Manchester City will welcome an injury-hit Barcelona side to the Etihad Stadium tomorrow where they will look to consolidate their second position in the group. City’s bright start to the campaign has been followed by a 3-3 draw against Celtic and an embarrassing 4-0 defeat at the hands of Barcelona. Although Claudio Bravo’s horrible piece of decision making and the subsequent red card was a major reason for the final score. The Sky Blues will look to end the coming match with 11 men as they seem to have lost that capability against Barcelona, with red cards a usual feature of the clash.
Barcelona, on the other hand, will look to ride over their injury problems and continue their dominance over a City outfit whose defence has again looked extremely brittle this season. They are comfortably perched on top of the group table and will be quietly confident with the irrepressible MSN in their ranks.
Pep Guardiola’s reunion with the side he created history will be a major talking point in the match although he has already faced them with Bayern and once with City. Manchester City will be hoping the Etihad can overcome their morose attitude towards the UEFA and get behind the team in unison as the players will need every inch of support and lift they can gather.
TEAM NEWS
MANCHESTER CITY
Manchester City are almost stagnant in the injury department with most of their first team players fit. But the important position of right-back is still an area of concern with Bacary Sagna out and Zabaleta only just returning to training. Meanwhile, Fabian Delph is still out injured.
BARCELONA
Barcelona have been ravaged by injury recently although they will be glad to have Arda Turan back. The three important first team stars out are Gerard Pique, Iniesta and Jordi Alba, two of whom got injured in the last match against City. Aleix Vidal and Jeremy Mathieu are also missing for the clash.
PREDICTED LINE-UPS
MANCHESTER CITY (4-1-4-1)
Caballero; Fernandinho, Kompany, Stones, Kolarov; Fernando, Gundogan; De Bruyne, Silva, Sterling; Aguero
BARCELONA (4-3-3)
Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Mascherano, Umtiti, Digne; Rakitic, Busquets, Rafinha; Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar
KEY MEN
MANCHESTER CITY
SERGIO AGUERO
The Argentine striker seems to have hit form at the perfect time as he snapped his longest drought in front of goal with a well-taken brace against the Baggies. Left out on the bench last time out against Barcelona, he will be eager to prove a point and City need him firing on all cylinders to have any chance of nicking points off the Nou Camp outfit.
BARCELONA
LIONEL MESSI
The obvious name to consider. He will be a key figure to watch out in every match he plays but against Manchester City he has put in imperious performances every time and is fresh from a hat-trick against them from a couple of weeks back. And City don’t have Joe Hart to thwart Messi this time around.
BETTING ODDS
MANCHESTER CITY-15/8
DRAW-13/5
BARCELONA-6/4
