Champions League 2016-17 | Group C

What's shocking is that Pep keeps using Zaba

i think pep did good. goals cames from individual mistakes. and the red card always helps us out. gives us yards of space and we operator alot better in stretched out fields. 10 vs 10 would suit us perfectly. front three connected. iniesta and rakitic had zero control over midfield (11 vs 11) wich is worrying

John Stones really let City down there. He had 2 clear cut scoring opportunities and turned into a statue for one of Barca's decisive goals.

just re-speedwatched this. Never before was there a game where I was unequivaocally rooting for Barca like tonight

What a pleasure. Imagine supporting a team which has Messi

What a great experience, and a wonderful result

Pretty unbelievable how most Barca fans can still be such sour, bitter, humourless pricks despite having such an easy time served each week

Also, Stones

what an absolute shit defender, with his supposed saving grace being that he's actually so reckless to try to dribble three opponents as the last man.
Might as well play Thiago Alcantara as CB

Even if we won CL 5 times a row, my blood would still boil over the Uefa's consistent way of making Barca games artificially even with biased refs.

Pep

Can't wait to watch this tonight

At first, I thought he was just kidding with his constant whining and conspiracy theories, but now, I think there's a slight chance he actually might be serious, and to that I gotta say: oh wow!

Doc wrote:Thank goodness for that Fernandinho slip or else this would have been one dreary half of football by two teams you really wouldn't have expect such a thing from.

You should have watched Celtic vs Gladbach, which was pretty entertaining

Guardiola needs more time at City. I would have been satisfied with the performance if I were Guardiola. Despite a few errors and lack of luck, City had equalled Barcelona at Camp Nou. The scoreline doesn't judge Citizens' performance right. People should judge this team at the end of the season, and I know that they will win EPL and also do well in the Champions League. And next year they'll be a force to cause fear for every big team in the world.

Regarding Barcelona, there are two main positives here:

1- Umtiti who looks like he can be the best CB Barcelona have signed since they brought Piqué back from United. He is a no-nonsense player with great athleticism, exactly what Barça need. He doesn't stand out like Daniel Passarella would with Hollywood tackles and heroic antics, he just does what he is supposed to do quietly, and does it well. Obviously we should save judgement after a few more games, but future is looking bright for the Frenchman.

2- Digne. He already looks better than that fraud Alba who has the body of a 16 year old girl and gets outmuscled and outjumped by your average winger. He may not quite have the work rate Alba displays but he is hands down a better defender. Stronger, more intelligent and confident in his abilities. Really liked what I saw. I hope he benches Alba for good.

I'm a fan of both Barca and City and I actually expected a close match between these two teams. I was kinda shocked with City's performance.

Winter is Coming wrote:What's shocking is that Pep keeps using Zaba

Sagna is injured (but they're both underwhelming RBs for Man City by now).

All of city's fullbacks are underwhelming.

Kolarov, Clichy, Sagna, Zabaleta

This isn't 2012 ffs.

danyjr wrote:Guardiola needs more time at City. I would have been satisfied with the performance if I were Guardiola. Despite a few errors and lack of luck, City had equalled Barcelona at Camp Nou. The scoreline doesn't judge Citizens' performance right. People should judge this team at the end of the season, and I know that they will win EPL and also do well in the Champions League. And next year they'll be a force to cause fear for every big team in the world.

Regarding Barcelona, there are two main positives here:

1- Umtiti who looks like he can be the best CB Barcelona have signed since they brought Piqué back from United. He is a no-nonsense player with great athleticism, exactly what Barça need. He doesn't stand out like Daniel Passarella would with Hollywood tackles and heroic antics, he just does what he is supposed to do quietly, and does it well. Obviously we should save judgement after a few more games, but future is looking bright for the Frenchman.

2- Digne. He already looks better than that fraud Alba who has the body of a 16 year old girl and gets outmuscled and outjumped by your average winger. He may not quite have the work rate Alba displays but he is hands down a better defender. Stronger, more intelligent and confident in his abilities. Really liked what I saw. I hope he benches Alba for good.

I really hope so, if our defense are solid, we are in much better shape to compete this season than initially thought.

Huge match for Pep. They will genuinely be struggling for 2nd spot if Barca win here and BMG win elsewhere.

Barca are not in their greatest spell either atm but you always expect MSN to deliver.

Yeah, we're not in great shape, but Messi hates Guardiola and Suarez hates England, so City will obviously get smashed.

as much as I dislike City, them getting beat 4-0 last time by Barca was a freak result. Should be much closer this time around. The scoreline in the previous match didn't tell the entire story. Still expect Barca to win but narrowly. 3-2 IMO

inb4 another thrashing.

City won't win.

It depends Barca's form is awful, could be a draw is most likely.

I respect Pep a lot, but he needs to make a statement here. I understand that the last time these two met, he lost under unfortunate circumstances. This time around, he has no excuse, and he must demonstrate why he's widely perceived by many to be one of the best managers working today.

I respect both teams, but since I'm an avid fan of Spanish football, I'm rooting for Barça.

Good luck to both of you!

Pep's City will surely attack & not sit back & that means lots of space for MSN up front. Add to that City's laughable defence.

I will say 1-3.

Easy win for Barca. 2+ goals from Messi.

Normally Barca should win this easily and I really hope they don't let us down here.

RealGunner wrote:Huge match for Pep. They will genuinely be struggling for 2nd spot if Barca win here and BMG win elsewhere.

Problem is that City won 4:0 against BMG in Manchester, so they will definitely have the superior H2H.

Valkyrja wrote:Easy win for Barca. 2+ goals from Messi.

Nice try, overruled.

Draw.

Need a Barca win. No *bleep* around please.

Showdown at the Borussia Park would be epic