Skipper Vincent Kompany urges Manchester City to seize top spot in Group D after Champions League hammering of Sevilla
Manchester City skipper Vincent Kompany stressed the importance of his side securing top spot in Group D after they sealed their place in the Champions League knockout phase by dismantling Sevilla last night.
A blistering first-half display and goals from Raheem Sterling, Fernandinho and Wilfried Bony negated Benoit Tremoulinas’ headed reply, as Sevilla’s 10-match European winning run at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium was brought to a halt.
Victory for Manuel Pellegrini’s charges, coupled with a draw for Italian champions Juventus at Borussia Monchengladbach, confirmed City’s progression to the last 16 with two games to spare.
“The first feeling is ‘finally’. For us to be qualified with two games to spare is an incredible achievement and we go on,” said Kompany, whose side have never before won their group and have twice been drawn against Barcelona as a consequence.
“It would be a first for us to finish top of the group and that’s important. We’ve been unlucky in the draws before so we need to make sure we reach the first spot now.
“It was probably the best performance we have had in the Champions League so far and the biggest thing to take from the game was we weren’t naïve.”
Sevilla can still finish level on points with the group leaders, but a superior head-to-head record of two victories would see City qualify.