Manchester City get ready to host Barcelona for the second year in a row in Champions League knockout stage. Last season, City ended on the wrong side of a 4-1 score line. One year on City have grown wiser and have gained more experience in Champions League so this time around, it won’t be a forgone conclusion like many are predicting it to be.
Manchester City and Barcelona come in to the game with contrasting form behind their back. Manchester City went away and came up with a polished 5-0 win over Newcastle, whereas Barcelona lost 1-0 at home to Malaga. The loss could make Barcelona more determined to do well against City, which cannot be a good sign for Manuel Pellegrini and Co.
Tactical Preview,Team news, Possible Lineups, Stats and Prediction
Manchester City
Manuel Pellegrini will miss the former Barcelona man Yaya Toure big-time for this all important clash. City have shown signs of venerability when the big man is missing from the playing 11.
Manchester City will sweat on the fitness of James Milner, who did manage to train today ahead of this mega clash and is expected to be a part of City’s playing 11 against Barcelona. City will go with a rigid 4-2-3-1 formation in this game.
City will look to play on the counter with Sergio Aguero deployed as the lone striker and allowing David Silva, Samir Nasri and James Milner to play behind him. Playing Milner gives the City side much needed defensive cover in games like this. Pellegrini however, will be tempted to use Jesus Navas due to his speed and make sure Barcelona full back Jordi Alba does not enjoy too much time around City’s penalty area.
Fernandinho and Fernando will have a big shoes to fill in absence of Yaya Toure. Barcelona like to stretch the game out wide to Lionel Messi and Neymar. The two Brazilians will have to make sure that the game remains in the centre of the midfield. Fernandinho will have to tackle Andres Iniesta out of the game and do not allow Sergio Busquests too much time on the ball.
Manchester City have been unsure in their full back position lately. Pablo Zabaleta and Gael Clichy will have their hands full dealing with Lionel Messi and Neymar in either of the flanks. City will be the home side but they must not press higher up the field or else, one swift Barcelona counter and they will be left chasing the game.
Centrally Vincent Kompany will be busy dealing with false movement of Luis Suarez. The second defender (most likely it will be Eliaquim Mangala) will have the all-important job of cutting down the space for the likes of Iniesta, Neymar and Messi to make their darting runs.
Probable Lineup: Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Joe Hart; Gaël Clichy, Eliaquim Mangala, Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta; Fernandinho, Fernando; James Milner, David Silva, Jesús Navas; Sergio Agüero.
Barcelona
Barcelona will look to keep it simple and straight. Playing with a fluid 4-3-3 formation with Neymar and Lionel Messi looking to create havoc in City’s wide positions and allowing Luis Suarez to make runs in the box to trouble the likes of Kompany and Mangala.
Barcelona thrive on their supplies from their wide area. Full backs Dani Alves and Jordi Alba are one of the best in the world in bombing forward and supply the balls to their front men. Ivan Rakitic has settled in the Barcelona side beautifully. Alongside Iniesta, Rakitic controls the midfield for Barcelona.
Sergio Busquests is the man who does the dodgy work for Barcelona in the midfield. For City to get anything from the game, they will have to make sure, Busquests does not have enough of the ball.
Probable Lineup: Barcelona (4-3-3): Claudio Bravo; Jordi Alba, Javier Mascherano, Gerard Piqué, Dani Alves; Andrés Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitić; Neymar, Luis Suárez, Lionel Messi.
Interesting Statistics
- The two side’s collision in last season’s round of 16 was their first competitive meeting.
- City had a man sent off in each of those games, Martin Demichelis in the first leg and the full-back Pablo Zabaleta in the second.
- This will be only the second time that City have played in the round of 16. Meanwhile, Barcelona are competing in it for the 11th year in a row.
- Barcelona have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League in each of the last seven seasons.
- Aguero has 5 goals in 10 games against Barcelona from his Atletico Madrid days.
- City have never reached the quarter-finals of the competition, but their manager Pellegrini has made it there on 3 occasions. Twice with Villareal and once with Malaga.
Prediction
Barcelona have a better attacking side, although their defense is not at the same standard as their front play which I am sure Sergio Aguero will look to exploit at some stage of the game. City’s inexperience as a squad and on individual basis as well at this level will be the deciding factor in this game.
Yaya Toure’s absence will be all the more crucial for Manuel Pellegrini and his side. Barcelona will want to put things right after their league defeat against Malaga on the weekend. All the factors point towards a Barcelona win.
I am going with a 2-1 win for Barcelona on the night and carry the away goal advantage in the seond leg at Nou Camp.
Stats Credit: Opta