Man City can emulate Chelsea and conquer Europe, says Mourinho

José Mourinho believes Manchester City can emulate Chelsea and win the Champions League in the near future.

The Real Madrid manager has won Europe’s top prize with Porto and Internazionale, but he was unable to lead the Blues to a Champions League triumph despite dominating domestically during a four-year spell at the club.

Citizens boss Roberto Mancini has guided City to the FA Cup and Premier League title since taking charge in 2010, and the Italian now setting his sights on the European Cup.

And Mourinho, whose Madrid side face City in their opening group-stage game on Tuesday night, is confident the Eastlands outfit can match current holders Chelsea and win the Champions League in the near future.

“I don’t think it is very different to Chelsea,” said Mourinho.

“Since Roman bought the club, [Claudio] Ranieri was the first coach, then I came and we won the first league, some cups and some more titles.

“Carlo [Ancelotti] then came and they continued to win and finally they won the Champions League.

“With City it started off with Mark Hughes, they started spending money and buying good players.

“Then Roberto Mancini came and he has done a very good job. He has created a great squad, the first cup then the first title arrived.

“I don’t know if it is this season or next season with Roberto, or with another person in the future, but normally in the direction the club is going, sooner or later they will win the big cup.”

Real Madrid v Manchester City: Pre match facts

• Madrid won six straight home matches in last season’s competition, scoring 24 goals. Including the 4-0 defeat of Tottenham Hotspur in the 2010-11 quarter-finals, Madrid have a home record of W5 D4 L2 against English visitors.

• City lost three of five games on their European travels in 2011-12 as they finished behind Bayern Munich and Napoli in Champions League Group A.

• José Mourinho replaced Roberto Mancini as Internazionale coach in 2008. Mourinho had got the better of the Italian when Porto beat Mancini’s Lazio 4-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals of the 2002-03 Uefa Cup.

• Mourinho suffered his first defeat as Chelsea manager against City – 1-0 in Manchester in October 2004 – but ended with a record of W4 D1 L1 against them.

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Read more on: Champions League, José Mourinho, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Roberto Mancini.