Champions League: Manchester City travel to face CSKA Moscow behind closed doors

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Manchester City take on CSKA Moscow at an empty Arena Khimki in Champions League Group E on Tuesday .

No fans will be present at the 18,636-capacity stadium as City aim to get their first win in the group, following a 1-0 defeat at Bayern Munich and a 1-1 draw at home to Roma.

The Russian side, who were thrashed 5-1 in the Italian capital before narrowly losing at home to Bayern last time out, will therefore not have a partisan home crowd to motivate them.CSKA have been ordered to play their next three European home matches behind closed doors as punishment for the racist behaviour of their fans in their clash with Roma on September 17.

CSKA were also punished over racist chanting aimed at Yaya Toure - whom Manuel Pellegrini insists is improving after a below-par run of form - when City won 2-1 in the same fixture almost a year ago.

Fernandinho insists he is braced for the test, while his City team-mate Pablo Zabaleta admits the atmosphere will be unusual, but is focused on helping to deliver a result.

The 29-year-old said: "It will be strange. Most of the players haven't had this situation, but we have to motivate ourselves because we know how important the game is for ourselves.

"It will be strange. Most of the players haven't had this situation, but we have to motivate ourselves because we know how important the game is for ourselves."
Pablo Zabaleta

"We just have to get the three points out of this game."

City are in their fourth season of Champions League football and are still to make an impact in the competition. After their previous disappointments, there was a feeling they needed to come of age this term but their results have again been underwhelming.

CSKA striker Ahmed Musa has even taunted the Premier League champions ahead of the game by labelling them "weak", but Zabaleta insists City will not ease up in their drive to progress.

The full-back said: "We are improving year by year, with a great group of players, but to win this competition is so difficult.

"It is one that you would love to win, but you have to work really hard to do it and we have to learn from the mistakes we have made in the last years to make progress."

Manuel Pellegrini: Supervises training at the Arena Khimki on Monday night

The other controversy surrounding last year's game at CSKA, which City came from behind to win, was over the poor state of the pitch.

However, Pellegrini said: "I have no concerns this year. It is not a bad pitch and I don't think we will have any problems with it."

Conditions for the match are set to be cold, with lows of minus five degrees forecast for Tuesday night. There was also light snowfall in Moscow on Sunday night.

Team news

City defender Eliaquim Mangala is hoping to prove his fitness after a thigh injury while former England midfielder Frank Lampard was ruled out of the trip to the Russian capital after being carried off with a thigh problem against Tottenham on Sunday.

Playmaker Samir Nasri, who is sidelined after a groin operation, is City's only other absentee.

"They have been too easy to play against in the Champions League so far. Manuel Pellegrini needs to play one up front, strengthen his midfield and have a look at how the game is panning out." 

CSKA have fitness doubts over defender Mario Fernandes and striker Seydou Doumbia.

Eliya' view

I just hope the manager (Pellegrini) opts for more solidity in his midfield. They have been too easy to play against in the Champions League so far. He needs to play one up front, strengthen his midfield and have a look at how the game is panning out.

The fact the game is being played behind closed doors will help City. That didn’t happen to me during my career, but I always used to enjoy the hostility of certain away games. I know that other players don’t enjoy that, so they should prefer an empty stadium