Manchester City and FC Barcelona meet at the Etihad Stadium tonight, in a titanic Champions League clash between the two.
Both sides go into the game in superb form, with City fimly in contention for a League title, meanwhile, FC Barcelona are in a three way tussle for La Liga, tied on 60 points with Atletico Madrid, and Real Madrid respectively.
The Citizens have also impressed in Europe this season, with Manuel Pellegrini guiding his side out of the group stage, something former manager Roberto Mancini failed to do, in two attempts.
Pellegrini masterminded a superb 4-2 victory away at Bayern Munich at the back end of the group stages, and City’s European pedigree is taking shape very nicely indeed.
City have somewhat stumbled recently, however, they got back on track with a superb 2-0 FA Cup win over title rivals Chelsea, a result which avenged the previous Premier League defeat at the Etihad a week earlier.
However, City will have to be at their best to stop Lionel Messi and company, as Barcelona still have that threat about them, even though they have recently changed manager.
Team news wise, Fernandonho returns to the Manchester City first team fold, in what is a key boost for Pellegrini’s men, the Brazilian midfield dynamo will link up well with fellow centre midfielder, and former Barcelona powerhouse Yaya Toure.
Sergio Aguero will certainly miss the fixture, after the Argentine, who has been out since last month with a hamstring injury – has lost his fight to be fit for the first leg of his side’s Champions League last-16 tie.
Focusing on Barcelona, and the La Liga Champions visit the Etihad with a fine European pedigree throughout the last decade or so, with a team full of stars, which Kompany and his fellow defenders may have a tough time keeping quiet.
However, ever since the departure of Pep Guardiola their aura of invincibility has slipped, with the once feared Barcelona scraping through the group stages including a humbling defeat to ten-man Ajax, confirmed that Tata Martino’s side no longer boast that real fear factor that they had under the Guardiola period.
City will still be wary of the fearsome foursome, and Messi and his team-mates are still kings of their own domestic League, putting six past Reyo Vallecano at the fortress that is the Nou Camp.
Neymar is set to return to the squad following an injury, adding another tool in Barcelona’s box.
By Ben Reardon
@BenReardon1
