Manchester City's Champions League fate will be decided by their final Group A game at home to Bayern Munich when manager Roberto Mancini will also tackle one of the many critics of the club's big-money approach to cracking the European elite.
Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has questioned City's free-spending ways in view of impending financial fair play rules and has cited the club as an example when calling on UEFA to impose strict penalties on those who do not comply.
City need to beat group winners Bayern at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday and hope second-placed Napoli fail to win at Villarreal, who have yet to pick up a point, in order to qualify for the last 16.
Mancini, who has rated his team's chances of reaching the knockout stage of Europe's elite club competition at 30 percent, thinks there will be a lot of sides who will be relieved if City do not progress.
"I think that every team are worried regarding Manchester City because also now but in the future we could become one of the top teams in the world. But every time an important man like Rummenigge , the Bayern Munich president he is representing a top club in the world, and every time he says things against us. I think that there are other teams in Europe that have problems with the financial fair play not only Manchester City," said Mancini on Tuesday (December 6).
Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes denied there was any ill feeling from his club towards the world's richest soccer club.
"It is more important to talk about the football success, we have respect for Manchester City, just look at what they are doing in the English league, five points ahead of second place Manchester United. There is no resentment, it is more about two teams fighting each other in a competition on a sporting level. Manchester City still have the chance to qualify but that depends on what happens between Villarreal and Napoli."
Heynckes has had to leave out Dutch winger Arjen Robben after he went down with flu shortly after making his return from a long injury layoff and midfielder Toni Kroos is also ruled out.
Former City defender Jerome Boateng, now with Bayern, was asked for his opinion on his former side.
"I would not say it is that different, there are a couple of new players that have come in, quality players. We will have to see what happens at the end of the season, last season they won the FA cup, and they are in the running for the title this season. It has not gone too well for them in the Champions League but the manager has done a very good job and the fans can be satisfied with that," said Boateng.
Meanwhile Mancini appeared to be philosophical about his side's chances of progressing into the Champions League knockout stages.
"We need to beat Bayern Munich, and this will not be easy but this is our job, after this if Villarreal do a good result for us then ok, if not then we go in the Europa League and we try to win the Europa league. That is it," said the Italian coach.
One player who will not be playing a part in City's future is Argentinian striker Carlos Tevez, who is in Argentina without the club's permission after refusing to warm-up in September's defeat against Bayern in Germany.
AC Milan have spoken of their interest in signing him on loan but City are only prepared to sell him.
"I think that for us it is important to sell him. We can do this for him and for the club," Mancini said.
"If he has the chance to go to Italy, I am happy for him."
Reuters