Champions League Draw 2011: Manchester City to Debut in Group of Death

The draw has been completed and it could have been kinder to the Champions League debutants, Manchester City.

Roberto Mancini and his men have been placed in Group A, alongside German giants Bayern Munich, Spanish side Villareal and Italian side Napoli.

In what looks like the most exciting of the Champions League groups, it could also end up being the closest.

City begin with a home tie against Napoli, with Roberto Mancini taking on a team from the country of his birth as he leads his side into a brave new world.

Their second match sees them travel to the location of the final to take on Bayern at the Allianz Arena.

Could it be fate that they start their European road-trip at the stadium where the trophy will eventually be lifted?

We can dream, for now!

Villareal will be another very tough tie, against a side who like to play football and in Nilmar and Giuseppe Rossi have a decent front line.

This will be a baptism of fire for Mancini and his Manchester City side, but their squad is more than capable of progressing out of this group.

A trip to a very hostile Stadio San Paolo in Naples will be the toughest test for the mega-rich Blues, but it's these games that separates the men from the boys and will show what Manchester City are made of.

Personally, being a City fan, I believe that this is the perfect group for this City side.

This team plays better when facing the bigger teams, so a trip to the Allianz Arena will probably draw out a better performance than a trip to Poland to play Pizon!

They say you have to beat the best to be the best and this is perfect preparation for the later rounds.