Manchester: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has said that he is not underestimating the challenge posed by Swansea City in their first game of the season.
The Swans travel to Eastlands for their first-ever Premier League fixture, and will be buoyed by the impact that last season’s promoted clubs made in their first 10 games, a factor that gives Mancini concern.
He told The Guardian: "When you start the season and you play against a team that comes from the Championship, it is really difficult.
"Last year, with all the teams that came from the Championship, it was very hard to play against them in the first 10 games and it will be the same this year.
"But this is why the Premier League is difficult - every game is hard."
Mancini also believes that his expensively-assembled squad, including record 38 million pounds signing Sergio Aguero, is still not completely prepared for the new season, particularly with negotiations to sign Samir Nasri being at an early stage.
He added: "I think the first 10 games are very difficult for us – the squad is not 100 per cent ready.
"It needs four or five games to find good form for the players. If we complete our squad, we can fight for the title this year.
"But that is a problem at the moment because we play our first match in three days."
However, Mancini has also been impressed by the dynamic brand of football played by Swansea, and feels that their manager Brendan Rodgers has been key to helping them achieve promotion.
He said: "I have watched many of their games.
"Swansea play good football. They don't play long ball and they have good players.
"The manager [Brendan Rodgers] is good – last year, he played really good football and got promoted."
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