Manuel Pellegrini: We want Man United, Arsenal and Chelsea to stay in Champions League

Man City boss Manuel Pellegrini hopes Man United, Arsenal and Chelsea to stay in Champions League

MANUEL PELLEGRINI is willing the Premier League’s trio of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United to join Manchester City in the knockout stage of the Champions League.

 

Only City are guaranteed their passage into the last 16 and manager Pellegrini’s good will message also comes coated in self interest.

He knows that an absence of Champions League games towards the end of the season could offer their Premier League title rivals an advantage.

 

Pellegrini whose side face Borussia Monchengladbach on Tuesday night admitted: “It would be very bad for the Premier League for Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United to be eliminated. I hope the three of them go through.

“Without the Champions League, they would have more options in the Premier League, so it’s important for our league.

 

The Etihad is now one of the country's most modern stadia, thanks to Sheikh Mansour's investment

“It’s also vital for the Champions League because these are very strong clubs that have the best players, the Spanish teams Barcelona and Real Madrid), Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.. So it’s better for the competition if the English teams continue to the later stages.”

City, who last week announced a huge financial tie up with the Chinese, are anxious to land Europe’s biggest prize.

But Pellegrini warned: “Barcelona waited over 30 years to win their first Champions League. Real Madrid went 30-odd years between their sixth and seventh. But they continued being big teams and being in Europe.

“The important thing, if not winning, is to continue as far as you can in the competition, and don’t be eliminated by teams that are not as good as you.”