The warning from Fernandinho to his Manchester City team-mates is stark. Switch off against CSKA Moscow because of the eerie atmosphere of an empty Arena Khimki on Tuesday evening and elimination could loom.
Despite a tally of a single point from their two Group E matches, the match cannot quite be billed as sudden death for City’s Champions League hopes. But it is close. Manuel Pellegrini’s team really must return home with three points to maintain control of their destiny.
Fernandinho said: “We really need six points from the two games with CSKA but it is better that we don’t look too far ahead and just think about the first game here in Moscow and after that think about the game at the Etihad.”
Fernandinho watched Bayern Munich’s recent 1-0 win at the Khimki, which was also played behind closed doors, on television and compared it to a “training game”. Having twice experienced a match with no crowd – the last time was in 2005 when playing for Shakhtar Donetsk at San Siro against Internazionale – the Brazilian understands the challenge ahead.
“The first time was in Brazil and the second time was playing for Shakhtar against Inter in Milan,” he said. “Fans were banned from the stadium on both occasions and it is different. You have to keep your concentration on the pitch.”
CSKA’s manager Leonid Slutsky believes the Premier League champions will have an advantage from the Uefa punishment given to his team for the behaviour of their fans, repeated racism among it.
“If we were playing at the Etihad Stadium with closed doors, who do you think would have the advantage?” he said. “Definitely the absence of the audience will affect our game and of course we need our supporters.”
Fernandinho said: “The [Bayern] game looked like a training session and it is very different for the players. The most important thing is the preparation for the game is good and the players keep their concentration from the first minute to the last.
“Bayern just did a very professional job and I think that is the way we must approach the game because it is a very important game for us if we want to qualify for the knockout stages. We must win it.
“I don’t think it will be an advantage for us. It is always good when you play away because the [home] fans support their team and it gives you more motivation to play well. I don’t think this [a closed stadium] is good for either team or for football.”
After a 5-1 defeat at Roma in the opening game, CSKA’s 1-0 loss to Bayern was something of an improvement, with the German club requiring a Thomas Müller penalty to win. Yet despite City’s patchy form in the competition, Slutsky says there is no doubt which side should win.
“Let’s say, frankly, Manchester City have always been a favourite, not only for the group but the whole Champions League. Manchester City lost the game against Bayern Munich away 1-0 – it was a tough game,” he said.
“Manchester City have also done very well this autumn and Manchester City have played against very strong opponents. But let us not forget the victory, 4-1 against Tottenham [on Saturday], that they had. So it means Manchester City are rather strong, rather qualified.
“Manchester City are one of the best teams in Europe. They are champions of England and have top football players. A minimum value of a player is €30m. Our task is to do our best to resist this qualified opponent.
“We will try to do our best and the end of the game will tell us how many goals we will be able to score.”
Slutsky did not mention the misfiring Yaya Touré when identifying City’s main threats, however. “First of all Sergio Agüero – he scored four goals in the last game – and David Silva,” said the coach. “He is a player who assists a lot of dangerous passes.”
Pellegrini, though, is wary. “CSKA is a big team here, they play attacking football and we have to be focused on our defending if we are to keep a clean sheet,” he said. “Both teams are important teams in their leagues. We have both signed important players. It is a pity that we cannot play with fans present tomorrow. This is a showpiece for fans.
“It will be a very strange game, with only the players shouting on the pitch,” Pellegrini added. “I had this experience many years ago. We have no option and we must play that way, and many may think the local team will suffer the most damage, but I think the biggest loser is the game of football.”
