Roberto Mancini’s foreign legion are fighting to be out in force to join Joe Hart, Gareth Barry and Co at a blue-tinted European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.
Player of the month David Silva kept up his super City form for Spain, creating Xabi Alonso’s clincher in their 2-0 victory in the Czech Republic for the runaway Group I winners.
“Merlin” hasn’t been coach Vicente del Bosque’s first choice but he played the whole 90 minutes as defending champions Spain swept to their seventh successive win in the group.
Nigel de Jong will be there as well, with World Cup finalists Netherlands now confirmed for the trip following their 1-0 win over Moldova in Rotterdam to maintain a six-point cushion over Sweden.
Barely back from his ankle injury, De Jong watched from the bench as Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s goal ensured Holland’s top spot before Tuesday’s tussle with the Swedes.
Mario Balotelli will be aiming for the consistency that lands him a place in Italy’s squad. The former champions, who will go as Group C winners, drew 1-1 with Serbia in Belgrade.
Aleks Kolarov and his Serb team-mates will need to win in Slovenia on Tuesday to overtake second-placed Estonia for a play-off berth. Stefan Savic, of course, has already booked his with Montenegro.
Group D pits Samir Nasri against Edin Dzeko on Tuesday in the race for the finals - leaders France face Dzeko’s Bosnia, a point behind, to decide who will have to run the play-off gauntlet.
Dzeko opened a 5-0 rout of Luxembourg to keep pressure on the French, who need only draw in Paris after their 3-0 win over Albania
Skipper Vincent Kompany scored as Belgium beat Group A rivals Kazakhstan 4-1 to go second, but they now face long-qualified Germany in Dusseldorf needing to match or better Turkey’s result against Azerbaijan.
Costel Pantilimon already knew his Romania had missed out before he was beaten by Belarus’s late equaliser in a 2-2 Group D draw in Bucharest. They can finish third by winning in Albania.
Meanwhile, World Cup qualifiers have kicked off in South America. Sergio Aguero’s injury forced him to miss out, but Pablo Zabaleta was at the heart of Argentina’s opening 4-1 win over Chile.
On-loan midfielder Mohammed Abu made his debut for Ghana in the 2-0 win over Sudan that confirmed the Black Stars’ qualification for the African Cup of Nations. The 19-year-old, who has been impressing with Stromsgodset in Norway since signing for City last year, came on a substitute in the 75th minute and almost immediately set up a great chance for Asamoah Gyan.
