Keeping it real. City and the Spanish giants.

[Anonymous]

Real are definitely beatable. Great team as they are, there are times they don't appear cohesive and a team playing on the counter could hurt them.

I think on the occasions we go defensive, I think we are probably the best equipped team in the Premier League to play against Barca in a bid to get a result. However, I think we (as well as the rest of English football) are still a huge distance behind that team and getting a result against Barca is probably beyond us currently.

I'd agree we are probably the best equipped to deal with Barca but how can you say Real are beatable. In a knockout tournament Real are the one team that will almost definitely put us out. They have some brilliant players and the best manager in the world. He is the master of mind games (see Gaurdiola losing it last year) and the master of organisation. Unitl the ref decided that he wanted Barca to go through last year, the "best team ever" could quite simply not get through Madrid. They were fast running out of ideas and as usual resorted to cheating.

I don't disagree with you mate. Having watched both of those, I just think out of the two RM are the ones with a small vulnerability that could be exploited whereas with Barca, it's hard to see the chink the armour.

 

[Unknown_Genius]

Is anyone concerned by Mancini's CL record with Inter?

Yes. Our displays in the Europa League last season were nothing to write home about really too.

Do people think Mancini is better than Mourinho?

No. Mourinho's record speaks for itself. His dedication, and attention to small details, and preparation is immense. Everyone talks about that second leg at the Nou Camp, where they stopped the best team in the world playing (with 10 men for most of the game), but the first leg, when they hammered them 3-1 often gets forgotten about.

 

[jonny689]

I think they are both miles ahead of anyone tbh. Lets face it Messi isn't going to be
shitting himself at the prospect of coming up against Milner or barry is he?? There is
still a long way to go but we are making progress. Definitely some area's in which we
can improve though.

 

[Salfordian Blue]

Us on top form, assuming Aguero is a hit...?

I'm really not sure. That I'm not saying "we'd get slaughtered!!" is a sign of just how far we have come.

Real Madrid are my pick for the Champs League this year by the way. Us? If we do half as well as the spuds I'll be happy.

This season is our chance to wet our feet in europe. Hopefully this time next year we'll be ready to dive right in at the deep end.

 

[zangatangring]

Sorry for the bump. Barca would be exposed through our set piece prominence. It undoes even the most aerially competent of teams! I'm sure that's the approach that Mancini would undertake.