Invincible at home but fragile on the road, the Blues have had a start to the season that has at times defied analysis.
However, Fernandinho believes that we are only at the beginning of what could be an “historic” season for the club – at home and on the continent.
“I hope we can win the league this year, we work and play hard – even though the last result was not good for us, I think that we are playing very well,” the ex-Shakhtar Donetsk man declared.
“We try to play very good football but the most important thing is to win the games and we will try to win more.
“So far this year we’ve started well – it is the first time we’ve reached the last 16 of the Champions League but we can do more, we can go further.
We want to make history for the club this season and if we can do this, it will be very good for all of the players, the club and the fans.
...Fernandinho...
“Manuel Pellegrini’s Malaga played very well in the Champions League last season and they went further than people thought they would.
“I hope that this season he will help us to get to the latter stages of the competition and I think his experience can only help us in our goals.”
Also at the forefront of Fernandinho’s mind is Brazil hosting its World Cup for 64 years next summer.
Fernandinho spent last week’s international break watching on television as nations across the globe scrambled for the last few available qualification spots.
The Londrina-born midfielder knows that time is running out to force his way into the reckoning: he won the last of his modest haul of five international caps against Bosnia-Herzegovina in February 2012 and has yet to be named in a squad by Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari.
However, the 28-year believes that, at City, he is in the best possible place to catch the eye of the former Chelsea manager and to force his way into contention with his latest audition taking place with Sunday’s visit of Tottenham.
“I think the Brazil squad is very good, they have changed the manager recently and he has done a very good job,” Fernandinho asserted.
“I hope in the future I can have a chance to play for the national team and I hope that next summer I will be there with the squad and can play the World Cup in my country.
“However, the most important thing is for Brazil to win that World Cup.
“I must play very well in the Premier League, we need to win the games to show the good football and performance and after that we’ll see if the manager will look at City in the Premier League and give me a chance.”
...Fernandinho on World Cup chances...
Fernandinho was speaking in Abu Dhabi where he travelled with Manuel Pellegrini and Richard Wright during last week’s international break.
While in the Middle East, the Brazilian visited City’s Abu Dhabi School of Football – an experience he clearly seemed to relish.
“The fans here in Abu Dhabi love football, I came here ten years ago and they gave us a great reception and it’s the same again this time,” he said.
“It’s very good for us to be in contact with them always - it’s fantastic to be here.”
