Others could clear City's path to top 8

CITY know exactly what they need to do to achieve their target of a topeight finish in this first phase of the Champions League.

- By SIMON BAJKOWSKI

Win against Real Madrid, win against Bodo Glimt, and win against Galatasaray and their tally of 19 points will be enough to ensure they go straight through to the last-16.

Football is never that easy though. There are already some concerns over the artificial surface that Bodo will be far more used to for City's game there in January, but before then Pep Guardiola has to take his side back to the Bernabeu where Real Madrid have beaten City teams far stronger than the current version in recent years.

The Madrid match is why those 10 changes for the home defeat to Lev-erkusen felt so costly, for if they had beaten the German side City would be sitting pretty in second place and heading to Spain knowing a draw would keep them above Real.

As it is, they are currently just outside of the top eight on goal difference.