Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez has set his sight on the Champions League trophy and said that Manchester City can win the Champions League for the first time in their history. City are yet to go past quarter-finals in their previous three UCL campaigns.
Manchester City’s best Champions League performance is reaching the semi-finals in 2016 under Pellegrini where they lost to Real Madrid. Since then City have gone under various changes but are yet to cross the quarter-final barrier under Pep Guardiola.
“I think it is a good time to win the Champions League,” Mahrez said. “We have the team, we have the manager, we have everything, so it is a good time. I don’t know if we are the best but we are good enough to win it. The Champions League is difficult, everyone wants to win it, so it is going to be a big battle.”
Mahrez is confident that Manchester City can lift the much-awaited Champions League for the first time. Before the suspension of the Premier League, City lost only one game from their last six games.
“We were good [then],” Mahrez said. “I wouldn’t say we were at our peak but it was good. It is going to take time to come back and be the way we were before but it is the same for every team.
“It was a bit long without football but we adapted and now we are back training. With the pandemic going on [training at home] is something we had to respect. Step by step we are getting fitter. I am excited. It was good to see my teammates and the coaches again.”
In February, UEFA announced that they have banned Manchester City from the Champions League for the next two seasons after the Abu Dhabi-owned club failed in the bid to end UEFA’s investigation.
