Skip to main content

Yaya Toure Vows to Bring Champions League Trophy to Manchester City

Yaya Toure has vowed to win the Champions League with Manchester City, insisting he has unfinished business in Europe. The Ivorian won European football's biggest prize in 2009, when Barcelona beat Manchester United 2-0 in Rome, before swapping Catalonia for the blue half of Manchester at the end of the following season.

Since arriving at the Etihad, the 34-year-old has epitomised City's transformation from also-rans toPremier League heavyweights, winning two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and two League Cups. However, City's domestic success is yet to be translated onto the continental stage, with the Citizens yet to get past the semifinal stage in the Champions League, after losing 1-0 on aggregate against Real Madrid two seasons ago.

Pep Guardiola's first campaign in charge, meanwhile, ended with the Citizens knocked out in the quarter finals by Monaco and Toure is desperate to win the competition again.

"I want the Champions League again - so badly," he was quoted as saying by the Mirror.

"I have won everything in England with City – and now I want something that is really special for the fans and the club. I have been lucky enough to win some important trophies for my clubs and also Ivory Coast.

"But the Champions League is special. To be happy, I really need to win it again."

City have started the season in swashbuckling fashion, scoring at will and picking up 28 points from a possible 30 in their first 10 Premier League of the season. Their form has been transferred to the Champions League, where Guardiola's men have a 100% record after three games.

However, Toure warned bigger tests awaited in Europe.

"I can see the progress the team has made," he explained.

"At the moment, we are doing very well against some good European teams. But the big tests are the big teams like Barca, Madrid, Juventus, Bayern and Paris Saint Germain.

"We are one of the top teams now – but we have to prove it. I am very excited because we want to play Madrid and Barca to show where we are."

City's credentials could be tested as early as on Wednesday night (1 November), when the Premier League leaders travel to Naples to face the Serie A outfit. Napoli, who currently top the table in Italy, proved a stern test for City at the Etihad two weeks ago and were left ruing a missed penalty as they lost 2-1.

The prospect of facing Maurizio Sarri's free-scoring side is made even harder by the traditionally hostile atmosphere at the San Paolo Stadium, where Toure and City played in 2011 when they were eliminated in the group stages.

"Playing in Napoli is horrible," he explained.

"It is so, so difficult for the opponent because the fans there are so good.

"The stadium is massive and the atmosphere is very intense. But I think we can play a good game like the one in Manchester.

"They came here and made it very difficult in the end, but I think we have a team that might be more dangerous away from home.

Source - IBTImes
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Roma Midfielder Signs New Deal with Italian Club

Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan has signed a new four-year contract with the Serie A club. The 29-year-old Belgium international had been linked with Manchester United in Italian media, while Chelsea were also reported to be interested. This was coupled by suggestions that Nainggolan was growing impatient with the numerous delays in receiving a contract proposal from the capital club. However, the 29-year-old has put any doubts about his future to bed by extending his contract until 2021, in a deal that will see him earn €4.5 million per season, including bonuses, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I think I have demonstrated that this is what I always wanted," Nainggolan said. "I'm very happy that the club and I can continue our adventure and move forward together." Nainggolan has played 161 times for Roma since joining from Cagliari in 2014. Nainggolan becomes the third senior central midfielder to extend their contract at Roma th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Alexis Sanchez is just what Manchester United Need, Says Fortmer Tottenham Manager

The signing of a proven world-class forward such as Alexis Sanchez is just what Manchester United need to compete for the biggest prizes, former Tottenham manager Gerry Francis has said. Sanchez, 29, joined United on a four-and-a-half-year contract from Arsenal on Monday, 22 January, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan moving in the opposite direction in a straight-swap deal. "Sanchez is a real goal-scorer, he's talented and he's aggressive around the box and he makes things happen, he can pull teams through," he told Sky Sports.Francis described the Chilean forward as a match-winner who will aid United in their quest to win silverware by adding some much-needed potency to their attack. "It's [about] the present, you're looking to win trophies and looking to win competitions and, sometimes, you need to buy and have the finished article and Sanchez is certainly that. "It just makes them as a squad that much stronger. Certainly, a much bigger goal-threat with Sa...
Post a Comment
Read more

Tiemoue Bakayoko is a Better Player than Nathaniel Chalobah, Insists Antonio Conte

Antonio Conte has been forced to defend his Chelsea transfer policy after replacing homegrown youngster Nathaniel Chalobah with the £40million signing of Tiemoue Bakayoko. The Blues have long been criticised for favouring big-name and big-money transfers over promoting their own youth talent, and the purchase of Bakayoko whilst selling Chalobah looks to be the latest example. Chalobah, 22, played 15 games for Chelsea last season but struggled to hold down a regular place in the side before a £5m move to Watford this summer. Conte, however, insists that Bakayoko is a major upgrade given his experience of winning major honours and competing in the biggest competitions such as the Champions League. ‘I think, honestly, at this moment there is a great difference between the two players,’ Conte said. ‘You are talking about one player who has played with Monaco, who has maybe 100 appearances for that club. ‘He has played in the Champions League and has played regularly. ...
Post a Comment
Read more