Roberto Mancini expects a “spectacular challenge” between Manchester City and Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday.

City’s former manager, speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, said he expected City and Chelsea to compete for the Premier League title this season and advised the Italian side on how to best approach playing the champions: “The key is a fast start and to take advantage of the opportunities that City will grant them. They have to be careful in defence, concentrate for the entire 90 minutes, and be clinical in attack.

“City practice a different style of football with respect to the others in England – infinite passes, the ball on the ground, the ability to switch between the patterns of attack in the middle or on the wings.”

On Roma’s chances, Mancini said: “A complete Roma can beat City, but the absences of De Rossi, Castán and Astori make them more vulnerable.

“Roma play with the ball. City are not the Manchester United of a few years ago, all running and competitiveness, and this could be an advantage for Roma. I have seen that Iturbe has been called up – he can create problems for City. In the counterattack he can be devastating.”

Mancini singled out Yaya Touré as a key player in the match, despite recent criticism in England of the Ivorian’s performances. According to the Italian the 31-year-old midfielder is “a force of nature” whom City “are seeing the best of”.