Manchester City destined to win the Champions League, says Manuel Pellegrini ahead of Real Madrid tie

The club are into the semi-final stage for the first time

Sergio Aguero of Manchester City celebrates with team mates, David Silva and Kelechi Iheanacho (Getty)

Manuel Pellegrini believes Manchester City are destined to win the Champions League – whether he secures the trophy or not.

Pellegrini’s final attempt continues on Tuesday night when his City side face Real Madrid in the first leg of their semi-final at the Etihad Stadium.

It has been a sometimes tortuous journey to get this far with four previous failures, twice at the group stage and twice at the hands of Barcelona in the round of 16.

But Pellegrini, whose three years as City manager will end this summer when he is replaced by Pep Guardiola, is confident the groundwork he has helped lay will pay off with the prize City’s owners – the Abu Dhabi United Group – cherish more than any other.

Pellegrini said: “At this club it’s important to improve because three years ago we couldn’t qualify from the group stage and we lost all the games.

“I hope we will win it this year, if not we have made important steps towards doing it in the next seasons. I also think that if we win the Champions League this year, it's not the finish of the project here.

“Every year we must be involved in both competitions and I hope that this is the target for the club. It would be very important to do it this year, but you cannot think that it is all done.”

(2016 Getty Images (2016 Getty Images)

City have come a long way since Mark Hughes and Pablo Zabaleta both arrived at the club in 2008.

The pair were on opposite sides on Saturday when City easily beat Hughes’ Stoke side with goals from Fernando, Sergio Aguero, from the penalty spot, and two from 19-year-old Kelechi Iheanacho.

A fourth win in five league games is too late for City’s mathematical chances of winning the Premier League but will help them secure a place in the Champions League again next season.

Zabaleta, who made his 300th City appearance at the age of 31, admitted: “I never thought we would be talking about the semi-finals of the Champions League when I first came.

“But it was amazing how I saw the club change - the way we have improved as a club and a team and worked so hard for so many years as a group of players, trying to make the club bigger and better every season.

“I think we are in a moment where we are enjoying ourselves. We know how hard it is when you are fighting for so many competitions to win all of them. But at this stage, you should at least be fighting for something.”

When Hughes replaced Sven-Goran Eriksson, City were about to contest a Uefa Cup tie against EB Streymur after qualifying through their Fair Play ranking. Real Madrid will provide rather sterner opposition.

Hughes said: “It’s the first time I have seen the new stand – everything about the club is growing. They are at a level now that is fantastic for the club.

“There has been a little bit of debate in recent times about appearances in semi-finals and finals, and how it’s dropped off somewhat, so it’s good that they’re flying the flag for the Premier League.

“It’s the strongest league, everybody acknowledges that, but we need to show that the top teams have similar qualities to those that the Barcelonas and the Real Madrids have.”