Wednesday 1 October 2014 16:38, UK
Vincent Kompany insists Manchester City can still qualify from UEFA Champions League Group E despite their disappointing 1-1 draw with Roma at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
The Premier League champions looked to be on course for three points when Sergio Aguero put them ahead from the penalty spot but Francesco Totti’s equaliser leaves City facing an uphill battle to qualify.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side now sit five points behind group leaders Bayern Munich after losing to the German champions in their opening game.
Despite the setback, Kompany still believes City have the quality needed to progress but knows the club’s upcoming back-to-back fixtures against CSKA Moscow will be crucial.
We didn't play as well as we could, definitely. You just have to look at these games sometimes and say, 'It's a point'.
"It won't set us back,” he said. “It won't affect us. We will deal with it. It gives you a feeling to get back out there and show everyone how good we are.
"I don't think it affects the group too much. Roma have still got to play twice against Bayern Munich.
"We will go out there and play as we always do, to win. It doesn't change much for us. We will play every game from here to the end to win, thinking we can get three points out of it."
City failed to qualify from the Champions League group stages in both 2011-12 and 2012-13 and that failure is thought to have been a contributing factor in the departure of Roberto Mancini as manager.
Pellegrini did lead the club to the last-16 stage last season before they were knocked out by Spanish giants Barcelona.
This season the expectations on City to perform in Europe, from inside and outside the club, were greater and Kompany accepts the team have not yet done themselves justice.
"At the moment we all acknowledge that we could play better,” he said. "But we are absolutely convinced that with Roma away, Bayern Munich at home, and the two Moscow games, if we play as well as we can, we should be looking for three points."
City were outplayed for large spells of their opening game at Bayern but were unfortunate to lose to a deflected 89th-minute goal from Jerome Boateng.
Against Roma, fortune was perhaps on their side as the Italians were excellent and their 23rd-minute equaliser through Totti, after Maicon had earlier hit the bar, was not only brilliantly taken but thoroughly deserved.
Roma had numerous other chances, notably through the impressive Miralem Pjanic, but could not force their way in front and Kompany acknowledged City are capable of much more.
"We didn't play as well as we could, definitely,” he said. “You just have to look at these games sometimes and say, 'It's a point'.
"But this is the Champions League, and if you don't perform, you shouldn't expect more from it. It wasn't our best performance apart from the spell towards the end.
"We couldn't even hold onto the lead. But there is still a lot to play for and I think we can get a good share of those 12 remaining points.”
