Manchester City Finally Look Ready to Dine at Champions League's Top Table

When Manchester City were taken over all the way back in 2008, the general consensus was that, sooner or later, the club would mix it up with the world's best clubs in some style.

And to give the owners of City credit, they almost immediately became a major player in English football, even if they didn't win their first Premier League title until 2012.

However, as Roman Abramovich's experiences at Chelsea have taught us, becoming a force in the Champions Leagues takes significantly more time. Ironically, the year City were lifting the Premier League trophy for the first time was the exact same time Chelsea finally got their hands on the Champions League.

That took Abramovich's Chelsea nine years to achieve, but as City embark on a fourth season of Champions League football in 2014/15, their quest could be about to take much less time than that.

With the exception of that disastrous 2012/13 campaign in which they failed to win a single game, City have slowly but surely built their reputation amongst Europe's elite. Progression from the group stage last year for the first time was a big positive, not least because it helped to boost City's coefficient ranking with UEFA.

And now looks to be the time when they finally assert themselves as a major force in Europe. Granted, they've been stung again with a fairly challenging group, but the experiences of last year should give Manuel Pellegrini's men great hope this time around.

Bayern Munich will provide as stiff a test as they did before, but City could have arguably won their group last year had they shown a little more gusto in Munich. You can be sure that Pellegrini will not make that mistake again, and he will be keen to show that his fledgling squad are coming of age in Europe quicker than their rivals did.

Roma and CSKA Moscow should be no match for City's huge strength in depth, meaning that progress from the group looks relatively secure already. But for a club with the ambitions of Manchester City, that isn't enough anymore.

Pellegrini is putting together a squad very much capable of challenging on all fronts this season though, and the Champions League should be where that is most prominently displayed. After all, they have a wealth of experience from Frank Lampard alone who, even if he is only with the club until January, will impart enough Champions League knowledge on the squad to greatly benefit them.

Each and every year City take part in the competition, the core of their squad will become more adjusted to the rigours and demands of playing two, sometimes three, times a week. Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure look increasingly better each year the competition rolls around, and if they can produce their best football when it matters, City are more than just dark horses.

And then there is the strikers. The whole of Europe will be familiar with the potency of Sergio Aguero, but he is now feeling the benefits of some impressive attacking power around him. Although injured at the moment, Stevan Jovetic seems to have settled in England, whilst Jesus Navas will also be a much better player after adjusting to life in England.

Even between the sticks, there's a fair argument to say City are simply much better placed this year than in previous years. Joe Hart's performances are almost guaranteed to improve with the fierce competition of Willy Caballero breathing down his neck. Although Costel Pantilimon was there last year, the presence of Caballero for competition is much more severe. And as we all know, competition for places breeds stronger footballers.

When you compare the firepower City have to the rest of Europe's elite, they must automatically be considered amongst the favourites for the tournament. Sure, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid all look stronger, but of the next bracket of clubs, City sit very much at the top.

With an impressive amount of squad depth, as well as ever-increasing Champions League experience, this is now City's time to shine in Europe. Out of all four English teams competing in the competition this time around, it could well be City who give English fans something to shout about in the famous competition this year.