City aim for European glory

Posted on Thursday, March 19th, 2009 at 12:54 pm and is filed under News.

Manchester City head into tonight’s clash with Danish club, Aalborg, as the firm favourites to progress to the quarterfinals of the 2008/2009 UEFA Europa League.

City carry a 2-0 lead into the second leg of their round of 16 match, having put two goals past their opponents in Liverpool during the first leg of the tie.

Despite carrying a comfortable tie into the match, Manchester City are under pressure to do something special on the European stage, having failed to convert strong financial backing into results in the Premiership.

The club’s backers are said to expect nothing less than the sight of Mark Hughes’ men lifting the UEFA Europa League in Istanbul on the 20th of May.

“We’ve done well away from home in the UEFA Europa League so I think we’re strong and peaking at the right time of the season,” Manchester City midfielder Stephen Ireland told ITV. “We’re feeling confident going there.”

Manchester City’s only success in Europe was achieved in 1970, when the club won one of the precursors to the UEFA Europa League, the Cup Winners Cup.