Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini believes his team are not ready to win this season’s Champions League.

The Citizens hopes of making the knockout stages remain in the balance following defeats to Real Madrid and Ajax during their opening tree European games.

When asked about his team’s chances in the competition Mancini replied:

“I don’t think that we are ready to win the Champions League.” He is quoted by The Metro.

“We are a good team. But we are not ready like the other teams.”

The Italian also rejected claims that his side could ‘do a Chelsea’ this term, following the Blues against the odds victory last season:

“Chelsea were probably the best team in Europe for 10 years and they won the Champions League after 10 years, probably when they didn’t deserve it,

“They probably deserved to win the Champions League three or four years before.

“If we are very good, we are fantastic. If we win the next three games, everything can happen.”

Mancini has also called upon his players to produce three “big” performances to get into the last 16 of the tournament:

“(We need) Three big performances.

“You should play 100 per cent every game.

“We have to think only about Ajax at this moment and we will see what happens.”