Manchester City Must Make Significant Champions League Progress in 2015-16

If there’s been one area in which Manchester City haven’t made fast enough progress since their 2008 takeover, it’s in the Champions League.

Two group-stage exits and two last-16 defeats to Barcelona is all they have to show for their efforts since entering the competition for the first time since its new format in 2011.

These things, of course, take time, but given City have once again spent big in the summer transfer window, progressing to at least the quarter-final feels imperative.

Their group, on paper, is once again one of the toughest in the competition, but compared to recent seasons, where City have been extremely unfortunate with the sides they have faced, progress looks slightly more straightforward.

Jon Super/Associated Press

They are in Group D alongside last year’s runners-up Juventus, Sevilla, who qualified after winning the Europa League, and Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach.

In comparison to the other English sides, they will travel fewer miles, but being put in a group with sides from Italy, Spain and Germany—three strong leagues—means there will be no easy games. City once again have the most difficult draw of any Premier League club.

Topping the group is vital. City have suffered in the last two years having qualified for the knockout stage in second place and then drawing Barcelona, much tougher opponents than if they had won their group and played a runner-up from another.

Juventus are the toughest opponents this year and are likely to be favourites to win Group D given their performance in the competition last season, yet they have had some of their most valuable assets stripped in the summer transfer window.

Arturo Vidal has joined Bayern Munich as a replacement for Bastian Schweinsteiger. Andrea Pirlo, whose passing was key to their success, is now with City’s sister club, New York City FC. And Carlos Tevez has returned home to join Boca Juniors. There remains the threat Paul Pogba could also leave, given his growing reputation and the desire of the world’s richest clubs to add him to their ranks.

Quite how good the Juventus side City will face is still somewhat unknown, but they’re unlikely to be the force they were last season.

Sevilla finished fifth in La Liga—quite an achievement given they went all the way in the Europa League, a competition known for its ability to distract sides. Their run to the final, though, was hardly smooth sailing, and City will fancy their chances in the two games against them.

Former City man Denis Suarez is currently playing for Sevilla, on loan for Barcelona, as is Gael Kakuta, the former Chelsea player who gave City a torrid time in the 2008 FA Youth Cup final.

And Monchengladbach finished third last season in the German top flight yet find themselves bottom after two games this season.

It could have been easier, but City will feel they have a decent chance of winning the group and giving themselves the best possible chance of facing a more beatable side than Barcelona in the last 16.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini knows his future could well depend on delivering Champions League progress. He signed a new one-year contract extension before the season, but Pep Guardiola is thought to be a wanted man at the Etihad. 

Pellegrini took Villarreal and Malaga further than they have ever been in the competition, and he has repeated that at City, but clearly last-16 qualification isn't good enough for a side of their quality. 

It's vital City start impacting the latter stages regularly. Topping Group D this season and hopefully avoiding one of the elite sides at the first knockout juncture would be a great way to start. 

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2015-16 season. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.