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Wilfried Bony: Manchester City remain confident despite defeat to Juventus

Wilfried Bony claims Manchester City's confidence will not be dented by their Champions League reversal against Juventus.

City surrendered a lead to lose their their Group D opener to the Italian giants 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

The result was yet another reminder of the team's European failings and was a huge disappointment given the respective form of the two sides. City were buoyant after winning their opening five games of the Barclays Premier League season without conceding while Juve were in need of a lift after three without victory in Serie A.

But Bony said: "It was difficult. We know Juventus are a big team.

"We just have to work for the next game. We know it is not going to be easy but we will fight for that.

"I would say it is difficult, for sure. It is a poor result. We lost but this doesn't mean we lost confidence. We will continue to work and try to take it game by game."

City paid the price for wasting a series of chances, although they found veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon in superb form.

Buffon denied Raheem Sterling in the second minute of the game and was outstanding after the break.

City did get ahead when Giorgio Chiellini turned into his own net under pressure from Vincent Kompany just before the hour.

But Buffon then produced a brilliant double save to keep out Sterling and David Silva in quick succession and Bony also extended the 37-year-old keeper.

Bony, starting in place of the injured Sergio Aguero, had also fluffed two good chances in the first half while Fernandinho twice went close with powerful drives.

City were caught out when Mario Mandzukic turned in a pinpoint Paul Pogba cross to level after 70 minutes and Alvaro Morata curled in a great winner nine minutes from time.

Bony said: "It was difficult because they closed completely their goal and they were complete in defence and trying to play counter-attack.

"They played completely close to their goal so it was difficult to find any space. But we created chances and we didn't score, and at the end they took their chances. We were not lucky enough to score the goals and we paid the price."

City will hope to get their campaign up and running as they take on Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany in their next game on September 30.

Massimiliano Allegri hails Gianluigi Buffon as best goalkeeper of all time

Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon was hailed as the best goalkeeper of all time by his manager Massimiliano Allegri after a superb display to defy Manchester City.

Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon was hailed as the best goalkeeper of all time by his manager Massimiliano Allegri after a superb display to defy Manchester City.

Buffon produced a number of brilliant saves as his side came from behind to win their Champions League Group D opener 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

The 37-year-old Italy veteran denied Raheem Sterling early on, saved from the same man and Daivd Silva in quick succession in the second half and also thwarted Wilfried Bony.

He was beaten when Giorgio Chiellini turned into his own net just before the hour but Juve responded to win with fine goals from strikers Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata.

Juve boss Allegri said: "Buffon pulled off many miraculous saves, particularly just after we went 1-0 down.

"I hope he will go on for as long as possible, certainly as long as I am manager. Buffon is an extraordinary goalkeeper, perhaps the best ever in the history of football. He never fails."

For City, the story was a familiar one. The club have consistently failed to transpose their brilliant domestic form onto the European stage and, despite optimism abounding after five successive Premier League wins without conceding, again they fell short.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini admitted his side needed to be more clinical but did not blame Sterling for spurning two of the better opportunities.

The Chilean said: "I expect that when we have chances we must score. The differences are very slight especially against a strong team like Juventus. Maybe Juventus didn't create so many chances but they had a strong finish.

"I don't think this result is just because of Raheem. We controlled the game and didn't have many problems but football is like that.

"I think it was a strange game. I don't think we deserved to lose. We played better than Juventus and we had three clear opportunities to score.

"Buffon made some very good saves but I think we were very unlucky, especially for the first goal."

Pellegrini, however, was not overly concerned about the group situation. Last season his side claimed just two points from their first four games but still managed to progress.

He said: "We are just starting. We never want to lose here at home, we never want to lose important points but we have 15 points more to play for."

City lacked a cutting edge without star striker Sergio Aguero, although he made a late appearance off the bench despite having been initially ruled out with a knee injury.

Pellegrini said: "It was a risk to use him. I tried not to because if he got a kick in the same part it could take him more days to recover. Fortunately he did not have any problems and I hope he will be fit for Saturday."

Pellegrini also revealed captain Vincent Kompany was substituted in the second half with a calf injury.

He said: "We will see tomorrow how important (serious) it is."

For Juve, victory was their first of the season after two defeats and a draw in their opening three Serie A games.

