Boateng says City lack unity to win Champions League

Boateng, whose 12 months at Eastlands were a tale of unfulfilled promise and gripes about Roberto Mancini’s decision to deploy him at right-back, is set to face City this evening for the first time since his £12.8million return to Germany with Bayern this summer.

But despite the arrivals of Sergio Agüero and Samir Nasri, signings that City forward Edin Dzeko credits as “taking the club to another level”, Boateng insists his former team-mates will not be returning to Munich on May 19 to contest the Champions League final in Bayern’s stunning stadium.

“They [City] are a huge squad.” Boateng said. “But the team did not have the sense of togetherness [when I was there]. I do not see them in the final, because there are others. We have the better team.”

Sharing a Champions League stage with four-time European champions Bayern confirms City have arrived to the biggest stage, yet they are still searching for their rivals’ respect.

Franck Ribéry, Bayern’s French winger, suggested that the only team worthy of striking fear into the egos of ‘FC Hollywood’, Bayern’s domestic nickname, are Barcelona. “But we are getting close to them,” he insisted.