Now an assistant coach in the Ukraine national team ahead of Euro 2016, he finds himself back in the same profession as his former Dynamo Kiev strike partner Serhiy Rebrov, who now manages the Ukrianian giants as they take on Manchester City in the Champions League last-16.
Advertisement
Kiev, who have never won in England before, must now at least match that result in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium to avoid crashing out of the competition, but Pellegrini was wary of declaring victory too soon.
“I think it was very important to try to qualify for the next stage of the Champions League and we have made an important step here”, said Pellegrini.
The English side, who reverted to a full-strength team after resting a host of players in a humiliating 5-1 FA Cup defeat by Chelsea, began with real intent, dominating possession and pressing their opponents into near submission in a classy first-half display.
Vitaliy Buyalskiy’s deflected effort swung the game back in the balance at 2-1 after Aguero’s instinctive opener was added to in fine style by Silva at the far post, but Toure provided the travelling supporters with what could turn out to be a parting gift to the club, adding a third late on. We played better in the second half and dominated, scored a goal and had chances to score more but unfortunately we couldn’t.
Yet Pellegrini will be mindful of how City were exposed when they used that formation in the Champions League last season, particularly against eventual champions Barcelona when midfielder Yaya Toure failed to track back.
“If we think that it will be easy then, for sure, we will be eliminated”, he told The Mirror.
“So it is important to have the return of important players and important to make changes”.
“The main thing is, irrespective of the fact that we didn’t play Barca this year, this was always going to be a hard game”. But City goalkeeper Hart and his teammates boarded the flight with low morale after three successive defeats in all competitions.
Having got through a hard group containing Juventus, Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach, City will now be hoping to avoid an upset and get through against Kiev, starting with tonight’s trip to Ukraine.
“Now it is the Champions League, after that we have the (League Cup) final at Wembley on Sunday, and on Wednesday we will return to the Premier League”. We have important challenges this year and we are focused in every game. If the core of that side – which was assembled when Garry Cook rather than Ferran Soriano was City’s chief executive – can maintain that level of performance, Pep Guardiola might just inherit another set of European champions.
Zabaleta was a member of the City side beaten on their last visit to Kiev, in the Europa League, five years ago. And it could get a lot worse on Sunday if City fail to lift the League Cup following their final against Liverpool.
Advertisement
“The guys were anxious before the game and this worry only disappeared after the break”.