Allegri said: "I think the players played extremely well. We defended very disciplined and played pretty well in attack. It gives the players a bit more confidence."

Manchester City slip up in Europe with defeat at home to Juventus

Manchester City suffered familiar European wobbles as they surrendered a lead to lose their Champions League Group D opener 2-1 to Juventus.

City looked in control at the Etihad Stadium after taking a controversial 57th-minute lead when Giorgio Chiellini turned the ball into his own net under pressure from Vincent Kompany but Manuel Pellegrini's men paid the price for failing to convert a series of other chances as Juve hit back with a Mario Mandzukic finish and a stunner from Alvaro Morata.

Raheem Sterling spurned an early chance after Fernandinho robbed Stefano Sturaro. The former Liverpool man opened his body and tried to place his shot inside the far post but veteran Gianluigi Buffon saved with his feet.

Paul Pogba slid the ball into the net from a Juan Cuadrado cross but Morata was flagged offside.

Wilfried Bony then twice fluffed his lines by slicing horribly wide after a smart run and then failing to turn in a low Aleksandar Kolarov cross. Fernandinho had another good chance when a clearance fell to him and sat up nicely but his powerful drive flew wide.

Kompany celebrated as if he had claimed his third goal of the season in the 57th minute as he rose to meet a David Silva corner but the ball went in off Chiellini. Chiellini felt he had been impeded by Kompany and protested to the referee, but to no avail.

The goal energised City and moments later Silva broke free and played in Sterling. Buffon saved well and then quickly regained his footing to produce an even better stop to deny the inrushing Silva.

City were made to rue those misses as Juve responded. Joe Hart needed to save from Sturaro and City had a big let-off when Pogba miscued a volley.

But the Italians broke through when Pogba swung in a cross for Mandzukic and the Croatian timed his run to perfection to guide the ball in via the far post.

Substitute Nicolas Otamendi was then caught out as Morata fired Juve ahead nine minutes from time, but it was all about the finish. Morata broke clear on the left and curled an unstoppable shot round Hart and inside the far post.

We want to beat the best teams in Europe - Vincent Kompany

Captain Vincent Kompany claims Manchester City are hungry for success and determined to deliver in the Champions League.

City have begun the season emphatically by winning their opening five Barclays Premier League matches without conceding a goal.

Now they want to carry that momentum into the Champions League, in which they have never previously progressed beyond the last 16.

They begin their latest challenge on Tuesday with a testing visit from last season's runners-up Juventus, and Kompany said: "We don't want to go out to the strongest teams but to compete with them and at least beat them on a regular basis."

City's optimism is tempered slightly by the loss of star striker Sergio Aguero due to a knee injury.

Real Madrid boss Rafael Benitez is relishing the attacking options at his disposal as he prepares to launch the club's latest assault on Champions League glory.

The Spaniards welcome Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk to the Bernabeu Stadium in their opening Group A fixture, with Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo in particular in the mood to terrorise opponents.

Benitez told the club's official website: "Bale brings speed and penetration, Cristiano drifts inside, and that balance with Karim Benzema, Isco, and Marcelo joining in the attack... It creates a lot of danger for our opponents."

Captain Wayne Rooney will miss Manchester United's game against PSV on Tuesday because of a hamstring injury, so Marouane Fellaini could continue up front.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic will return to action for Paris St Germain when the French giants host his hometown club Malmo in Group A.

PSG coach Laurent Blanc gave the Sweden forward the night off last Friday, when the team drew 2-2 with Bordeaux in Ligue 1.

Ibrahimovic picked up a knock while on international duty last week and was rested as a precaution.

Borussia Monchengladbach are seeking to spark their season into life when they play in Europe's elite club competition after a 37-year wait at Sevilla.

Wolfsburg will be without Koen Casteels with a toe injury and Vieirinha, who is struggling with a thigh problem, for their home clash with CSKA Moscow.

Atletico Madrid's summer signing Jackson Martinez could start against Galatasaray, with the Colombian striker coming on as a second-half substitute at the weekend.

Astana will be without forward Patrick Twumasi through suspension when they face Benfica in Lisbon.

Sergio Aguero ruled out of Manchester City's Champions League opener

Sergio Aguero has been ruled out of Manchester City's Champions League Group D opener against Juventus, manager Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed.

