Manchester City will try and end Aris Salonika’s unbeaten home record in Europe tonight, an unbeaten streak that stretches back 40-years.
In the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium, Aris Salonika have played 24 home games in European competition, and no team has left Greece with a victory. Can Manchester City end this unbeaten streak?
“Manchester City are a powerhouse,” conceded caretaker coach and former Aris player Ioannis Michalitsios. “You only have to think how they had Emmanuel Adebayor on the bench and now he is a first-team player since going to Real Madrid on loan.”
Overcoming Roberto Mancini’s men will be no small task. If Aris are to extend that unbeaten run to 25 matches, the 53-year-old Michalitsios told UEFA.com his side must “give our best possible performance and, at the same time, hope Manchester City don’t hit their peak against us”.
“There is no secret to Aris’s home success. It’s a record that spans four decades and many generations of players. The common factor is the fans. It is no cliche: our supporters transmit their energy to the players – they can lift them when they are feeling down, they sing non-stop for two hours, it’s impressive. I’ve experienced it from the pitch, as a player, and from the sidelines, and it’s difficult to describe the feeling,” he continued. City will soon see how it feels for themselves.”
City boss Roberto Mancini has taken a strong squad to Greece, a squad which includes both Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli as well as rarely-seen midfielder Michael Johnson. Johnson has not played for City in over a year, could be given his chance as James Milner and Nigel de Jong are both injured.
City are hoping to welcome back Balotelli as look poised to make his first appearance since December 28, having overcome a knee injury, while new striker Edin Dzeko is also in the squad.
