Gerard Pique has told his Barcelona teammates to make the most of Yaya Toure's absence in tonight's Champions League visit to Manchester City.

The powerful midfielder will sit out City's first-leg round-of-16 clash as he serves the last of a three-game suspension.

Pique knows all about the big Ivorian having played alongside him for two years at the Camp Nou, and the Spaniard warns that Barca must capitalise on his former teammate's absence.

"Toure is a very, very important player. He was at Barca. Now he is a more attacking player," he told reporters at a news conference.

"When he plays and when he doesn't, there is a difference, but we just have to look at ourselves."

Manuel Pellegrini's side warmed up for the encounter with a 5-0 demolition of Newcastle United on Saturday, while the Blaugrana lost 1-0 at home to Malaga.

Written by
Shane Callaghan