Fernandinho believes his midfield alliance with Fernando could help Manchester City to become more consistent performers in Europe ahead of their crunch Group D trip to Sevilla.
Manuel Pellegrini’s team secured a last-gasp 2-1 win over their Liga opponents in Manchester last time out, with Kevin De Bruyne firing a stoppage-time winner.
Another victory would secure City’s progress to the knockout stages with two matches to spare if leaders Juventus also win at Borussia Monchengladbach on Tuesday, although the Premier League leaders have once again failed to replicate their dominant domestic form on the European stage.
Pellegrini’s commitment to an expansive style is often cited as a vulnerability, with City’s midfield leaving their defence exposed too often against high-class opposition – a weakness Sevilla failed to fully exploit at the Etihad Stadium.
In that match, as in the win over Borussia, City were forced to come from a goal down to win – Fernando’s introduction from the bench alongside fellow Brazilian Fernandinho bringing greater control in central areas and providing a platform to push for victory.
In his debut season in Manchester after moving from Porto, Fernando regularly fell short of his best form as he was hindered by a groin injury.
He has impressed this time around, paired with Fernandinho from the start in the recent 0-0 draw at Manchester United, and his compatriot feels they could be used again in tandem to good effect at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
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