ROME – AS Roma went into Wednesday night's game knowing that a draw at home to Manchester City would be enough.

 On Tuesday evening Juventus had drawn with Athletico Madrid to book their place in the last 16 of the Champions’ League. However, I Lupi failed to find the decisive touch against a City side that look to have broken their Champions’ League hoodoo.

 The result owed much to a man-of-the-match performance by Samir Nasri who scored the first goal in spectacular fashion to break the deadlock. On the left of the area and with limited space and options available the Frenchman unleashed a thunderbolt that cannoned in off the post. Nasri followed up this moment of magic by laying on the assist for Zabaleta, who scored the second goal, killing off the contest in the eighty-sixth minute.

 Speaking after the match Nianggolan told the press: “Now we must focus on winning the league but losing like this hurts.”

 Roma have reason to feel disappointed. Thrust into a group of death alongside Bayern Munich, CSKA Moskow, and Manchester City, they had given a good account of themselves. In the final game they created a number of chances but lacked a killer touch - Manolas hit the post, while Demichelis cleared an effort from Destro off the line.

 It was a familiar story for fans of the Giallorossi, whose team have not made it past the last 16 in a European contest in the last 10 years. Some would say they had tempted fate too.

 Before their victory over City in Manchester in September, City sent a tweet to Roma reminding them that their talisman Francesco Totti had never scored in England. Inspired by the Tweet, Totti grabbed the only goal of the match (and his first in England).

 Roma's Response? “Thanks for the hospitality last night @mcfc. Looking forward to seeing you in Rome. You've never won a European game in Italy, have you?”

 They have now. This time, Roma were humble in defeat. Post-match, they tweeted a quote from coach Rudi Garcia: “Our opponents have more experience than us in these types of matches. We need to learn from the defeats.” By finishing third in the table, Roma do have the slim consolation prize of Europa League football. They will hope that the added distraction of the Champions League will scupper Juventus' push for the scudetto.

 Roma, Fiorentina, Inter Milan and Napoli are already through to the last 32, and Torino could join them if they manage to avoid defeat in Thursday night's game.

 Roma (4-3-3): De Sanctis; Maicon, Manolas, Yanga-Mbiwa, Holebas; Nainggolan, Keita; Ljajic, Pjanic, Gervinho; Totti.

Substitutions: Iturbe (Llajic '67) Destro (Totti '69) Florenzi (Maicon '74)

 Manchester City (4-5-1): Hart; Zabaleta, demichelis, Mangala, Clichy; Fernandinho, Fernando; Navas, Nasro, Milner; Dzeko.

Substitutions: Silva(Navas '67) Jovetic (Dzeko '78) Kolarov (Nasri '89)