by ending his three-month goal drought.

    “I’m there when the team needs me,” said Dzeko, who hit 26 goals last season, but has managed just four this time around with his last coming at Hull in September.

    “First of all I’m happy to be back because I was never actually injured so long – it was a bit hard for me – but now I’m back and I’ll do my best to try and score the goals and bring something good to the team.

    "I always try to do my job and my job is to score goals and I will keep scoring them, I’m sure, if I [keep] healthy.

    "I expected even less than 30 minutes [against Everton]. I was saying 15 minutes would be OK for me just to get back on the pitch and I already played 30.

    “That (Aguero’s injury) was a big blow for us. You can see how he has played recently, so it’s a big blow for us in the next, hopefully not too many, weeks, but we have to deal with it.

    “It will be a big game for them (Roma) as well. I think the atmosphere will be amazing and that’s what football’s about – and those kind of games, we want to play.

    “I have played many games with a good atmosphere, but I’m  looking forward to this game because they have great fans with a big stadium so it will hopefully be a night to remember.”

    And City’s objective is clear. If CSKA Moscow lose in Munich to leaders Bayern, then a victory or scoring draw against Roma will see them qualify in second spot.

    It would mark a remarkable turnaround after Manuel Pellegrini’s men were bottom of the table and winless with two games left before they beat Bayern 3-2 thanks to Aguero’s brilliant hat-trick.

    Dzeko added: “When we were eight points behind we knew, ‘OK, now we have to start playing’. 

    “And in the Champions League as well, we lost the game at home to CSKA and then you have to win the next game [against Bayern], and we won it. So maybe we need that pressure.

    We have won five [games] in a row. It’s better confidence and a better atmosphere in the team when you’re winning the games and I think we’re coming back to our normal performances.”

    Roma coach Rudi Garcia added: “This match will be special for me and the club, it will be like a final. In theory, we should already be out of contention as they are the champions of England and we were in pot four [of the draw] and have landed
    in the most difficult group.”

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