Manchester City will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing derby defeat to Manchester Utd when they take on Aris in Thessaloniki in the first leg of their tie in the last 32 of the Europa League tonight, the Blues manager Roberto Mancini says.
Man City went down 2-1 to a spectacular Wayne Rooney goal but Mancini believes the game against Aris gives his players a perfect opportunity to put the defeat behind them.
"It's very important that we bounce back," Mancini said. "I don't think we will have a problem mentally, but when you have played so well away from home, when you think you have deserved to win but you lose, it can be very hard.
"It's important for us that we have a game so quickly and we need to go on a run now."
City are clear favourites to win the game despite the fact that Aris are unbeaten in 24 European games over the past 40 years and beat Atletico Madrid home and away this season.
Despite having a much stronger squad, Mancini has some injury problems to contend with. James Milner is missing with a hamstring injury and Nigel de Jong is still unfit. Mario Balotelli is also deemed not ready to play as he has been out since 28 December with a knee injury. Shaun Wright-Phillips is in line to start.
City will encounter a familiar face in Thessaloniki as Aris's recent acquisition, Nery Castillo, was on loan at the Premier League club in 2007/8.
He famously paid half of the loan fee himself to join the side managed by Sven Goran Eriksson.
