Champions League: Mourinho aims to maintain winning momentum
Mourinho will have to juggle his line-up as it is a crucial week with a trip to Barcelona coming this weekend where defeat would dim their hopes of retaining their title after just seven games of the season. The Portuguese handler, however, is not willing to choose a second string team against Ajax despite having beaten them in all four of their most recent Champions League encounters and not conceding a goal.
“Ajax are constantly having to rebuild their side but always seem to find new and interesting players, men who want to make a name for themselves and fight for the cause,” said the 49-year-old.
Man City can be champions: Toure
Meanwhile, Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure believes the Premier League champions can win the Champions League this season, as they prepare for their first home game against Borussia Dortmund tonight.
The former Barcelona midfielder, who won the competition with the Catalan giants in 2009, said that with other former winners in their squad such as Maicon, Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli, they have the experience to go all the way.
“I have that experience and it is good to have big players like Maicon and Balotelli,” said Toure. “It is not easy to win the Champions League. Here the club just wants to be in the second round and we know we have to improve because we have a very good team and with a team like this we can go very far in the competition.”
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini insists his side needs to improve quickly if they want to progress.
“I know that it is difficult to win the Champions League, every game is difficult,” said the Italian. “We don’t have time with only five games to go. If we want to go through we need to improve very quickly.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 3rd, 2012.
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