City have been handed a Champions League sting after learning each group stage game will be followed by an away Premier League fixture.

The Blues will have three home games and three away matches in the group stages and they will be followed by trips to Chelsea, Fulham and QPR as well as north-west derbies against Blackburn, Manchester United and Liverpool.

Here are some dates and info that you need to make a note of for the three knock-out competitions Roberto Mancini’s side are involved in.

The Blues will enter the Carling Cup at the third round stage this season due to Champions League qualification. That means just five wins away from another Wembley final – the dates for this year’s competition are:

Round 3: 21 September

Round 4: 26 October

Round 5: 30 November

Semi-final, first leg: 11 January

Semi-final, second leg: 25 January

Final: 26 February

The Champions League group stages begin in September and it would take 12 games to reach the final in Munich next May. The draw takes place on 25 August in Monaco and the games are played on either a Tuesday or Wednesday with the key dates being:

Matchday 1: 13–14 September 2011

Matchday 2: 27–28 September 2011

Matchday 3: 18–19 October 2011

Matchday 4: 1–2 November 2011

Matchday 5: 22–23 November 2011

Matchday 6: 6–7 December 2011

The Round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals are played over two legs and the final will be on 19 May at the Allianz Arena in Munich.

City begin their defence of the FA Cup on 7 January and will hope the quest ends at Wembley on 5 May. The dates for the 2011/12 competition are:

FA Cup third round: 7 January

FA Cup fourth round: 28 January

FA Cup fifth round:  18 February

FA Cup sixth round: 17 March

FA Cup semi-final: 14 April

FA Cup Final: 5 May