Festive Fixture List Makes It Hard For Us In Europe – Manuel Pellegrini

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini plays down suggestions that the team struggle when Vincent Kompany is absent.

Despite the figures, Pellegrini believes City are capable of defending well without Kompany as they did it towards the end of last season, telling a reporter at the pre match press conference: “No, I don’t agree with your conclusions”.

Manchester City are without top scorer Sergio Aguero and captain Vincent Kompany for the Champions League visit of Borussia Monchengladbach, with Manuel Pellegrini uncertain when either player will return.

“Last season we finished the last six games without Vincent Kompany, we won the six and had four clean sheets”. Fabian Johnson’s Gladbach plays to hold onto 3rd-place in Group D. Since they can’t advance to the knockout round of the Champions League, 3rd means moving to the knockout round of the Europa League. The whole season there are a lot of games we played without our important players.

“It will be the fifth game we play in fewer than 15 days”, said the Chilean.

“Demichelis has a problem in his tendon which he already had in the last game so I thought it wouldn’t be good for him to continue playing”.

With Martin Demichelis unfit to face a Monchengladbach side who on Saturday inflicted Bayern Munich’s first Bundesliga defeat of the season, central defence will be in the hands of Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala.

For all their worries at the back, at least City have cruised through to the last 16 in Europe, something that Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have so far failed to do.

Of the two teams entering Tuesday’s final Champions League match, it will be fair to say that Manchester City will be the team with more on the line.

Kompany’s persistent and worrying calf problem will force him to be a frustrated spectator again tonight (Tues) when City take on in-form Borussia Monchengladbach at the Etihad Stadium.

“The important players play so many games it is very hard not to be injured because they must continue playing in the global break. I think the pace in the Premier League is hard, harder than in other leagues and here we have two cup competitions not one”.

He had already missed seven games this year with a hamstring injury before returning to the squad in the loss against Liverpool.

“If you are asking me what is more important, of course it is the Premier League and to win the title but you need names to make changes and we do not have those names”.