City are without leading scorer Sergio Aguero and the game also seems likely to come too soon for Spain playmaker David Silva.
Advertisement
“We knew City and Juventus were going to be the favourites in this group, but we know there is still a chance we can get through”.
“The first feeling is “finally”, he told BT Sport.
The result left last year’s Europa League winners third in Group D, three points behind City and four behind leaders Juventus. In the three seasons I’ve been here, we’ve qualified to the next stage and in the last few seasons, we were defeated in that stage by Barcelona – they are not a small team!
“It’s important for us to finish first in our group because we’ve been unlucky with draws before”, said Kompany.
“I am very happy in the way we played a very good game, in all senses”.
Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling celebrates his goal against Sevilla in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
But Hart admits City are starting to grow in confidence at the highest level and won’t fear anyone when the Champions League gets serious in the latter stages.
It was the pace of Sterling in particular which tore the Spaniards to shreds time and again. The visitors were unstoppable in the first 11 minutes and could have had more than the two great goals they scored.
Sterling was much criticised for the manner in which he forced through a transfer from Liverpool in the summer, but he admitted it was for Champions League nights like this he made the move. Today we changed the system and for that we made a very good game.
Just after the midway point of the first half, the home side pulled one back as Benoit Tremoulinas headed in from close range, but City’s two-goal cushion was restored 10 minutes before the interval when Bony cooly finished from Jesus Navas’s low cross.
Last season City needed back-to-back victories over Bayern Munich and Roma to scrape into the next stage as group runners-up.
We’re not in a “desperate” situation this time, even if it makes it an “enjoyable ride” at times so these final group games will be a different situation for City, he finished by saying.
Advertisement
They booed when ball boys carried the Champions League banner to the centre-circle prior and were equally vociferous when the anthem was played before kick-off.