The Argentina striker suffered a knee injury in a challenge from Crystal Palace's Scott Dann in Saturday's 1-0 Barclays Premier League win at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

Aguero did not train with the rest of the squad ahead of Tuesday's European encounter at the Etihad Stadium and Pellegrini later revealed he would not play in the match.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Pellegrini said: "Sergio is not fit for tomorrow. He has a kick in his knee. It is difficult for him."

Aguero, last season's top scorer, could return for Saturday's Barclays Premier League clash with West Ham.

Pellegrini said: "I hope so but we must wait. We will see this afternoon how long it will be."

On the positive side, David Silva and Raheem Sterling, who missed the Palace game with ankle and hamstring problems respectively, did both train and will be expected to be fit.

Samir Nasri and Fernandinho both sat out the full session because of minor knocks but Pellegrini said he hoped "both will be 100 per cent fit tomorrow".

Manchester City set to do it tough again in Champions League

Manchester City begin their latest Champions League quest next week knowing if they want to succeed they must do it tough again.

City had little luck in the group stage draws for their four previous forays into the competition and again difficult obstacles block their path to the last 16.

They open on Tuesday with a testing visit from last season's runners-up Juventus, while Bundesliga opposition in Borussia Monchengladbach and Europa League title-holders Sevilla lie in wait.

City have twice failed to progress beyond the group stage and twice gone out to Barcelona in the last 16.

But with the club now firmly established at the top of the English game, greater progress on the European front is expected.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini and his players know they will have to rise to the challenge and, given their powerful displays in the opening weeks of the season, they should be confident.

"It is a tough group," said midfielder Fernandinho. "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."

The mood at the Etihad Stadium has been transformed since the closing months of last season.

There was no shame in defeat to an outstanding Barcelona side last spring but that Champions League exit came at a time when the Pellegrini regime was threatening to go stale.

The verve of the previous title-winning season was gone and the Premier League crown was being surrendered weakly to Chelsea. The futures of Pellegrini and a number of his senior players were in question. A summer clear-out of backroom or playing staff was anticipated.

But neither occurred. Instead the club backed the men that had delivered before, and spent money to re-energise them. The high-profile £49million signing of Raheem Sterling was a bold statement of ambition and changed the squad atmosphere.

This was built on as the arrivals of, principally, Fabian Delph, Nicolas Otamendi and Kevin de Bruyne took the summer transfer window spending close to £160million. Other key players such as captain Vincent Kompany and midfielder Yaya Toure also returned looking more like their old selves after under-performing last term.

With inexperience no longer a factor, City look as ready as they will ever be to launch a serious challenge in Europe's elite competition.

Next week will show if City have learned from the mistakes of past seasons and their renewed zest can be transferred onto the Champions League stage.

After being paired with Bayern Munich in three of the past four years, this year's opponents also bring some freshness which may appeal to fans.

There is some familiarity with Juve, however, regardless of reported interest in star midfielder Paul Pogba over the summer that came to nothing. The clubs played out two 1-1 draws in the group stages of the Europa League five years ago. Players including Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Kompany, Toure and David Silva were involved.

Pellegrini has also crossed paths with his opposite number Massimiliano Allegri previously.

Three years ago Pellegrini's Malaga met Allegri's AC Milan in the group stages. Malaga won 1-0 at home and drew 1-1 in the San Siro.

Kelechi Iheanacho misses out on Manchester City's Champions League squad

Manchester City have been forced to leave striker Kelechi Iheanacho out of their Champions League squad.

The 18-year-old Nigerian has not been named in the 21-man squad City submitted to - and now published by - European governing body UEFA, because it already includes the maximum 17 foreign players.

Iheanacho has been elevated to the first-team squad by manager Manuel Pellegrini this season and made a brief substitute appearance in Saturday's Barclays Premier League win over Watford.

But he will have to wait for a Champions League chance. City can supplement their squad from a 'B' list of Under-21 players but Iheanacho, who joined the club last year, does not qualify for that category until he has been at the club two years.

City could have named up to 25 players on their 'A' list but have not filled up the quota. The 17 foreign players are joined by Englishmen Joe Hart, Fabian Delph and Raheem Sterling, and Gael Clichy, who also counts as homegrown.

