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Barcelona logo
Champions League | Round-Of-16
Mar 12, 2014 at 7.45pm UK
 
Manchester City logo

2-1

Messi (67'), Alves (90')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Kompany (89')

Preview: Barcelona vs. Manchester City

Sports Mole previews Wednesday's last-16 Champions League second leg between Barcelona and Manchester City at the Camp Nou.

Barcelona welcome Manchester City to the Camp Nou for the second leg of their last-16 Champions League clash on Tuesday holding a 2-0 lead from the first leg in Manchester.

A penalty from Lionel Messi and a late strike from Dani Alves ensured that the Spanish side secured an advantage ahead of the return leg in Barcelona.

The home side have reached at least the final four of the Champions League in their last six attempts, while they have lost just one of their last 25 European matches at the Camp Nou, with that defeat occurring against Bayern Munich in the semi-finals last season.

The Catalan outfit have also progressed in 32 of the 34 European knockout matches in which they won the away first leg, but they enter the match off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Real Valladolid in La Liga at the weekend.

City, meanwhile, also enter the match off the back of a disappointing result having lost 2-1 to Championship outfit Wigan Athletic in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

The English outfit have never faced Barcelona in a competitive match at the Camp Nou, but they were victorious last time out on the road in Europe – a 3-2 win over holders Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

The Spanish champions have no fresh injury concerns from the weekend, but head coach Gerardo Martino has decisions to make in both midfield and attack. Andres Iniesta is expected to be available following a personal issue, but could miss out with Xavi, Sergio Busquets and Cesc Fabregas selected in midfield.

Pedro, Alexis Sanchez or Neymar will also miss out in attack, meanwhile, with Messi, who has scored seven times in Europe this season, leading the line.

City are still without the injured Matija Nastasic, while Martin Demichelis is suspended after seeing red in the first leg last month. As a result, Joleon Lescott should slot into the centre-back position alongside skipper Vincent Kompany.

Argentine forward Sergio Aguero, who missed the first leg through injury, will also start for the visitors, but Edin Dzeko and Alvaro Negredo, who have struggled in recent weeks, are both expected to be named on the bench.

Recent form

Barcelona: WWLWL

City: WLWWL

Possible starting lineups

Barcelona: Valdes; Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba; Xavi, Fabregas, Busquets; Neymar, Messi, Sanchez

City: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy; Fernandinho, Toure; Navas, Nasri, Silva; Aguero

Sports Mole says: 2-2


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Written by
Matt Law
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Manchester City's Vincent Kompany celebrates after scoring his team's fifth goal against Tottenham during their Premier League match on January 29, 2014
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