Barcelona vs Manchester City: Guardiola aiming to avenge Camp Nou humiliation
When the Champions League group stage draw was made last month, all eyes were quickly drawn to the prospect of Barcelona and Manchester City facing off. Pep Guardiola returns to Camp Nou for the second time as opposing manager, hoping for a much-improved performance after his first trip back to Barcelona. As Bayern Munich manager, he oversaw a 3-0 loss in Catalonia as his side were comfortably overcome in the first leg of their semi-final with the eventual 2015 champions.
He now has the chance to make amends on Wednesday night as he takes his Manchester City outfit to Spain. City’s recent form though is underwhelming after a blistering start to the campaign, with Guardiola’s side having failed to win their last three matches in all competitions, although they were desperately unlucky in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Everton. Nevertheless, it’s hardly the ideal preparation for the daunting meeting with the blaugrana, with Luis Enrique’s side gearing up for the fixture with a 4-0 win over Deportivo La Coruña.
Group C’s top two teams know a positive result is vital as they look to secure a favourable draw in the next round of Champions League, with the pair widely expected to secure a place in the knockout stages of the competition. Of course, the primary focus in the build up to the encounter will be how the two teams line up. Barcelona’s welcome of Manchester City is certainly going to be an enthralling tactical encounter between two managers who aren’t afraid to tinker with their systems in-play.
Enrique also took a similar path to management, taking over as Barcelona B manager in 2008 following Guardiola’s promotion to the senior side. The pair proved to be relatively well versed in one another’s managerial approach having won one and lost one of their two meetings thus far. Of the two match ups, one was Guardiola’s aforementioned 3-0 loss at Camp Nou, during which Guardiola lined his side up with a three-man defence.
Interestingly, the Spaniard did so in the weekend’s 1-1 draw with Everton for the first time in the Premier League since his appointment. Enrique also utilised a similar system in their 4-0 win over Deportivo, having done so in the 5-1 win at Leganes earlier in the campaign. Everton, though, don’t boast a similar standard of firepower as Barcelona. When Guardiola started with the three-man defence woith Bayern at Camp Nou, Barcelona’s frontline consisted of the famous trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
The three are expected to feature again this week after Messi was rested at the weekend and it’s perhaps vital Guardiola opts against calling on a three-man backline for the second game running. Jerome Boateng, Medhi Benatia and Rafinfa were the three defenders Guardiola utilised on that May evening in 2015, with the trio arguably stronger than Nicolas Otamendi, John Stones and Gael Clichy, the three defenders called upon in Saturday’s stalemate. It’s unlikely Guardiola will run the risk of using a similar system at Camp Nou for a second time running, particularly with Messi, Suarez and Neymar all in fine form.
It’s arguably Suarez who he must be wary of. Bayern’s 3-0 loss at Barcelona will forever be remembered by Messi’s driving run at Boateng, causing confusion in the Bayern defence, before the Argentine found a way past Manuel Neuer. Suarez, though, is La Liga’s joint-top goalscorer with six goals to his name and two goals in the Champions League this season. Of course, it’s impossible to discount Messi and Neymar from the equation - which is what makes stopping this Barca side from threatening near impossible - and the former's three goals in Europe’s elite competition is the joint-best return, level with compatriot and City star Sergio Aguero.
City of course aren’t without their own attacking weapons, with Aguero complemented by the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, David Silva and - a player familiar with the teachings of Enrique and Guardiola - Nolito. City’s attacking stars have the ability to put the Barcelona defence to the sword on their day. Arguably, Barcelona’s welcome of City promises to be the tie of the round, particularly with their Champions League rating this season ranking second (Barcelona - 7.41) and third (City - 7.35) respectively.
Guardiola will be desperate to avoid a similar result on this visit to Camp Nou, but it may be vital he avoids deploying a three-man defensive system if he is to come away with a positive result. Barcelona’s offensive trident is the most effective in world football after all and, as proven in Bayern’s 3-0 defeat to the Spanish side last May, has the ability to ensure City endure a miserable evening in Spain this week.
Who do you think will come out on top when Barcelona welcome Manchester City on Wednesday night? Let us know in the comments below