Manchester City grouped with Juventus and Sevilla in Champions League

Manchester City's Champions League curse returned to haunt them after they were drawn with last season's finalists Juventus and Europa League winners Seville for the group stage of the competition.

City, who have suffered tough draws in the last four seasons of the Champions League, were selected in Group D - with the other team being Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach.

Arsenal also face a tough task in Group F against Bayern Munich, who have eliminated the Gunners from the competition in two out of the last three seasons - but have more straightforward opposition from Greek side Olympiakos - who are in the middle of a match-fixing scandal - and Dinamo Zagreb from Croatia.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will have a return to a former side Porto, whom he took to Champions League glory in 2004, and his side should have little trouble in Group G with Dynamo Kiev and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Manchester United's return to the competition after last year's absence should also not trouble manager Louis van Gaal too much, with the opponents in Group B being PSV Eindhoven, CSKA Moscow and German side Wolfsburg.

Manchester City's head of football administration Brian Marwood admitted the club seemed to experience bad luck in Champions League draws.

He said: "It's the best 32 clubs in Europe so you have to expect there will be some tough games in there and we do always seem to draw very difficult groups, but it is what it is, we have to deal with it and we'll hopefully progress.

"I'm sure they are looking at us and seeing the talent we have in our squad, and you'd like to think they are not happy about drawing us."

Marwood refused to state what the club regarded as a minimum target for manager Manuel Pellegrini however.

He added: "We have our internal targets and they will be kept internal, but of course we are very ambitious; we want to get as close to winning it as we possibly can, of course we do. We're in it to compete, not just to get through the group stage; it has to be more than that."

Arsenal's group has a familiar look to it for the Gunners. As well as the Bayern connection Arsenal and Olympiakos have now been drawn together in the group stage for the fourth time in seven seasons.

David Miles, Arsenal club secretary, admitted to feeling a chill when the Gunners were put into Bayern Munich's group.

He said: "The draw started ominously when we were picked in Bayern's group but overall I think we can we relatively pleased with how it turned out.

"Bayern have knocked us out twice so it is about time we returned the favour - let's hope so anyway."

This time however there have been questions marks over the Greek side's participation - UEFA only confirmed Olympiakos' participation on Monday after sport's highest court rejected an appeal by Greek rivals Panathinaikos.

Panathinaikos had challenged a UEFA appeals body decision in June to admit Olympiakos, whose owner Vangelis Marinakis was banned from football in June by a Greek magistrate. He was released on bail as investigations continue into allegations that a criminal organisation is controlling the domestic game - but he was present at CL draw in Monaco. Marinakis refused to comment when asked about the allegations.

UEFA says neither the Greek FA "nor the criminal courts in Athens have rendered any final decision against Mr Marinakis or the club."

Carlo Cudicini, global ambassador for Chelsea, insisted that the Stamford Bridge club did not have an easy draw.

He said: "Porto is a club that Jose knows very well of course, and they are a club that does very well in the transfer market - they sell a lot of players but keep replacing them with other good players and stay in the Champions League every year.

"This not an easy draw at all - I don't think going to Tel Aviv and Kiev are easy trips. Maccabi are champions of Israel with a manager (Slavisa Jokanovic) who is an ex-Chelsea and knows English football very well."

Manchester United's draw will see Memphis Depay return to the club that he starred for last season. The Dutch winger said on Twitter: "Well, well PSV - guess we'll see each other soon."

In other groups, Real Madrid and Paris St Germain will meet in Group A along with Shakhtar Donetsk and Malmo.

Real forward Cristiano Ronaldo said: "It will be tough as I think this group is strong but we are going to do the same as before and try to qualify and the win the Champions League."

The holders Barcelona are in an easy-looking Group E along with Bayer Leverkusen, Roma and BATE Borisov from Belarus.

Draw in full:

A: Paris St Germain, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Malmo

B: PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, CSKA Moscow, Wolfsburg

C: Benfica, Atletico Madrid, Galatasaray, Astana

D: Juventus, Manchester City, Sevilla, Borussia Monchengladbach

E: Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, Roma, BATE Borisov

F: Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Olympiakos, GNK Dinamo

G: Chelsea, Porto, Dynamo Kiev, Maccabi Tel-Aviv

H: Zenit St Petersberg, Valencia, Lyon, Gent