If we win this, we’re through. If we draw we have to face Bayern Munich and win in the last group games, and if we lose we’re basically out.
Tonight is a big moment in the history of Manchester City Football Club, and if we progress to the knockout phases of the Champions’ League with a game to spare (in a group as difficult as this one) will surely make the eyes of the giants focus on Manchester for another week. We’re making shockwaves around the UK, but we’ve merely started a tremor in Europe. Could tonight be the night?
After his fantastic performance on Saturday, Micah Richards gave Mancini something to think about ahead of his team selection before tonight’s game. Pablo Zabaleta has featured in the Champions’ League quite a lot this season, and he’s signed a new deal this week, but Richards’ recent form may be enough to get him a starting place tonight. I imagine Zabaleta will start at the weekend against Liverpool if he doesn’t start.
And because he didn’t start on Saturday in the 3-1 win over Newcastle, Gareth Barry will start tonight in midfield alongside (I think) Yaya Toure. I’d argue that we have the strongest midfield in Europe in terms of quality available, and I hope I’m still saying that at 10pm this evening.
Silva and Adam Johnson may be our link between the strikers and the midfield tonight because they both started from the bench against Newcastle – but our depth does not stop there!
Edin Dzeko should start tonight because he didn’t feature on Saturday, and I reckon he’ll be joined by Balotelli over Aguero. Balotelli is on top form at the moment, and being back in Napoli he now has a chance to prove a point to the Italian fans that dislike him because of his antics when he was an Inter Milan player.
I think we’re good enough to win this comfortably, but Napoli’s defensive discipline may shut us out once again. Being in such a hostile arena is not the most ideal situation to be in when trying to progress ahead of the team that calls the hostile arena “home”. But we’ve got players used to this sort of game, and this is where their true quality needs to be on display.
Final prediction: Napoli 1-2 Manchester City.
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