CL: FC Barcelona 2 - Manchester City FC 1

12.03.14
Wednesday
20:45 CET

3-1 should be doable for City.

I doubt that would happen.....We will be out, but not at this stage. Its camp nou and we are in 2 goal lead. that will somehow save us.
For the next stages, we can now concentrate on CL better since the league is gone, no??

IMO it can happen very quickly. City have nothing to lose so they'll come out all guns blazing. When Silva, Negredo, Agüero, Nasri etc. come in full attack mode they can quickly score 2 from open play. 1 goal from a set piece is also guaranteed. If Iniesta can't play which is possible and understandable we'll go 4-3-3 with Cesc in midfield = no midfield control at all. Even worse I suspect Tata is the type of coach who would try to hold on to the 2 goal lead and play deep on the counter which this team can't do and we'll suffer enormous amount of pressure.

Overall I wouldn't be mad if we get knocked out now. Making it any further is a waste of time as we are nowhere close to winning this competition anyway this season. We'd only get embarrassed again in the later stages.

Fußball wrote:IMO it can happen very quickly. City have nothing to lose so they'll come out all guns blazing. When Silva, Negredo, Agüero, Nasri etc. come in full attack mode they can quickly score 2 from open play. 1 goal from a set piece is also guaranteed. If Iniesta can't play which is possible and understandable we'll go 4-3-3 with Cesc in midfield = no midfield control at all. Even worse I suspect Tata is the type of coach who would try to hold on to the 2 goal lead and play deep on the counter which this team can't do and we'll suffer enormous amount of pressure.

Overall I wouldn't be mad if we get knocked out now. Making it any further is a waste of time as we are nowhere close to winning this competition anyway this season. We'd only get embarrassed again in the later stages.

100% agree, my thoughts on 2nd leg and UCL this season.

*bleep* me, you won 2:0 AWAY at city and now you're going on how you expect to go out and how that would be ok.

City have no CL experience, they can easily be beaten.

However steep you perceive your decline it surely isn't THAT bad.

Pellegrini lost to Lyon with Madrid. He is a average manager getting overhyped for one great season with Malaga and a good history in La Liga.

You will get through.

If they beat us at the Camp Nou (doubtful), it won't be in a 2-0, 3-0, 3-1 fashion. As far as I'm concerned, the tie is done. Besides, we'll step it up since it's Man City and the UCL.

The players care more. I feel like in the vallodolid game some players just couldn't be arsed. Perhaps it was fatigue due to FIFA virus, though.

We can get through and I think we will.

But what's the point, whenever we face another team of that kind of level and cant get one of their guys sent off, we will get exposed.

I think City have what it takes to beat Barcelona 2-0 even at Camp Nou, but with Pellegrini at helm and a team that respects Barcelona too much they won't. What is important though, is next round, where in my opinion:

• PSG will annihilate Barcelona.
  
• Madrid will annihilate Barcelona.
  
• Bayern will annihilate Barcelona.
  
  
• Dortmund will be 50-50.
  
• Chelsea will be 50-50.
  
• Atlético will be 50-50.
  
  
• Olympiakos are probably the only team that will bend over for Barcelona to walk past through.
  

I don't really think City have what it takes. We score the first goal and then City players realize they have to score 3 to win. At a stadium where 90,000 names are chanting against them. Don't really think they have the mental fortitude for it.

But I do agree that with our recent performances it will be hard to get into semis this year.

Possible line-up (vs City): Valdes - Alves Pique Mascherano Alba - Xavi Busquets Cesc - Neymar Messi Iniesta #fcblive [md]

The "I have no concept so I'm throwing in all the big names and see what happens" lineup. Tata.

Awful line up.

Again, no players running in behind. That team will keep the ball all day and not threaten the goal, just as Tata would like.

The Franchise wrote:

Awful line up.

Again, no players running in behind. That team will keep the ball all day and not threaten the goal, just as Tata would like.

Putting in a bunch of names that will keep in the ball...and then Cesc in the midfield

With Aguero being a sure-starter (Pelle can't bench his best player) I don't really see the point for an extra midfielder. Praying for Busi-Xavi-Iniesta midfield.

Either way I won't be able to watch this match.

This thread is depressing, and a bit far again   

august we looked meh, the rest up until december was great, January was meh Feb till now was facepalm lets not overreact and base our whole season on a few weeks of bad form.

I agree though the team looks so unmotivated and zero ambition but when they put the national team shirt.. its a whole different story.
I honestly think Messi and company are just saving energy not trying 100% just so they don't injure themself to miss out on the world cup.

Also if the stuff about Iniesta is true I hope he doesn't play against City, he might not be fully there..

bunch of glory hunters... How can you call your self a fan, if you lose the faith and stop supporting the team the moment they start losing! Especially, a group of players that formed the best team ever, gave their best to the club and won all major trophies in recent years (at least twice)!


