WE NEED GOLDEN GREATS TO SHINE
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE says Man City star FERNANDINHO
FERNANDINHO has called on Manchester City’s old heads to stand up and be counted tonight.
City legends Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Vincent Kompany will be key men as Pep Guardiola’s side bid to overturn a 3-0 first-leg deficit against Liverpool if they are to reach the Champions League semi-finals. But Fernandinho has urged the Etihad crowd to stay calm if the goals they need don’t start flying in straight away. It is a tough ask even for the best team in the land, who suffered another setback at the weekend when they blew their chance to clinch the Premier League title with a 3-2 home defeat by Manchester United. Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho wants the elder statesmen in the City dressing room to lead the goal charge and inspire a memorable fightback. He said: “It is a tough week for us, two defeats in a row and six goals conceded, but we have to think just about this game. The only way to play football is to have a strong mentality.
“We need goals to go through and that is what we are preparing for, that is the best way to go through.
“Now is the time for all the experienced players to take over, to be in charge, to be in front of the group.
“Of course the two defeats are not easy but it happens to the best teams in the world so we have to keep going.
Thrashing
“What we have done this season is amazing. Now we are so close to being champions in the Premier League and we have a chance to go through in the Champions League.
“It is not easy but we have to be together and are going to fight to the end.
“The fans might want a thrashing but we know it is going to be difficult.”
Fernandinho joined manager Guardiola in calling for an atmosphere tonight to match the electric one created by Liverpool fans at Anfield last week. City supporters have yet to fully embrace the magic of the Champions League.
They still boo the pre-match anthem, with many angry at UEFA not just for charging the club over the catcalls but also over Financial Fair Play and their handling of past racist abuse aimed at players such as Yaya Toure.
But Fernandinho has told supporters to forget about any negativity surrounding the competition and roar them on to what would be a monumental comeback.
He said: “Of course City have been playing in the Champions League six or seven years and the fans are still learning about the competition.
“But this is not about the Champions League, it is about the fans, everyone in the club, to make something amazing.
“More than ever, we need our fans to be with us and we will see what happens. But I hope we can do our job.
“My perfect script would be to go through. The most important thing for us is a clean sheet because if they score, we have to score five. We will go from the first minute for that.”