No matter how good English clubs perform in the EPL, their only challenge has always been repeating their brilliance in Europe where they get face-to-face with some of the finest soccer clubs. That is why, most of the English sides who qualify for the UEFA event are not taken seriously by big German or Spanish sides but English fans want a change to this old-age theory about their home teams. Manchester City, who ruled the English topflight last season, is the perfect example of how difficult it is for any English side to survive in the European circuit. This season Championship League has four biggest English sides but unfortunately none of them has until proved their worth in front of any big opponent, in fact, team like City has not recorded a single win on their Europe tour. But, here is a catch; Manuel Pellegrini side seems to have taken a decisive turn with their last game with Bayern Munich that kept them alive for the second stage. Now it depends upon next showdown with Roma and Bayern’s game with CSKA Moscow to decide whether league defenders would qualify for the last sixteen or not.
Now, ask about the hero of their last performance against German side and answer would only be 26-year-old forward Sergio Aguero who scored a stunning hat trick to take his tally to seventeen goals this season and stood his side at par with any other global giant. His gameplay was so impressive that even manager Pellegrini called him one of the best in contemporary soccer and said in the post-match news conference, “I always say before this night that Sergio is one of the best players of the world.
“I think all the big teams need big players, Sergio Aguero is a big player but I think also the team played very well especially in the second half. We trusted until the end, we work, we pressed and finally we could make the chances for Sergio to score.
“During halftime, I talk with the players that we have 45 minutes more to score because they must fight to the end as it was our last chance to continue in the Champions League. That is why it has double merit, to beat Bayern Munich who played very well, but also not to fall down on the spirit. Maybe another team but I don’t think this team ever does it and we fought to the end.”