On Topic:
We won 2-0 away against the best team in England, what do you want more?

@fussball & @matpol If you don't have faith in this team, you can simply go support Bayern and Pep! [you already did lol]

@freecat lol I'll support this team and won't judge them until the last second of the season, we're still competing on all 3 competitions....

@The Franchise Are you kidding me, they played with 10 men because they deserve to!!!! Demichelis who was the last man made a clear foul on Messi who was one on one v Hart. We would have been 1-0 up anyway....

We need to control the game, we're 2-0 up. Playing with 4 midfielder [Busquets Xavi Cesc and Iniesta] with Messi & Neymar/Alexis/Pedro upfront is a wise decision!

We already won against City and RM using this lineup...

The thing is that we only play with 2 forwards, and both of those 2 forwards are not pressing or making runs, how will we create spaces and opportunities from them?

Saying that the tactical scheme is wrong doesn't make you any less of a fan.

Khaled wrote:bunch of glory hunters... How can you call your self a fan, if you lose the faith and stop supporting the team the moment they start losing! Especially, a group of players that formed the best team ever, gave their best to the club and won all major trophies in recent years (at least twice)!


On Topic:
We won 2-0 away against the best team in England, what do you want more?

@fussball & @matpol If you don't have faith in this team, you can simply go support Bayern and Pep! [you already did lol]

@freecat lol I'll support this team and won't judge them until the last second of the season, we're still competing on all 3 competitions....

@The Franchise Are you kidding me, they played with 10 men because they deserve to!!!! Demichelis who was the last man made a clear foul on Messi who was one on one v Hart. We would have been 1-0 up anyway....

We need to control the game, we're 2-0 up. Playing with 4 midfielder [Busquets Xavi Cesc and Iniesta] with Messi & Neymar/Alexis/Pedro upfront is a wise decision!

We already won against City and RM using this lineup...

I am sorry but who are you to question how other people support the team? I respect anyone who says their true opinion, even if it highly critical because they at least arent sticking their head in the sand and pretending everything is great.

As for directly relating to me. Yeah, they served 10 men...so what? How is that the point of my post? My point was them having 10 men made it easier for us, and if that situation never happened, who knows what might of happened in the game. We didnt look good 11 v 11 at all.

Whilst I disagree with the manner in which khaled is approaching his defense of the team, I must agree that the attitude displayed by many here contains an abhorrently negative tone. Whether this may be attributed to the epidemic of 'reverse jinxing' throughout the forum or whether it reflects a sincere attitude I am unsure, however the fact that posters are comfortable with the idea of being knocked out whilst holding a two goal lead against a side with no European pedigree who just got curb stomped by Wigan - for the second time - with the home leg to play is beyond comprehension. Teams have bad games, teams play with poor attitudes and teams lose. They then bounce back. What happened this weekend is irrelevant to your 'chances' of not throwing away an incredibly strong lead.

We're talking about a club so dense that the management didn't realise they only needed one more goal to top their group against Bayern. If they somehow get a lead they'll probably park and be happy. I completely understand the reservations concerning your chances later in the competition, however you can only win it if you're in it. A lot can happen in a month or three and there is no reason to fear any other side in the competition.

I am talking about negative reactions from fans here what ever Tata/Team does. People were asking Barcelona to be more direct, Tata worked on it, in some games it worked well in others it didn't work... Now, they're talking about lack of control. Yet, your against playing with 4 midfielders...

It worked well against RM & City. Its the wisest decision in my opinion. I am just not sure who should play alongside Messi in the attack.

Neymar recently hasn't played well, Alexis in 1st leg against City worked very hard but couldn't get in good position to score which you need when playing with 2 forwards. Pedro is a better finisher than both, I think he should play with Messi upfront.

I wonder why he's not used closer to the goal, its always Alexis/Ney who play in front of Messi (v Valladolid for example, when trying the 3-4-3). Although, Pedro is better in front of the goal and Ney/Alexis better dribblers...

For the ones who are bashing Tata, did you forgot Guardiola's lineup against RM 2009/10?
Remember the 0-2 against Pellegrini's Madrid!

The Franchise wrote:We didnt look good 11 v 11 at all.

We looked even against the team in the EPL that has the best home record.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:

The Franchise wrote:We didnt look good 11 v 11 at all.

We looked even against the team in the EPL that has the best home record.

exactly, in addition to the fact that Messi's chance was created while we were 11 v 11. It would have been 0-1 if not for that foul by Demichelis!

For those who forgot, Guardiola's Barcelona against Pellegrini's RM in 2009/10 at the Bernabeu...

At Camp Nou: