The Argentine defender believes that a slightly less
stressful group than previous years should allow them to flourish and finally
make an impact in the Champions League.
Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta believes that the
club will improve on their poor Champions League showing last season.
The Premier League side failed to win a game in Europe
last season, picking up just three points as they finished bottom of a tough
group that featured Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Ajax.
The Argentina international says that City have learned
from their experiences in the competition, though, and expects them to put on a
better showing under new manager Manuel Pellegrini.
"I think it is another chance for this club, for
this team, to do better in the Champions League," Zabaleta told the press
ahead of Tuesday's clash with Viktoria Plzen.
"From what happened the last two years in the
Champions League, I think we learned and hopefully we will do better."
City's first involvement in the Champions League was in
the 2011-12 campaign, when they finished third in another difficult group that
contained Napoli, Bayern Munich and Villarreal.
This season, they again meet
Bayern but, with Plzen and CSKA Moscow also in Group D, Zabaleta believes that
they have a better chance of progression.
"It is not an easy group - I am not saying this -
but maybe if you compare this group with the last two years, it is a bit
better," he argued.
"We believe in this team and I think we have got a
great chance to qualify for the next round.
"It is important to win [in Plzen], to try to get
three points. To start winning is important because then we have got Bayern
Munich at home."
Pellegrini will take charge of his first European game as
City manager at the Doosan Arena after enjoying Champions League success with
Villarreal and Malaga and the full-back expects him to have a positive impact.
"He is a manager with good experience in the
Champions League," he continued.
"He did well with Villarreal, and also with Malaga.
Now it is a different experience for him, with a new team. Hopefully we can do
well."
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