CHAMPIONS LEAGUE : FC BARCELONA VS MANCHESTER CITY
Posted at: 10:00 on Tuesday, February 18, 2014
A match up of gargantuan potential looms when the UEFA Champions League resumes Tuesday night as Manuel Pellegrini’s Manchester City FC hosts Gerardo Martino’s FC Barcelona in the first leg of the round of 16 at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England.
Both sides have produced terrific results and plenty of goals so far this season in their respective leagues and cups, and both could technically be sitting top of the table were it not for the fact that City is a game and three points behind Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea. No one has racked up more goals in the English Premier League and La Liga than City (68 goals in 25 matches) and Barcelona (69 in 24) respectively, which means that whatever goes down over this tie promises to showcase some of the brightest attacking talent in world football today.
Speaking of Chelsea, Pellegrini pulled off a pretty decent warm up Saturday by dispatching the Blues from the FA Cup 2-0. The Chilean manager used his wit and depth to outsmart Mourinho and leave them utterly toothless on the break. Martino, meanwhile, showed that Barça may have hit its stride with an utterly dominant performance against Rayo Vallecano that saw Lionel Messi score twice and assist. Cesc Fàbregas, Pedro Rodríguez, Alexis Sánchez and Andrés Iniesta looked spectacular and dangerous against and Rayo are in just the right place to give the Brits a run for their money.
Team News
Manchester City FC
As mentioned in Enrique’s Man City scouting report, Martino’s counter-attacking threat has been a viable option this season, but City’s sheer size and pace makes it unrealistic. Pellegrini can certainly rely on physicality and set pieces to negate what Barcelona does best: press, possess and attack. Fortunately for the blaugrana, Messi, Jordi Alba and Neymar are all fit and ready to give it a go against a team that is over €1 billion in the making. With Sergio Agüero and possibly Fernandinho (latest reports have him starting), the only notable absences among the sides, Barcelona narrowly edges out City in that department. The rest of the clash will come down to tactical discipline and perhaps some versatility from the bench.
Pellegrini has won four and drawn four of his previous 22 encounters with Barcelona while coaching Real Madrid, Villarreal and Málaga. But this could be the greatest set of players he has had at his disposal, save for perhaps the Real Madrid side of 09/10. Regardless, Pellegrini has the pedigree to get the most of his players, and his most recent season certainly indicates his South American penchant for quick-paced attack has been serving him well in England.
David Silva, Jesús Navas, Samir Nasri, Edin Džeko, Fernandinho–all are extremely quick and/or different players with vast skill sets capable of causing all sorts of problems for Martino. Pellegrini has plenty to consider ahead of Tuesday night. A line-up that relies on force and speed instead of finesse could lack the ability to challenge Barcelona in midfield, thus losing the impetus to gain control of the ball and launch attacks in behind the onrushing full-backs Alba and Daniel Alves. A line-up too possession-based could give Barcelona what it needs from the high press, allowing the Catalans to recover the ball in dangerous positions and force inevitable mistakes out of keeper Joe Hart. Pellegrini will need to account for a direct, down-the-middle onslaught from Messi and company, while being smart enough to not concede set pieces on the always fallible Hart.
In defense, captain Vincent Kompany will likely partner up with either the young Matija Nastasić, veteran Joleon Lescott, or the inconsistent Martín Demichelis. Demichelis has garnered much respect from Pellegrini but his inconsistency in the tackle and tendency to earn fouls is certainly not what the Citizens needs with Messi and Xavi hunting for set pieces.
Gaël Clichy will likely get the start ahead of Aleksandar Kolarov. The Frenchman provides a more dedicated defensive option to deal with Barcelona’s plethora of attacking threats. Pablo Zabaleta is a sure-fire bet at right back. His toughness and grit will do plenty to keep Pedro and Iniesta in check throughout the tie.
On the wings, a titanic battle of blistering pace akin to the Flash vs Quicksilver awaits when Navas is forced to deal with Jordi Alba. Both Spaniards are crucial on their respective flanks and will need to impose their pace on the other to create enough freedom to be effective. Navas could be the ticket if Pellegrini wants to take Alba out of the match, though the versatile and talented James Milner could provide a safer and more stalwart option in attack with ability to possess if necessary.
Not much needs to be said regarding Yaya Touré, whose time at Barcelona is fondly remembered. He and midfielder David Silva have enjoyed spectacular seasons at City and their presence will need to be dealt with accordingly by Busquets and Barcelona’s back four. Nasri could start ahead of Silva, but his fitness is questionable and Silva’s passing could be just the thing to deal with Barcelona’s questionable defensive line.
Up front will be the ominous Álvaro Negredo and possibly Stevan Jovetić or Edin Džeko. Jovetić is the headier option, providing a stronger candidate in creativity than Džeko, although what he has in creativity, he lacks in pure pace. Whoever Pellegrini chooses, there is no relaxing lineup that will assure Barcelona fans of an easy contest.
Predicted Starting Line-up: Hart; Clichy, Kompany, Lescott, Zabaleta; Touré, Silva, Nasri, Navas; Džeko, Negredo.
FC Barcelona
Valdés is a given in net and looks like he will have plenty to deal with in paying attention to Silva or Nasri’s dangerous killer passes. He has been incredible this season and there’s certainly no debate over which of the two teams has the more capable keeper.
Alves and Alba will provide the attacking threat from the back that could be Barça’s boon or downfall. Captain Carles Puyol will likely sit this one out given his fragility this season, paving the way for the aerial supremacy and set piece options in Gerard Piqué and Marc Bartra. Javier Mascherano could be an option in central defense thanks to his pace and big-game experience, but Martino will likely go with as much height as possible to cut down on City’s advantage on the corners. Mascherano’s proneness to error this season has been quite notable as well.
Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta: No question. Experience will see the Catalans through this first leg, and no midfield in modern football has accomplished more than these three together. If Pellegrini has any questions to ask of Barcelona through his pacey midfielders and pressing defenders, these three are the most adept at answering them.
Up front is loaded with questions. Cesc? Neymar? Pedro? The central position is Messi’s and the right flank will be given to a quick and decisive winger, either Pedro or Alexis. The left flank will either be given to Pedro for his hard work and ability to stretch the defense, or Cesc for his direct play, size and clever ability to find the killer ball or get on the ends of Alves or Alba crosses. Who Martino chooses on the left flank will determine if he opts for additional stretching or directness. Neymar, despite looking amazing off the bench against Rayo, is likely not fit enough for the full 90 and could again be saved for the a portion of the second half.
Predicted Starting Line-up: Valdés; Alves, Piqué, Bartra, Alba; Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta; Alexis, Messi, Fàbregas
Result
An Eastlands clash of this magnitude will provide a stirring affair replete with goals and drama galore. Pellegrini and Martino are at the helms of two truly magnificent squads and will be looking to put their stamps on their new tenures at their respective clubs at the expense of the other. Some tall Citizen should get on the board from a set piece and probably some sloppy defending. Lionel Messi, on the other hand, will take advantage of his first professional appearance at the Etihad to make a mark or three.
Manchester City 1 – 3 FC Barcelona
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