Manuel Pellegrini has voiced his concerns over the state of the pitch for Wednesday's Champions League match in Moscow.
City are scheduled to play their third match in Group D against CSKA at the Khimki Arena stadium, a ground that their hosts share with Dinamo.
However, UEFA ordered CSKA to stage their earlier home game against Viktoria Plzen in St Petersburg - 394 miles northwest of the Russian capital - because of the condition of the playing surface at the 18,000-capacity stadium.
Manuel Pellegrini: "It is unbelievable that we can play on this pitch.
"We must pray because if it rains it will be impossible to play.
"I think the most important competition in the world deserves a better pitch.
"I am surprised because they didn't allow the other game against Viktoria Plzen to be played here and I think that the person from UEFA who reviewed it shouldn't have given the authorisation to play here."