CL Last 16 vs Barcelona (feb. 24 & mar. 18)

[Whyruss]

Teams have played defensively this season and worked well against Barca.

Look at the Valencia game where barca were held for 94 min without a goal, until they let their guard down in the final minute and blundered an easy shot from Messi and Busquets in literally the last 10 seconds of the match. We need to play defensively and keep neymar away from making runs. Suarez has been assisting more than actually scoring and messi can be controlled. They will be playing in the CDR cup as well so their schedule will be no less busy then ours.

No, it was a cross from Messi and header from Neymar who was 5 yards out. Diego Alves pulled out a miracle save but couldn't hold on to the ball and so Busquets finished it off.
I really like City but I'm a longtime Barcafan. It's a pity that we meet again in the 1/8 finals... but I hope it's going to be an open match with a lot of goals and spectacular football.
Btw I wouldn't worry about Barca getting a pen - we are not Real! (of all goals CR scored in La Liga this season about 40% are from pens)

Yeah I think this will be not much different than the last time, considering our teams aren't really that different. Except you added Suarez. So yeah, a Barca win most likely. We need luck IMO

It depends... the most important new player for Barca this season (till now) it Rakitic IMO. Xavi doesn't have the legs anymore and Iniesta is far from his top form. Also Luchos strange formations don't always turn out to be the best... and I remember Barca having massive problems with Aguero when he played at Atleti. Don't think he's got any worse ;-). It's going to be a close one.

 

[Segga]

Just let it ride regarding flight prices if they are too expensive for you. We ended up over paying last year, they came back down again in the new year.

 

[bluetoby]

Just booked 3 out of Manchester Tues back Thurs night £160 including hotel in center couldn't grumble

Where did you book that mate?

hold that there on the phone now demanding an extra £500 for the flights wankers

 

[jrb]

Good day.

Flights from Liverpool, £230 for the 2 of us.

Soho Hotel. Superior room with queen size bed, extended living space and private terrace with panoramic views of Barcelona, for 4 nights, £230.(last one , special offer)

£460 in total. :-)

 

[Wilf Wild 1937]

Hopefully everyone will be fit

Hart
Zaba Kompany mangala clichy
Navas Fernando Fernandinho Milner
Silva
Aguero

Yaya is suspended for the home leg but in all honesty I don't see a space for him in that team anyway unless Silva gets injured, he can't play in a midfield 2 against a team like these and we can't play 3 in midfield as the fullbacks need protecting, plus a 3 man midfield would force Silva onto the wings, stifling his attacking threat and leaving our fullbacks wide open

That would be my selection as well. It's a bit rough on Nasri but Navas makes us more solid and gives us pace.
If we win the physical battle, which I think we will, we have a chance.
Yaya, for me, is a liability in Europe against this standard of opposition. Sad but we all get old.
The bench will give us plenty of attacking options if we need them.

 

[hihosilva]

I'm convinced we can do them this year with a fit Aguero. Last year if I remember he missed the first leg through injury and played the second leg but was he no where near match fit.

 

[gazzaa2]

Watched a lot of Barca this season. Defensively and in midfield they're woeful. The manager looks out of his depth. What they do have is a genius in Messi who can win games on his own but so can Aguero. Neymar and Suarez aren't bad either.

Barca were a poor side last season as well and Pellegrini paid them far too much respect. He'll learn from that.

Would have been better to get Monaco but Bayern and Real were the main ones to avoid. Even Atletico are a better team than Barca.

 

[Sergi0 Na5r1]

Watched a lot of Barca this season. Defensively and in midfield they're woeful. The manager looks out of his depth. What they do have is a genius in Messi who can win games on his own but so can Aguero. Neymar and Suarez aren't bad either.

Barca were a poor side last season as well and Pellegrini paid them far too much respect. He'll learn from that.

Would have been better to get Monaco but Bayern and Real were the main ones to avoid. Even Atletico are a better team than Barca.

And Real Madrid. That might have been a disaster. They look as strong as last year but now have Kroos and James.

Completely agree with Enrique being poor. He doesn't have half the skill of Tata tactically and its the fact that their old legends are still strong keeping them in contention for the La Liga top spots.

 

[johnnytapia]

What the fucking hell is wrong with people? All this defeatist shite - “draw rigged, ref will be shite, it had to be us v Barca, it had to be us in the hardest game” - get a fucking grip. The draw was made. We got Barca. Get over it, quit fucking whinging and roll on both games. Beaten before we’ve played the game - fuck off and stay at home where your cribbing’s out of earshot from the team and all of us who think this is a fucking great draw, just the sort of game we can use to go to the next level.

 

[robertsuki]

Watched a lot of Barca this season. Defensively and in midfield they're woeful. The manager looks out of his depth. What they do have is a genius in Messi who can win games on his own but so can Aguero. Neymar and Suarez aren't bad either.

Barca were a poor side last season as well and Pellegrini paid them far too much respect. He'll learn from that.

Would have been better to get Monaco but Bayern and Real were the main ones to avoid. Even Atletico are a better team than Barca.

We could not have played Bayern in the next round anyway as they qualified from our group.