Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso has warned that Manchester City could quickly turn around their Champions League fortunes.
The Germans have already qualified for the last-16 of the competition and on the face of it have little to play for as they take on City at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday. But a slip by Bayern could offer City a European lifeline and that is something that could come back to haunt them later in the tournament.
Bayern are therefore looking to finish off City, who have collected just two points from four games. The English champions will be eliminated if they fail to beat Bayern and there is a winner in the other Group E game between CSKA Moscow and Roma.
Alonso, who has won the Champions League with Liverpool and Real Madrid, said: "Obviously City are in a difficult position but they have won the Premier League a couple of times. I am pretty sure this season they want to show their level and they want to go through.
"They have important players suspended but as a whole it is one of the best squads in Europe. It is hard to tell from the outside but you expect any season that City will make that impact in Europe. So far they haven't done it but I am pretty sure it is not far, that big year in Europe. Season by season they try to improve.
"It looks like a very serious project and competing with the other clubs in Europe is for sure one of their goals. Even though it looks a difficult situation for them, it could change in 90 minutes. We will have to do our job.''
Should City fail to progress it would be the third time in four seasons that they have not got out of their group. Last season's last-16 appearance would represent their best effort -- and a disappointing return for Sheikh Mansour's vast expenditure since his 2008 takeover.
City's impact may be greater in future but Alonso knows from experience, having featured in Liverpool's shock victory in 2005, that other ingredients can contribute to success.
He said: "I think football is not mathematics. There is not a determined formula that when you earn more you are buying success. Because of that you get big surprises in football.
"You have to do things properly and normally. If you do things properly you will reach success. What happened that year with Liverpool was a great surprise, a great miracle. I have talked about it many times, I enjoyed it. It is very different from what is going on at City right now.''
Alonso, who celebrates his 33rd birthday on the day of the game, is looking forward to renewing acquaintances with Frank Lampard.
The Spaniard had a number of fierce clashes with Lampard when the pair were at Liverpool and Chelsea respectively, with one tackle from the Englishman once breaking Alonso's ankle.
Alonso says that incident is now in the past and he will be pleased to come up against Lampard, who left Chelsea last summer and is now on loan from New York City.
Alonso, who spent five seasons at Anfield, said: "It is going to be strange to play against him and not be playing Chelsea. He had a great career for Chelsea and he has been one of the most important players in the Premier League in the last years.
"We can enjoy it. We had competitive games in the league, Champions League, FA Cup, in semifinals. We have had fewer ties (recently) but we have good relations and I wish him best of luck with his next stage. We are great competitors in football.''
Bayern coach Pep Guardiola recognises the heat is off his side having won all four of their games to cruise through. But the unbeaten Bundesliga leaders have been in formidable form all season and Guardiola does not want to ease off.
He said: "It's important we play our game and develop. We want to produce a performance. At the end of the day, we are Bayern Munich.
"To play football we need tension, we need something to fight for. You have to be a little bit afraid to play football, so in that point of view Man City have an advantage.
"The game for them is more important than our game, but we always find the right way, something to be motivated, to be a competitive team. We have to defend our team, our club. We can't just be here for fun. We have come here to play. It's very important for the club.''