Pellegrini: City on course for knockout stage

Leonid Slutski, CSKA coach
We could have got a grip on the game after we made it 1-0, but unfortunately we conceded very quickly. It's a pity. I'm so gutted that it is difficult for me to find the words here. We started well and Zoran Tošić's goal wasn't scored against the run of play. We attacked a lot in the second half and had chances until the very last – that is why I am so bitter and disappointed now.

We don't discuss technical matters. Keisuke Honda wanted to score [with his late chance] but didn't manage it; that can happen. Honda had a good match. Had he scored at the end we could have said he was one of the best players on the pitch.

Manuel Pellegrini, City manager
I'm very happy, it was a difficult game. I said that on this pitch it is difficult to play football, so getting the three points is important for the future of the group. They scored the only time they arrived in our box, so I was not concerned about that, and thankfully [Sergio] Agüero equalised immediately.

[David] Silva and Agüero are top players and every match they show how they can play football. Agüero is very important, but the whole team played with a lot of intensity on a very difficult pitch. We've taken an important step, but it is not the last game, so we have to win our next two matches at home. We are not in the next round but this is very important for us.