Yaya Toure has assessed Manchester City's chances of winning the UEFA Champions League.
It’s no secret that Manchester City’s ultimate aim remains to win the Champions League.
However, that dream has evaded the club, ever since their takeover was initiated in 2008.
Despite becoming the outright most successful team in English football for over a decade, the club are yet to replicate the same level of dominance in Europe.
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Under Pep Guardiola in particular, the Sky Blues have suffered some perplexing exits in the competition in recent years.
Defeats against the likes of AS Monaco, Tottenham Hotspur and Lyon in the knockout rounds instantly spring to mind.
However, the Catalan and his side seem to be becoming a force to be reckoned with in Europe’s elite competition, following improvements in their previous two campaigns.
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During the 2020/21 season, the Premier League champions reached a maiden Champions League final, beating the likes of Borussia Dortmund and PSG on their way to the landmark contest.
However, Manchester City suffered an agonising 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in an all-English final.
Last season, it seemed as if City would be set to face Liverpool in the final, after Riyad Mahrez extended the side’s lead to two goals in the latter stages of the second leg of the semi-final against Real Madrid.
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However, a Rodrygo-inspired late comeback settled the tie in the favour of eventual winners, Real Madrid.
As Pep Guardiola’s side have their sights set on finally conquering Europe this season, club legend Yaya Touré had his say on his former side’s prospects of finally winning the competition.
Speaking during the Champions League draw in Istanbul on Thursday, Toure said: “Every year they have a chance, and this year they're going to have a chance. They can get what they need. It's not going to be easy for them, but I wish them good luck."
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The English giants have been drawn in Group G, alongside the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and FC Copenhagen.
In what is considered as one of the toughest groups in the tournament so far, City will have to first battle it out to secure qualification, before they even think about becoming the Champions of Europe.
Unlike the last two seasons, the presence of a clinical goalscorer like Erling Haaland and a lot more experience of knockout football in the side could potentially make Manchester City tailor-made to finally lift the elusive trophy, especially with an icon like Yaya Touré’s blessing.
Topics: Manchester City, Yaya Toure, Champions League
Srinivas Sadhanand