Barcelona vs Manchester City: Pep Guardiola’s Veiled Offer To Lionel Messi

Once it was obvious that Manchesster City’s long-serving goalkeeper, Joe Hart, wasn’t compatible with the type of footballing philosphy Pep Guardiola wanted to implement at Manchester City, the club’s top management began a frantic search for a goalkeeper with the right profile.

We do wonder how that one went down in Turin. “We know it will be more hard than previous seasons”, Enrique said while referring to the 3-1 aggregate win that the Catalans enjoyed over the citizens in 2015.

The England global added: “I think we can go to Barcelona and get a big result with how we’ve been playing”.

The Catalans are unbeaten at the Nou Camp in the Champions League since 2013 but attacking idealogue Guardiola said his team would not stray from their usual style of play.

Despite scoring five goals in six Premier League matches and another six goals in Champions League qualifying and group phase matches this season, Aguero watched from the dugout as Barcelona took control of Group C with a commanding victory. “I’m glad he’s fit for tomorrow”. Top spot in this group will nearly certainly go to one of these two teams, and with Barca two points ahead in the standings, a loss for City would probably remove any chance they had of finishing top.

“Football is a game of mistakes, he knows what he did, but he has a lot of experience, he’s one of best goalkeepers in last 10 years. Impossible. We have to adjust but we will be ourselves as much as possible”. “He never gets nervous”, said Luis Enrique.

At the age of 45, he has done everything in the game as a coach. “It is always a pleasure, and a satisfaction to see him play”.

Barca’s first-half substitute Jeremy Mathieu was shown a second yellow card in the 74th minute for a sliding tackle on Raheem Sterling as the hosts also had a man dismissed.

Manchester City will likely view the Barca defense as vulnerable, although full backs Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto will be available after missing out at the weekend. “He makes chances, between the lines and when he’s out wide”.

Luis Enrique’s team is brimming with sensational, world-class talent, from the likes of Messi to Neymar and Ivan Rakitic.