Rio Ferdinand explains what Man City need to win Champions League & offers Erling Haaland hope

Rio Ferdinand has said Manchester City need to find a different way of winning if they’re to claim a maiden Champions League triumph.

The Blues begin their European campaign away to Sevilla on Tuesday and will hope it’s the start of a journey which will see them lift the trophy in June 2023.

But in recent years City have suffered devastating eliminations from the tournament such as last season against Real Madrid when they were just minutes away from progressing to the final.

There were also high-profile exits to Lyon and Tottenham Hotspur in previous campaigns, which has led to a feeling that City allow opponents to ruffle their feathers more so in the Champions League than in domestic competitions.

However, Ferdinand feels the addition of a natural centre-forward in Erling Haaland could give Pep Guardiola’s men another gear this campaign, one which may even guide them towards a European crown.

“They’ve had some moments in recent years where it hasn’t really fallen for them,” opined the former Manchester United defender, during BT Sport’s pre-match coverage of City’s clash with Sevilla.

“I just feel they have lacked that other way of winning, where you claw onto a win and have that grit. There’s that element of luck as well that has unhinged them as well.

“But I look at them now with Haaland in that team, he not only brings goals and another way to score goals, and other elements that will benefit other players in the team. He brings a sense of personality which is very different. There’s an aggressiveness to him, a desire, a selfishness to the team that City [lack].

“I look for that devilment that players like Haaland have and that’s what he is bringing that I like as a football fan.

“There’s only one team that we have seen who won it perfectly and that’s Barcelona when Pep was the manager and they had [Lionel] Messi,” Ferdinand added, on City’s need to win ugly.

“It doesn’t happen, that is out of the ordinary. You have to have other ways to ride tough moments. This City team, at times, haven’t been able to do that.”