Mancini warns Bayern: We've come here to win

Roberto Mancini led Manchester City into the Champions League big-time last night and warned the rest of European football: "This is just the start." Mancini vowed City will do everything they can to build a history of achievements as glittering as tonight's opponents, Bayern Munich, who have won the European Cup four times. "We need to keep improving a lot," Mancini said, "but we want to get to the top like Bayern and we know we have to work very hard." City face the German giants and current Bundesliga leaders at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday night in a crucial clash Mancini has already predicted they will win. He was undeterred by the fact City's former defender Jerome Boateng, who joined Bayern in the summer, dismissed City's chances of returning to Munich for the Champions League final here next May. "They have a huge squad," said Boateng, "but when I was there, the team did not have the sense of togetherness. I do not see them in the finals, because there are others. We have the better team." But the City boss insisted the club would use the occasion as a springboard to ensure glittering encounters like this would soon become commonplace for England's new football aristocrats. "It is an important moment for us to be playing against a side like Bayern Munich," Mancini said. "But now we have got to this level, we want to stay here. "We are a top club now but we want to improve always. It is important to go through from this group to the knock out-phase and we know we can do that. "We can play against them without a problem. We have a lot of respect for them. They have a great history. But we want to do a good job." City began their first Champions League campaign with a disappointing draw against Napoli a fortnight ago and face a struggle to qualify from a group that also includes top Spanish side Villarreal. "Why not win?" Mancini said. "We know it will be difficult but we have not come here to lose the game." / Mirror.