Pellegrini backs Man City for Champions League glory

Manuel Pellegrini reckons Manchester City can go all the way in the Champions League after their historic win over Paris Saint-Germain.

Kevin De Bruyne fired City through to the last four of club football's top competition for the first time with his 76th-minute winner at a jubilant Etihad.

Real Madrid are potential semi-final opponents, while Pellegrini could meet his City successor Pep Guardiola should Bayern Munich see off Benfica on Wednesday.

But though beaten PSG boss Laurent Blanc suggested City would be a "guest club" alongside regulars Real, Bayern and Barcelona at the penultimate stage, Pellegrini declared his players capable of beating anyone after Tuesday's triumph.

"Of course we can be the best team in Europe," he said, when asked if he thought City could be crowned Europe's best.

"Of course because I think it is one of the targets of this club, to try and improve every year [in this competition]. I know that we receive a lot of criticism for different reasons, but I think that we are improving every year.

"One of the targets is to win, of course, some day the Champions League. Of course, this season, next season.

"If you are in the semi-final, you know you have to play against a very big team of Europe, but playing in the way we did tonight I think that we played better than Paris Saint-Germain. That is a very strong team with very good players.

"We have a lot of trust that we can play against anyone in the way we played."

De Bruyne has scored in all three games he has started since a return from injury at the beginning of the month and Pellegrini reserves special praise for his matchwinner.

"Kevin has an important role for the team," the City boss added. "He's a very dangerous player.

"We deserved a goal before he scored. We dominated the game from the beginning until the end."