David Silva: Champions League exit is a real pain

DAVID SILVA last night revealed the “pain and damage” that gripped the Manchester City dressing room after their shock Champions League exit. 

And why that massive disappointment is spurring them on to retain their Premier League title. 

City’s 1-1 home draw with Real Madrid was a decent display but not enough to keep them in Europe’s top club competition as the damage had already been done in twice failing to beat Ajax. 

And Silva, 26, who faces Everton today, recalled: “To go out of the Champions League was terrible. It’s a real pain and has damaged us a lot. 

“The dressing room was a very unhappy place after the Real game and in our two games since, at Chelsea and Wigan, it has been very hard to recover our morale. 

“It wasn’t only the coach Roberto Mancini who was sad. 

“For instance, after our defeat by Ajax in Amsterdam I saw a lot of broken people in that dressing room. That was a hard night. Little things cost us in Europe. 

“We so nearly beat Real Madrid, for instance. All the squad was dreaming of a big season in Europe and now we are unhappy after stumbling for the second successive year. 

“But being KO’d from the Champions League has increased our efforts to win the Premier League again — although I must say because everyone wants to beat us we have to work so hard and it is difficult to maintain a constant rhythm.” 

City are second in the Premier League table, although Silva has struggled to recapture last season’s scintillating form — partly due to injury — and so far has scored only one goal compared to eight in 2011-12. 

But the Spaniard insists he is back on track and is keen to defend Mancini — who has been critical of his attacking players — against some of the stick flying the manager’s way. 

Silva said: “Personally I am content with my performances but I accept they are not quite at the same level as in the key moments of last season. 

“Mancini offers good strategy and is also a big psychologist. His contact with the players is so important. 

“Obviously, he demands success from the forwards. But it’s not down to individuals — he’s more interested in our performance as a group. In the league we are going well and I think people respect us more now because we are the champions. 

“City are using the same system that worked in the past — we won the title that way and we are certainly capable of winning all the trophies left open to us. 

“We just need to avoid silly errors at vital moments. 

“People say the title race is down to us and United but I still think Chelsea are big rivals, especially with the arrival of Rafa Benitez. 

“He could change their whole panorama after the problems they’ve had. 

“Everton are difficult opponents but we are at home where we remain very powerful. They have a good squad with Tim Howard, Marouane Fellaini, Nikica Jelavic and so on, and are what I call a team of warriors. 

“Fellaini is proving a big problem for lots of opponents and Jelavic is one of the best strikers to arrive in England in recent years. 

“He can beat a defender and shoot in a second and is big danger to us.”

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Source: TheSun