Source: Team_Talk
Mancini: City are just like Juve
Roberto Mancini insists Manchester City and Juventus are in similar positions heading into their Europa League encounter. [LNB] City host their Italian opponents at Eastlands in Group A action on Thursday night, with both sides looking to establish themselves with silverware this season. [LNB]The Blues have not lifted a trophy since winning the League Cup back in 1976, and after putting more than £100million into his side over the summer, Mancini is keen to see that investment repaid. [LNB]While Juve are more decorated, with two European Cups and 27 Serie A titles among their honours, the Italian side are still recovering from the match-fixing scandal of 2006, having been unable to add to their haul since. [LNB]Like Mancini, opposite number Luigi Del Neri has invested heavily in his team over the last 12 months, and the City boss feels Thursday's Eastlands clash will showcase two developing and improving sides. [LNB]"I think that we are like Juventus," Mancini told The Independent. [LNB]"We want to improve, we need time. I think we are the same. We are working to the same targets - we want to improve, develop, and for this we need time and we need to work and I think we can win trophies.[LNB]"I think City and Juve are at the same level. We are both new teams, we both need time to establish ourselves. [LNB]"Juventus invested big this summer. It is difficult for Juventus and any Italian clubs to invest, with how things are at the moment. But even though City have spent, don't forget we need to build everything. [LNB]"Juventus have a history which can't be scrubbed out just because they spent a period in Serie B. City have all sorts of things to build as well as a team."
