Villarreal clash more important than Man U: Mancini

Man City boss Mancini says clash with Spaniards more important than weekend's derby

Man City boss Mancini says clash with Spaniards more important than weekend's derby

Roberto Mancini has admitted that Manchester City's Champions League game with Villarreal tonight is more important than Sunday's Manchester derby.


On song: Man City players celebrate a goal during Saturday's EPL win
over Aston Villa. Pic/Getty Images

City replaced United at the top of the Premier League table after defeating Aston Villa 4-1 on Saturday to set up a mouth-watering showdown with Alex Ferguson's reigning champions at Old Trafford next Sunday.


Mancini

But Mancini's expensively-assembled side are fighting to stay alive in the Champions League after taking one point from their opening two group games.

Failure to defeat Villarreal in Manchester tonight would leave City with a mountain to climb to qualify for the knockout stages from Group A. "Is Villarreal bigger than United? Yeah.

But after Villarreal, we have four days to recover and to prepare for the derby," said Mancini. "Now it is important for us to concentrate on Villareal.

If we can beat Villarealu00a0-- and I don't think it will be easyu00a0-- maybe we will have a better chance to go through to the knockout stages. If we don't beat them, it will be difficult."