Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini admits Napoli clash will be ‘crucial’ after late victory over Villarreal in Champions League

Posted Wednesday, October 19, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

Roberto Mancini has already targeted the "crucial" clash against Serie A side Napoli after his Manchester City side came from behind to defeat Villarreal 2-1 at the Etihad stadium.

A last-gasp Sergio Aguero winner gave City its first ever win in the competition to leave the club third in Group A, one point behind the Italian side which it has to travel to play on Nov. 22.

When asked whether the match against Napoli would be the most important fixture left in the group stages, Mancini said: "Yes, 100 percent. I think that game will be very important. Before this we will play the game in Villarreal and it's important we take all the points there. But the game in Naples will be the crucial game. I don't know for which position, but first place is open."

Mancini was visibly elated by Aguero’s goal which secured the three points, but he refused to get carried away, stressing that there was still a lot of hard work left to do in order to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition.

"It was important for us to win this game," he told reporters after the match. "I hope this will be very important. It was important to win the first game in Champion League and now I think anything can happen in this group in terms of first place. At the moment Bayern Munich have seven points, Napoli five and us four. It's open for the first and second places."

The manager also called his side lucky to have found a winner so late on.