Manchester City and Bayern Munich are set to square off in the most anticipated matchup of the Champions League group stage, and for the defending Premier League champions, this game occurs in the middle of a brutal stretch that involves three tough matches in eight days. The first game -- a 2-2 draw against Arsenal on Saturday -- tested the team's depth as manager Manuel Pellegrini rested midfielder Yaya Toure in an attempt to keep him fresh for the first game of the Champions League.
As the team now prepares for both Bayern and current Premier League leaders Chelsea over the next five days, the results of these games will serve as an indication of whether City has the talent and depth necessary to compete and win on multiple fronts this season.
Last week I had the opportunity to visit City's training ground, as the players prepared for this difficult stretch of games, and speak with some of the staff about their advantages and challenges for the upcoming domestic and European seasons. And while the team is certainly in position to compete on both fronts, a lack of depth at key positions, lack of consistency in the attacking formation and the high quality of other elite Champions League contenders will likely prove too much for City to win the UCL title.