Bayern Munich v Manchester City: Roberto Mancini urges squad to face Champions League opponents as equals

City's first Champions League away game is sprinkled with stardust. Bayern were runners-up as recently as 2010 and have won the competition four times, emphasising their status as one of Europe's superpowers.

Yet Mancini is adamant such history should not leave his own squad feeling overawed at the task ahead of them.

"Playing against Bayern Munich is always difficult for an English team. But the same is also (true) for them," said Mancini. "It will be a difficult game. When you play against this team you can lose.

"But we are not a small team. We are a good team. We 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."

Nevertheless, that a club who only 13 years ago were spending their midweeks dreaming of victory over Macclesfield are now taking on Bayern as equals is remarkable.

Yet City's long-suffering fans have become numb, such is the frequency with which they have had to pinch themselves since Sheikh Mansour completed his multi-million pound Blues buy-out in 2008.

So very quickly, City have hauled in the heavyweights above them.

Now, with so much less distance to travel, the strides are shorter. Some are still very significant.

"For the supporters it is an important moment," Mancini acknowledged. "Life changes sometimes. Now we are a top club. But one result or one game cannot change everything.

"As a club, a team and a squad we have improved a lot this year and hope to do so in the future. But it is clear that tomorrow is an important game for this group. If we win it will be very important."

There has been a close bond between Munich and Manchester ever since the air crash in 1958, when 23 people – including eight Manchester United players – died.

City shed tears too and club secretary Bernard Halford will lead a delegation tomorrow that will lay a wreath in honour of the fallen, which included former City goalkeeper Frank Swift, who became a journalist upon his retirement from the game.

Mancini acknowledged the sadness of the event. But his focus must be solely on tonight's game, the opposition buoyed by an impressive start which seems them top the Bundesliga with 18 points from their opening seven games.

"It wouldn't change our situation," responded Mancini, when asked about the consequences of defeat.

"I have said this before. This is the hardest group in the Champions League because there are four teams who could go through."