ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE Stoke City 1 Manchester City 1:ROBERTO MANCINI says Manchester City's trip to Real Madrid tomorrow represents one of the most difficult assignments of his managerial reign as he considers recalling Sergio Aguero for the Champions League test at the Bernabeu.
The former Atletico Madrid striker has been absent since damaging knee ligaments in the opening league game of the season against Southampton and did not feature in the 1-1 draw at Stoke City on Saturday.
The 24-year-old was withheld at the Britannia Stadium as a precaution, the manager later revealed, and could be available for their game in the Spanish capital. Mancini also withdrew Carlos Tevez after 63 minutes against Stoke, to keep the forward fresh for Real.
“Sergio will travel with us,” confirmed the City manager. “He worked with the team in the last three days. We didn’t want to take any risks against Stoke but maybe for Madrid he will be ready. I think he can have a chance.”
City failed to progress from the group stage last season and are in daunting company this term, with Borussia Dortmund and Ajax also in Group D. Despite the individual Champions League experience at his disposal, and the confidence born of winning City’s first league title for 44 years last season, Mancini concedes that a gulf exists between his team and Jose Mourinho’s Spanish champions.
“In this moment we are not at the same level as Real Madrid,” he said. “I think we have good players and we want to improve but we can’t say this now.
“When you play Champions League every team is a top team. Every game is difficult. If you play against Real or Barca you are up against 100 years of history. They won everything. For this reason, I think it will be very difficult. Like last year, we again start on a difficult [ground] against a top team. If we want to do well there, we need to play very, very well.”
The City manager expects his team to respond to the occasion, however, and believes a repeat of last season’s 10 points in the group stage will be sufficient to qualify for the knockout phase this time.
On Saturday, Peter Crouch held his hands up to using one of them to put Stoke City ahead against the champions. “It definitely hit my hand, I’m not going to lie to you,” admitted the goalscorer. “It was NBA,” said Mancini.
At 31, with a record of one goal in every two games for England, with Wayne Rooney and Andy Carroll injured and a shallow pool of talent to draw on, Crouch was ignored for the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign for refusing to go on standby for the Euros, according to Roy Hodgson.
“It wasn’t a case of being a standby,” the striker responded. “He wanted me to play in one of the friendlies before the Euros then go home. I’ll be honest, I was bitterly disappointed not to be called up to the full squad and I think understandably so. We had a conversation but I think that should remain between me and the manager.”
Crouch claims there is no lingering animosity between himself and the England manager and does not consider his international career finished. “He was asked a question about me. I have no grudges about that at all,” he added.
“I didn’t have the opportunity to go to the Euros. I was a bit frustrated, but playing for my country is the best thing I’ve ever done in my career and I will never rule that out. If I get a chance to play for my country again I’ll grab it with both hands. I’ll just keep playing as well as I can for Stoke.”
Crouch, as Vincent Kompany and Joleon Lescott can testify, remains a nuisance with a good touch and clever movement. He also remains the focal point of a Stoke team trying to introduce more possession football under Tony Pulis, but whose potency continues to lie in commitment, industry and the set-piece.
Stoke have started the season with four draws – they have won just one of their last 16 matches in total – and on Saturday were helped towards their point against the champions by superb stoppage-time interventions from Asmir Begovic, who turned Javi Garcia’s header on to a post, and Ryan Shawcross, who hooked Edin Dzeko’s lob off the line. But despite the champions’ belated pressure, it was a point thoroughly deserved.
Guardian Service
