Manuel Akanji believes Manchester City can still ‘beat every team in Europe’

Manuel Akanji is convinced that Manchester City can rediscover their best levels to go far in the Champions League and has warned Real Madrid and Bayern Munich they can “beat every team in Europe”.

City advanced to the playoff round with Wednesday’s 3-1 home win over Club Brugge and will face Real or Bayern, with the first leg set for the Etihad Stadium the week after next. The away tie is the week after.

City knew that only victory against Club Brugge would secure their qualification, rescuing an erratic group-phase campaign, and they flirted with disaster when trailing 1-0 at half-time. The second half was better, the substitute Savinho helping to make the difference, although it was reasonable to wonder how City would fare against a European heavyweight with this kind of performance. The time is short to the meeting against the league leaders in Spain or Germany.

Akanji’s faith in himself and his teammates was pronounced. He said that Pep Guardiola had told him on the pitch after the full-time whistle it would be Real or Bayern next. Akanji could see only the possibilities.

“Obviously it’s not the team you want to face but we’re ready and we’re looking forward to the challenge,” the central defender said. “I think we can beat every team in Europe. It [the group phase] wasn’t the way we wanted it to be but here we are right now and I’m still confident we can beat whoever comes next.”

Akanji was asked whether he felt City could repeat their Champions League triumph of 2023. “Definitely,” he said. “Even though we didn’t play as good as we used to, I think no team wants to face us.”

That much is true, the Real manager, Carlo Ancelotti, saying: “We don’t like to play against City … they have more chances to win the Champions League.” The other possible opponent for Real and Bayern in Friday’s draw is Celtic.

Ancelotti and his Bayern counterpart, Vincent Kompany, the former City captain, are surely mindful of what City can be when everything comes together. Yet they have fired only in fits and starts since the end of October. They were good in Saturday’s 3-1 home win over Chelsea. The previous Wednesday, they had capitulated to lose 4-2 at Paris Saint-Germain. Against Club Brugge, they were flat and predictable, then energetic and incisive, although the Belgian team did continue to threaten for a while on the counter.

The search for stability has been elusive, even if results have been much improved since Christmas. City will be boosted against Real or Bayern by the availability of their January signings – Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis. It is also hoped that all their injured players bar Rodri will be back – namely Rúben Dias, Nathan Aké, Jérémy Doku and Oscar Bobb.

“We beat Chelsea at the weekend, a really good win, well deserved, a good performance,” Akanji said. “The performance before against PSG wasn’t as good as we wanted it to be but I still think if we give it our all and we work together on the pitch, we are one of the best teams in Europe. We have to prove it match after match and we didn’t do it yet this year. But I still think we are capable of it.”