“You know, it’s the best of the best and if you’re not at your best you will lose, simple as that, in this competition.
“So it’s all about peaking for the game and being in the right place at the right time.”
Pellegrini’s complaints about scheduling, and the fact he was forced to play a fifth round tie just 24 hours before flying to the Ukraine, were also rooted in the fact that last weekend arrived with City having just 13 fit senior players available.
Those injury concerns have eased ahead of Kiev and Hart insisted that, despite recent problems, City relish continued involvement in as many competitions as possible.
“It’s an amazing competition,” said Hart of Europe. “It’s something we really look forward to as a team. But we’re very lucky that we’re involved in a lot of competitions.
“The majority of the time when it comes to the Champions League we’re still fighting on all fronts and this is a good time to be a Manchester City player and a good time to be fighting.”
City are looking to improve on successive exits from the last 16 in Europe - both at the hands of Barcelona - although they face a Kiev team which, in contrast to the English side, will be well rested having not played since December 9 thanks to the Ukraine’s mid-season break.
“We expect a strong challenge,” said Hart. “It depends how you want to look at it, they’re either well rested or they could be rusty, with the format of their league season, but that will all be decided after the game.
“They’re obviously in a strong position, to be in the last 16 of the Champions League, they’re well proven in Europe. So it’s going to be a tough game especially with a really tough away leg to start with.”
- Telegraph