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City still in awe of big Euro guns
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MANCHESTER City had the perfect opportunity to prove it belongs with Europe’s elite on Tuesday but the English Premier League champion blew it.
A 1-2 loss to Barcelona at the Etihad Stadium barely hinted at the disparity on the pitch.
While City will go to the Nou Camp next month for the second leg of this Champions League, last 16 tie still afloat, it will need to conjure something remarkable to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.
For all the pre-match talk of “no fear” and “fighting fire with fire” Manuel Pellegrini’s side was overwhelmed by a rampant Barcelona before halftime, lacking self-belief.
Luis Suarez scored twice, Lionel Messi cut through City’s lines like a knife through butter and Neymar teased on the left and Andres Iniesta was masterful, keeping Barcelona’s passing carousel turning at a dizzying speed.
For all the big spending by its Abu Dhabi owners, the squad has too many weak links. In 14 Champions League home ties it has only kept one clean sheet. While rival Manchester United’s Old Trafford ground used to be a fortress, City often looks cowed when facing the big guns on home turf.
Looking at the starting line-ups it was hard to make a case for more than a couple of City players making the Barcelona first eleven. Tactically they looked naive.
So it was a surprise to hear Pellegrini say afterwards that his side had played exactly the way he wanted.
But if Barcelona fails to secure its eighth consecutive Champions League quarterfinal appearance, Messi’s failed penalty could well prove its “what if” moment.
Barcelona was leading 2-1 when Messi stepped up to take an added-time spot kick. City goalkeeper Joe Hart denied the Argentina captain and gave the Premier League side a much better chance of overturning the deficit in the second leg at the Nou Camp on March 18.
Despite the setback, Barcelona should have more than enough quality to see off City and midfielder Iniesta said the away success was a “very good” result for the La Liga giant, which bounced back from a surprise defeat to Malaga at the weekend.
Barcelona won 2-0 at City at the same stage last season, before winning the return 2-1. “We should focus on the positive sensations we are taking away from the match,” Iniesta told reporters.
“We dominated for a good length of time and the team did some great work,” added the Spain international.
Meanwhile, Juventus will have to be at its best if it is to overcome Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie to qualify for the quarterfinals, Alvaro Morata said on Tuesday.
Spanish striker Morata hit his maiden Champions League goal for the Italian champion to seal a 2-1 first-leg win in a thrilling encounter in Turin, where Dortmund winger Marco Reus took advantage of a defensive howler to level five minutes after Carlos Tevez’s 13th-minute opener.
Juventus, which lost Andrea Pirlo to a suspected hamstring injury, was much improved in the second half as Dortmund’s first-half efforts at keeping a rein on Juventus’ creative midfielders began to tell.
Yet Massimiliano Allegri’s side went on to spurn several chances to extend its advantage after the restart, leaving Dortmund — beaten finalist two years ago — with a solid chance of progressing.
The sides meet at the BVB Stadion on March 18 and Morata admitted: “It will be an intense atmosphere, we will have to be at our best but we’ll be going there with qualification on our minds.
“It’s the best game I’ve played since I’ve been at Juventus, we did well. But it was a difficult game, Dortmund are a strong side despite the fact they’re having some difficulties in the league.”
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