Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany accepts the Champions League is a “different ball game” – but one well within his side’s scope.
After reasserting their domestic supremacy last season, the English Premier League champions believe it is now time to start making their mark among Europe’s elite.
Their first two forays into the competition ended with group-stage exits but moderate progress was made last term as they reached the last 16 for the first time.
With success at home satisfying the club’s owners, that has so far been put down to experience but Kompany knows Europe is now the target.
Speaking as City prepare to launch their latest campaign at Bayern Munich, the influential defender said: “We are not favourites by any means for this competition but we would like to at least compete and challenge, like we have done in the Premier League.
“Before we won the league it was more difficult to believe we could do it than with the Champions League now.
“My experience of the Champions League is that it’s not more difficult to go to the end, because there are less games, but everything needs to be perfect. The Premier League is just a ferocious battle until the end of May.
“It is a completely different ball game, but we believe eventually it will happen our way.”
City’s Group E opener is another testing one against one of the giants of the European game, but it is challenge they are at least familiar with.
City have now been drawn against Bayern in three of their four seasons in the Champions League and they won 3-2 on their last visit to the Allianz Arena.
Kompany said: “It’s a place we’ve become familiar with. Every single time you come here is an opportunity to prove yourself.
“We take it as a challenge against one of the top three clubs in the world.
“At the same time it is time to start making these games close and making up the gap between ourselves and those other top three clubs.”
City will go into the game without the direction of manager Manuel Pellegrini from the technical area. The Chilean, who turned 61 on Tuesday, is serving the final game of a touchline ban for controversial comments about a referee last season. Assistant Ruben Cousillas will make any in-game decisions on his behalf.
City are without defender Pablo Zabaleta, who is suspended after his sending off at Barcelona last season. Striker Stevan Jovetic and midfielder Fernando have also missed the trip with hamstring and groin injuries respectively.
Bayern’s injury list is much longer with Franck Ribery, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thiago Alcantara, Rafinha and Holger Badstuber all sidelined.
Coach Pep Guiardiola is well aware of the growing threat of City at this level.
Guardiola, who won the competition twice in charge of Barcelona, said: “Last season they were able to win the Champions League and this year they are ready to win the Champions League, like eight, nine or 10 teams more who can win this trophy.”
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