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Sergio Aguero

MANCHESTER. — Manchester City open their Champions League soccer campaign against last season’s beaten finalists Juventus tonight hoping that this will be the year they finally make a mark on the competition.

The match kicks-off at 8:45pm. After successive group-phase exits, City have fallen to Barcelona in the last 16 in the last two seasons, but they spent big during the close season and are currently flying high at the top of the Premier League.

Once again the draw was not entirely kind to Manuel Pellegrini’s troops, who will also face Borussia Moenchengladbach and Europa League winners Sevilla, but midfielder Fernandinho says they will draw inspiration from their impressive domestic form.

“It is a tough group,” said the Brazil international. “We have tough games against good teams, but I think if we keep playing like we are playing in the Premier League, we have a great chance to finish top of the group.”

City would be eyeing their Group D opener with more confidence were it not for the potential absence of last season’s top scorer Sergio Aguero, who took a blow to the knee during Saturday’s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace.

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed that Aguero will miss tonight’s clash with Juventus at the Etihad.

Aguero injured his knee during Saturday’s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace and will be on the sidelines as City begin their latest European campaign.

Attacking midfielders David Silva and Raheem Sterling are both in contention to return, having sat out the game at Palace with ankle and hamstring problems respectively. Pellegrini said at his pre-match press conference yesterday: “Sergio is not fit for tomorrow. It is difficult for him, he has an injury to his knee. David and Raheem are fit.

“I hope Sergio will be OK for the weekend but we must wait to see the result of the scans. We have Wilfired (Bony, who could play up front) and Raheem can also play as a forward, so we have different options. I trust this squad 100 per cent.

“We’ll see tomorrow if (new signing) Kevin de Bruyne will start. We need to make one change with Kun (Aguero). Kevin played very well the other day (when he came off the bench for his debut at Palace).

“Fernandinho and Samir Nasri are not 100 per cent recovered from problems but I hope both will be 100 per cent for tomorrow (tonight).”

But 18-year-old Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho, the match-winner in south London, will not feature, having not been included in City’s squad for the Champions League.

Fabian Delph, Gael Clichy and Pablo Zabaleta are City’s other absentees for tonight. There was no shame in City losing out last season to Barcelona, who beat them 3-1 on aggregate before overcoming Juventus by the same scoreline in the final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion.

But it demonstrated the gulf separating City from the European elite, which moved the Etihad Stadium hierarchy to splash out on Sterling, Nicolas Otamendi, Fabian Delph and £54 million record signing Kevin De Bruyne, who made an encouraging debut at Palace. — AFP.