Barca draws Man City

[KhaledBarca]

Here's Tata's lineup vs Man City (1st leg):

Valdes
Alves Bartra Pique Alba
Xavi Busquets Iniesta
Messi Cesc Neymar

 

[KhaledBarca]

0-0 is one of the worst results for an away game in KO stages, IMO. It may sound weird, but I'd take a 1-2 loss than 0-0 just because of the away goal.

0-0 draw > 2-1 lose

if we draw 0-0 and win 3-2 at camp nou ==> qualify
if we lose 2-1 away and win 3-2 at home ==> qualify

so NO 0-0 is better. And did you forgot last season 0-2 lose away, we had to comeback and make one of ours best comebacks ever to qualify.... There's a lot of worst scenarios than a 0-0.

I want us to win 1-2, 2-3 or draw 1-1, 2-2 but I'll take a 0-0 draw. We should avoid losing the game.
Anyway, I have a good feeling

 

[Puyol the wall]

It's generally mistaken when people say that I'd rather take a 2-1 loss to a 0-0 draw, any rational person would know that a draw is obviously better than a win, in this circumstance the pundits who prefer a 2-1 loss to a 0-0 actually are exaggerating the importance of an away goal, at the end of the day if and only if the scores are level on aggregate will the away goals matter.

I don't think this game will end scoreless though, too much talent on both the sides and considering how good city are at home and both the defenses aren't that great I would settle for a score draw but it's more or less pointing towards a city win at the etihad, the most important thing is to not lose the tie in the first leg like we did against bayern.

 

[Flavia]

Here's Tata's lineup vs Man City (1st leg):

Valdes
Alves Bartra Pique Alba
Xavi Busquets Iniesta
Messi Cesc Neymar

Masch for Bartra, and you're probably right

Pedro or Alexis should start, though. Their workrate in the wings will be needed.

 

[NeyMesSis]

0-0 is one of the worst results for an away game in KO stages, IMO. It may sound weird, but I'd take a 1-2 loss than 0-0 just because of the away goal.

this makes no sense!

with a 0:0 you go in the next round with a win! and in the extratime with a 0:0!
with a 1:2 you go in the next round with a win! But with a 2:1 in in the extratime! With 3:2, 4:3 you're out.

 

[serghei]

Here's Tata's lineup vs Man City (1st leg):

Valdes
Alves Bartra Pique Alba
Xavi Busquets Iniesta
Messi Cesc Neymar

I would play Alexis on they away game and Pedro in the home game. Cesc as a sub in the first game and possibly a starter in the second. I would use Messi in the right from time to time, switching positions with Alexis during the match. Both Alexis and Messi could trouble Clichy a lot provided they play in the wing. I would also give Alba more defensive duties tha Alves, because Navas is in great form and because Neymar can take on two opponents at once and also because Iniesta drifts towards his possition often, while Xavi doesn't do the same, playing from a deeper position than Andres. So it will be Neymar and Iniesta on the left side of the field (sort of what they did in el clasico, when they worked together perfectly for the first goal) and Alves with Alexis (most often) or ocassionaly Messi in the right wing.

 

[The Observer]

Pedro in current form is indispensable for me, home or away. Alexis has faded in recent games so that should make the decision easier. Neymar-Messi-Pedro. Plenty of goals in there if Neymar and Pedro continue their recent form. Messi is, well, Messi.

 

[serghei]

Pedro in current form is indispensable for me, home or away. Alexis has faded in recent games so that should make the decision easier. Neymar-Messi-Pedro. Plenty of goals in there if Neymar and Pedro continue their recent form. Messi is, well, Messi.

I dissagree with this sentence. Alexis had an off match at Getafe, but was one of the best blaugranas vs Villareal. They are at the same level in my opinion, the difference is that Pedro is more of a goal scorer, while Alexis is more of a creator.

