Zabaleta admits Man City some way off from winning CL but improving 'year by year'

Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta has admitted that the Premier League defending Champions are some way off from being able to win the Champions League, but said that they are improving year by year.

City will face CSKA Moscow in the Russian capital on Tuesday and they need a win to give them a realistic chance of reaching the last 16, after a solitary point from their first two games.

But City defender Zabaleta had admitted that Manual Pellegrini's side, despite being Premier League champions, are still short of being able to compete for European football's elite club prize, The Mirror reported.

Zabaleta insisted that it takes time, and added that City knows that they are a team, a club that has been improving these last few years. But, he said that in the Champions League one is playing the very best teams in Europe.

The Argentine defender said that City is improving year by year; they have a great team, with great players, but added that to win this competition is very difficult.

Zabaleta said that the Champions League is one of the competitions they would like to win, but added that they have to work really hard to win it. He said that they have to keep working hard try to win games and try to learn from their mistakes in Europe.

This is City's fourth season in the Champions League. They failed to make it out of the group stage twice under Roberto Mancini and were knocked out at the last 16 stage last season by Barcelona, the report added.