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Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday, sealed by a late Sergio Aguero penalty after an inspired display from Joe Hart had kept them in the game, was a glorious moment for the club’s travelling supporters.

The Champions League hasn’t been kind to City since their accession into the competition in 2011. They have suffered humiliations, batterings, last-gasp defeats and a series of difficult draws that have made their transition from domestic force to European competitors problematic.

Qualification for the Champions League was seen as a primary objective for City as soon as Sheikh Mansour’s 2008 takeover of the club was completed. It’s supposed to be the holy grail of club football, providing the kind of nights City fans had dreamt of for years.

It hasn’t quite worked out that way. It has often been an unenjoyable experience for their fans who continue to boo the UEFA Champions League anthem prior to games in protest to what they see as an unfair seeding system and FFP regulations designed to hurt their team the most.

In recent seasons, they’ve been humbled by Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid. Those defeats, to some extent, were understandable. Taking just a point from Ajax in 2012 and CSKA Moscow last season was unacceptable.

Their performances have veered from underwhelming to downright disappointing. Their win over Gladbach, and the circumstances in which it arrived, was a good antidote to some of those occasions.

Yet it was hardly a performance that suggests City are set to enhance their reputation in Europe. They produced some fine moments going forward – not the free-flowing brilliance they are capable of, but, at times, it was slick and inventive.

Defensively, however, they were awful, and an inquest led by Manuel Pellegrini and his technical staff will surely be forthcoming. Gladbach were able to cut through City too often and too easily, with Hart left exposed and over-worked.

It wasn’t an isolated example of their poor defensive shape, either. Against Tottenham on Saturday, City suffered their worst defeat since the 8-1 reverse that brought Sven-Goran Eriksson’s reign as manager to a bitter end. City collapsed in the second half against Spurs and conceded far too much space, with collective and individual errors gifting the home side a 4-1 win.

Kompany’s return can’t come quickly enough, but City’s problems perhaps run a little deeper than their captain’s calf injury. In Europe, they have continually struggled with a two-man midfield, and Fernando, now back to full fitness following his groin problem, must be being considered to form a midfield trio alongside Fernandinho and Yaya Toure for European games.

Fernandinho has arguably been City’s best player this season, improving significantly on what was a poor 2014/15 by his high standards. Toure, too, looks much more disciplined in his deeper role.

However, away from home in the league and particularly in European matches, they are often outnumbered, leaving City susceptible to counter-attacks.

But despite being delivered in unconvincing fashion, City’s victory was sealed thanks to their desire and fighting spirit. Kevin De Bruyne told City TV after the game he feels Gladbach are the Bundesliga’s second best side, capable of attacking swiftly and hurting any opposition. It was never going to be easy.

The fact they escaped such a difficult night with three vital points is testament to the belief they have in their squad. They desperately need to shore things up at the back, but given some of the nights their fans have endured since 2011, a win courtesy of an 89-minute penalty in a difficult away game was very welcome, indeed.