The Blues will be hoping to improve on their last two years in the tournament after failing to get out of the group stage both times.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini has been given a boost ahead of the match with the news that captain Vincent Kompany has travelled with the squad following a groin injury.
When Manuel Pellegrini sat down with Manchester City’s powerbrokers to discuss his plans to transform their club from Champions League flops into serious European contenders, he had no idea it would all begin here.
But on Tuesday, in the humble surroundings of the 11,700-capacity Doosan Arena, Pellegrini’s credentials will be put to the test by Czech underdogs Viktoria Plzen.
David Silva, Gael Clichy and Micah Richards are all doubtful.
"Vincent has worked with us normally for the last two days," said City manager Manuel Pellegrini on Monday. "We will see if he is 100%. If he is, of course he will play.
Viktoria Plzen vs Manchester City September 17, 2013
Plzen are top of the Czech league with six wins in their opening eight games and beat Slovenian side Maribor in a play-off to earn a second Champions League appearance in three years.
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany could return from a groin injury as his side begin their Champions League campaign against little-known Czech side Plzen.
Kompany has been absent since his side's 4-0 win over Newcastle in their Premier League opener on 19 August.
It should be a simple enough start for City, even though they have failed to reach the knockout stage at their first two attempts in this competition, winning only once away from home.
Pellegrini’s predecessor Roberto Mancini paid the price for picking up a solitary point from his opening two games in both campaigns, but the opposition — Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Bayern Munich — was considerably stronger.
Plzen’s only victory in this competition has come against Bate Borisov.
Pellegrini, 60 yesterday, knows what is expected. The Chilean was appointed largely on the strength of guiding Villarreal and Malaga to the latter stages of the Champions League, and he acknowledges City’s ambitions are far greater.
Defeat here would be a disaster and even a point would represent a setback considering that the next game is against champions Bayern and CSKA Moscow are the other side in Group D.
‘We have to win,’ said Pellegrini. ‘The Champions League is the most important competition.
City want to grow every year, which means they cannot go out of the group stage. We must advance.
Plzen, whose only previous appearance in the group stage of the competition came two years ago, should be full of confidence thanks to a solid start to the season with four wins and two draws.
