Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has promised his team will fight to the end to keep their Champions League hopes alive.

City host Bayern Munich in a crucial clash tonight knowing anything but victory could effectively end their hopes for another year.

Pellegrini's men have claimed just two points from four games in Group E and will be eliminated if they fail to beat Bayern and there is a winner in the game between CSKA Moscow and Roma.

Scenarios do exist where City could progress without beating the Germans, but they really have little margin for error.

City began the campaign with high hopes in the competition and looking to build on last season's progress to the last 16.

Their failure to make any apparent headway has brought criticism and scrutiny of Pellegrini, but he remains confident in his players.

Pellegrini said: "I don't think there is an extra pressure (on me). I think it is important for this club to try to continue in Europe because it is one of our targets, to improve every year and on what we did last year.

"Tonight we will see the team fighting until the end to continue in the Champions League and I hope we can do it."

Pellegrini claims he takes no notice of the people who have already written off his side.

The Chilean said: "I don't know who those people are who don't believe what we can do.

"I am sure this team - and me personally - have a lot of trust that we can do it.

"We will see tonight after the game what happens. I hope we will continue having chances until the last game in this group."

Meanwhile, Pellegrini has dismissed "rumours" that the club could attempt to sign Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.

Messi's future at Barca has been the subject of recent speculation and uncertainty stems from some fairly equivocal comments he made in the Argentinian media and an ongoing dispute with the Spanish authorities over tax issues.

The fact Messi trained at the Barclays Premier League champions' facilities with Argentina prior to last week's friendly with Portugal at Old Trafford also added fuel to speculation linking him to the club.

But Pellegrini said: "The rumours are only rumours."