Manchester City fall short again as Roberto Mancini concedes his team needs a miracle.

It looks like the group of death has its first victim, unfortunately it is the English Premier League Champions, Manchester City, who have fallen short.

Roberto Mancini concedes Manchester City need a miracle to progress in the Champions League.

And Roberto Mancini admitted today that City require a ‘miracle’ if they were going to prolong their Champions League adventure. Having lost 3-1 to Ajax, it has left the EPL Champions with an almost impossible task and facing their second successive year of group stage elimination. Mancini speaking at a post game press conference

“It’s very difficult. There’s one team with seven points, one team with six and one with three. It will be a miracle.” And he openly concedes that having on 1 Point from a possible 9 and rooted and the foot of the table they will now be looking to the Europa League as consolation for the short fall.

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Manchester City Champions League group table 2012[/caption]

He added: “When you prepare for a game sometimes it is a different to what you expect.We played a bad game. We had a few chances to score but the players didn’t really play well. They played better than us, they played better football.

City play good football, they have good quality within the team and strength in-depth, so why are they not succeeding in Europe?

The club have spent millions, and more than most on players and players wages They have the talent, but clearly it’s not enough.

The clubs that have succeeded in the past and have demonstrated longevity, have a long history of youth development from within the club. Maybe in this case Man City were able to buy a Premier League title, but if they want to regain their title and do well in Europe, maybe it will take more than just talent imported from abroad.

It took Sir Alex Ferguson years to figure Europe out and eventually conquer it, maybe they need a manager that has already conquered Europe, they are a big enough club to attract the biggest names in the business. Anyway, I am certain of one thing, a third successive Champions League exit and the blue half of the City will probably be looking for new leadership.