Out to kill them off says Alonso
already but we here to win.”
Alonso, who won the competition twice with Liverpool in 2005 and Real last season, warned City they cannot just buy their way to success in Europe – they need a greater tactical strategy and some luck.
“Football is not about mathematics,” he added. “There is not a predetermined formula, that when you are earning more you are winning
are
coming more. You can try to buy success, but there are big surprises in football. And you have to do things properly and normally in football. If you do things properly, you will have success.
“What happened that year with Liverpool was a great surprise. We enjoyed it, but it was very different from what is going on Manchester City.”
Alonso is happy with his move to Munich. “I felt I needed a new step in my career, a new challenge,” he said. “There was no better place to come: a new country, a new league and a top club at which to be fi ghting for trophies.”
Bayern boss Pep Guardiola believes City’s fortunes in Europe could all hinge on tonight’s result, suggesting that a win could give them the breakthrough they need.
“You expect that City will make an impact in Europe but so far they haven’t done it,” said Guardiola. “But I’m pretty sure they’re not far away from being a big team in Europe, because season by season they are trying to improve.
“It looks like a very serious project and one of their goals is to try to compete with the other top clubs in Europe.
“Even though the situation is looking diffi cult for them now, it might all change in 90 minutes. But we have to do our job against them.”