 

[FCBarca]

It's insanity, Pedro is on fire but Alexis has played extremely well...There's a reason Pedro isn't starting ahead of him...A big reason rotation has been a success and should continue even when Leo returns

 

[The Observer]

I dissagree with this sentence. Alexis had an off match at Getafe, but was one of the best blaugranas vs Villareal. They are at the same level in my opinion, the difference is that Pedro is more of a goal scorer, while Alexis is more of a creator.

For me Pedro is the better fit for Barcelona football when both are in form. His touch is top notch, his decision making is top notch, his linkup play is perfect (especially his wall passes and one-twos with Messi in tight spaces), his passing is very good and even in dreadful form he comes good more often than not in the big games. Case in point: PSG last season. Alexis offers more "flair" and better dribbling and he tries more stuff but his touch lets him down, he stops passes that weren't intended for him and generally lives in his own little world, much like Fabregas. For me the "smoothest" Barcelona football where everyone automatically knows what to do at any time doesn't have Cesc nor Alexis in the starting lineup. Now Alexis in hot form and Pedro in the form of the past 2 seasons is a no brainer, then I take Alexis. But Pedro back to his killer instinct form? Then I take Pedro. Especially in big games.

 

[spark]

For me Pedro is the better fit for Barcelona football when both are in form. His touch is top notch, his decision making is top notch, his linkup play is perfect (especially his wall passes and one-twos with Messi in tight spaces), his passing is very good and even in dreadful form he comes good more often than not in the big games. Case in point: PSG last season. Alexis offers more "flair" and better dribbling and he tries more stuff but his touch lets him down, he stops passes that weren't intended for him and generally lives in his own little world, much like Fabregas. For me the "smoothest" Barcelona football where everyone automatically knows what to do at any time doesn't have Cesc nor Alexis in the starting lineup. Now Alexis in hot form and Pedro in the form of the past 2 seasons is a no brainer, then I take Alexis. But Pedro back to his killer instinct form? Then I take Pedro. Especially in big games.

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

For me Pedro is the better fit for Barcelona football when both are in form. His touch is top notch, his decision making is top notch, his linkup play is perfect (especially his wall passes and one-twos with Messi in tight spaces), his passing is very good and even in dreadful form he comes good more often than not in the big games. Case in point: PSG last season. Alexis offers more "flair" and better dribbling and he tries more stuff but his touch lets him down, he stops passes that weren't intended for him and generally lives in his own little world, much like Fabregas. For me the "smoothest" Barcelona football where everyone automatically knows what to do at any time doesn't have Cesc nor Alexis in the starting lineup. Now Alexis in hot form and Pedro in the form of the past 2 seasons is a no brainer, then I take Alexis. But Pedro back to his killer instinct form? Then I take Pedro. Especially in big games.

To be fair, Alexis has vastly improved in his touch, passing and linkup play. I think he did better earlier because of the more vertical muscular "anarchic" attack Tata initiated. More recently, Barça looks to control the game more (as in previous seasons), and Pedro is still a better fit for that type of game. Remains to be seen if Tata will switch between tactics, or has begun to favor somewhat less directness than he was trying earlier in the season. I suspect we will see both players rotated depending on what's required on any one day.

 

[Galning]

This is more a result of Neymar's selfishness to score his fourth than Pedro screwing up. Pedro is sprinting at full speed to give Neymar the option to square it to him, he doesn't, dribbles the keeper in the space Pedro runs into.. and yeah. In the replay of that vid you posted you can clearly see it happening.

 

[jamjamjam]

really looking forward to these matches. feels like a huge game for barca, and not just because it's this particular stage of the competition. i don't like the way people are almost writing off this group of players after all they've achieved. i hope some of that filters through to them so they go out there with a point to prove.

 

[Theconomist]

Messi should play in the center. Neymar should be able to handle Zabaleta very well. Dragging him away from Messi means there's only going to be Nastasic/Lescott and Kompany on Messi which is very doable for him.