Manchester City Will Not Be Affected By Champions League Exit & Europa League Is 'A Beautiful Cup', Admits Nigel De Jong

Dutch midfield enforcer claims the Blues' main goal is domestic glory and says the team are not despairing after being eliminated from Europe's top competition at first stage

09-Dec-2011 5:33:00 PM

By Matt Scott

More On :  Manchester City, Nigel De Jong
EPL - Manchester City v Newcastle United, Hatem Ben Arfa and Nigel de Jong
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Nigel de Jong has insisted that Manchester City's main aim this season is to win the Premier League and says the team will not be affected by their Champions League exit.

City were making their debut in the competition this season but were still expected to make a big impact due to their expensively assembled squad, but fell out at the first hurdle as they were pipped to the knockout stages by group rivals Napoli and Bayern Munich.

However, midfielder De Jong says the team have not been "despairing" over the exit and will carry on targeting glory on a number of fronts.

De Jong told reporters: "We won't be affected by this setback.

"Winning the league will make up for this. We didn't go through in the Champions League but we can't let that distract us from our main target and that's winning the Premier League.

"We are still in with a chance of four cups. We are not despairing about the season because it's still early.

"It's the first year City were in the Champions League and expectations were high but in the group expectations weren't so high because our main target was still the Premier League title."

City will now play in the Europa League but the Dutchman is not concerned about the drop in standards.

He continued: “Everybody is underestimating the Europa League, but, for me, it’s a beautiful cup. It is a major trophy to win, and if you can, people are very happy.

“Of course, it is a terrible shame for Manchester that the two teams are no longer in the Champions League.

“But you have the two biggest teams in the Premier League now going into the Europa League, and they could be going head to head, so there is a huge amount to play for.

“Of course, we have to see what the draw is, but we could be challenging United for the Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League, and that will make it a beautiful competition.

“You have some big teams in there, with Porto and Ajax too, so it is almost like a mini Champions League, and it becomes worth winning.”

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