Soccer Champions League

Manchester City vs. Barcelona First Leg: Game Preview, Prediction

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By @DFresh39

 

2015 champions league Manchester City v Barcelona

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A rematch from last year’s Champions League Round of 16 will take place on Tuesday as Manchester City will host Barcelona. The La Liga giants knocked out the Premier League champions 4-1 on aggregate last year.

Players and personnel from both sides are familiar with one another, but this is still new ground for Manchester City. This is only their second appearance in the Round of 16, while Barcelona is making their 11th straight appearance. The Catalan club has the edge in the tie, but the first leg might not mimic the end result.

Since beating Bayern Munich on the last matchday of group play, Manchester City have gone through some struggles. They are 7-4-2 in the 13 matches since that game, but are coming off an impressive win in the Premier League. They beat Newcastle 5-0 to bring confidence into the match. City are 2-2-1 against Spanish clubs at home and hope a win at home can catapult them into the quarterfinals for the first time.

Barcelona are seeking their eighth consecutive trip to the quarterfinals, and are 7-8-14 away at English opposition. Although they lost this past weekend for the first time in 12 matches, they have been firing on all cylinders, averaging almost four goals per game. Their level of aggression has increased along with fewer rotations in the starting XI.

City will have to find more production than they did in the group stage. They scored nine goals in 70 total attempts. However, they will be without Yaya Toure, who is finishing a three-game match ban. James Milner may also be sidelined with a knee injury. Luckily for the Citizens, Sergio Aguero has busted out of his goal drought.

Barcelona comes in as a very healthy squad. Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez have all found their form. They have scored 26, 17 and four goals in La Liga respectively. The superstars of Barcelona will be able to create chances, especially if they keep possession over 60 percent of the time as they did in the group stage.

City will have to stay clean as they had a man sent off in both matches of this fixture last year. Manuel Pellegrini will likely employ an additional midfielder with Fernando as a near lock. Frank Lampard, Fernandinho and Jesus Navas are all likely to be deployed to slow down the Barcelona attack. Eliaquim Mangala played well in the group stage and gives Pellegrini another option. Regardless of personnel, City will try to keep this affair low-scoring.

Prediction: 1-1 Draw

Douglas Smith is a soccer writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @DFresh39, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.

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