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City crash out of Champions League

Manchester City eliminated from the Champions League after defeat by Barcelona.

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Kompany: City have a long way to go

A dejected Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany at last night's game. Credit: Press Association.

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany accepts the club still remain a long way short of fulfilling their European dreams.

The gap between City and the continent's best clubs was starkly illustrated on Wednesday as Barcelona dumped the English champions out of the Champions League with a commanding performance at the Nou Camp.

Thanks to the brilliance of Joe Hart, City at least kept the scoreline respectable - losing 1-0 for a 3-1 aggregate defeat - but they were distinctly second best to a Barca side inspired by the magnificent Lionel Messi.

City may have made considerable progress in the seven years since their Abu Dhabi takeover, but the journey still has a long way to go.

"The reality is they were a better team, there is no shame in admitting that. For me there is a big, big difference.

"I will just mention Bayern Munich and Barcelona, and then there are the rest of the teams, with Real Madrid probably in between.

"Ultimately we have always said our goal is to become as good as them, but it will take some time. They are really good.

"Bayern Munich and Barcelona are not just Champions League-winning teams, they are World Cup-winning teams as well. They have generations that have played together a long time. "Of course we want to make up the gap but you just have to be true to yourself. We have the ambition to be as good as they are one day, but it is not going to happen overnight."

– Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany.

City's exit meant that England will not have a representative in the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the second time in three seasons.

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City crash out of Champions League

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