Pellegrini: My Man City not European failures

Man City boss Manuel Pellegrini does not believe that being knocked out twice by Barcelona constitutes failure in Europe.

The Chilean reacted defensively to suggestions that a team that has twice won the title in four seasons should have done better in the Champions League.

“I don’t think we failed in Europe – we have qualified for the two knock-out stages in my two seasons here and lost to Barcelona who are the best team in the world,” he said.

“We have beaten Bayern Munich twice. Last season we won our last two games against Bayern Munich and Roma so we know how to do it.

“This season we lost to Juventus – a strange game.”

City now face Borussia Monchengladbach needing to take at least a point in Germany, with Pellegrini admitting: “We know that Champions League is just five games that we must play and we must qualify it is not a final but it is a very important game.”

He will be without the injured Vincent Kompany, Eliaquim Mangala, Gael Clichy, Fabian Delph and Samir Nasri, and will not know until hours before the game whether David Silva and Yaya Toure are fit to play.