UCL Round of 16 - 1st Week Discussion/Match Day(s) Thread

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Man City v. Barcelona

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Anyone think City can beat Barca?

For the City v. Barcelona match, I am absolutely terrified. These past two years watching City go from such lows in the UCL as the Tevez debacle at Bayern to highs as playing brilliantly at Real and Bayern this season has increased my love for City, but continues to increase my innate fears that being a fan of this club has always had.

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The club have been previously branded as "everyone's second favourite club" due to their reputation as being one of the most tumultuous and unpredictable teams in English football with an innate ability 'to do things the hard way'. Supporters refer to inconsistent results and unexpected events as "Typical City", or "City-itis" and media often refer to City as a "soap opera" club. Historical events and results labelled as "Typical City" include being the only team to score and concede 100 league goals in one season (1957-58) and the only reigning champions in English football to be relegated. However, despite anguish, many City fans regard success and failure as part of being a loyal and real football supporter and specifically what it means to be a Manchester City supporter.

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- wikipedia

Barcelona is the club that City has decided to emulate if you will by bringing in the former director of football to do the same job at City. As a fan, along with most other fans, it was a dream to play a club like Barcelona at home, and now our dreams are coming true.

I know that many scoff at City's high spending, something that is the equivalent of your favorite team winning the lottery. At the heart of the club though are determined fans who have seen all of the ups and downs a club can go through, and now we're on the precipice of the greatness. We are in the situation now that we can not only be excited to play Barcelona, but even have a good shot at winning.

Do I think we can? YES
Do I think we will? Probably not, but there is always that hope.

I am not trying to paint this out to be some underdog story at all considering City has a fantastic, well financed team, but to me, to City fans, it feels just unbelievable.

In the end, win or lose, I'm proud of the club and happy for the supporters who get to witness something they never thought they'd see. This tie against Barca will be magnificent to watch.

Prediction:
2-1 City (Nasri, Jovetic, Messi)

Other Predictions:
3-0 PSG
3-1 Munich
2-1 Milan

Facing a keeper that tries and hopefully a fit Fernandinho is a recipe for a Barca loss

if fernandinho is healthy it'll be real interesting. he and toure could cause problems with their athleticism.

navas should pin back alba some which could effect their attacking width.

not sure City has the level of defensive concentration required to hold barça at bay. should be fun.

I'm all for the Kompany Lescott pairing with Javi Garcia at DM (if Fernandinho is out) that worked against Chelsea. Should let Yaya run around more.

Definitely Negredo and Jovetic up top since Dzeko kind of sucks lately. Nasir back will be huge.

Just please no Demichelis.

What a difference 15 years makes

How is that an eye roll?

Our strikers haven't been good since 2009, Willian and Ramires are work horses but very technically limited. Schurrle has fallen out of favor. Lampard is 35 years old and is a squad player who plays a more defensive role.

The only other offensive player with potential is Oscar but he is still very inconsistent and didn't even start either game against City.

For a team with as much money as we have it's shameful the lack of quality attacking options we have.

I'll follow out on the limb of predictions/wild guesses.

City v Barca
The battle of elite attacks and wing and a prayer defending.

City 2 Barca 2



AC Milan v Atletico Madrid seems like it could be an interesting fixture regardless of their widely divergent form. AC Milan is still looking like an absolute nightmare in league play but they have the type players that could always step up.

AC Milan 1 Atletico 1
EDIT: just saw how many starters AC Milan has out for this. Changing my prediction to 1:1



Leverkusen v PSG seems like the biggest mismatch of the round of 16 on paper but PSG has looked anything but intimidating in a lot of their league matches against much more overmatched opponents.

Leverkusen 0 PSG 1



Arsenal v. Bayern Munich. . . I'm probably very biased in that I've only seen Arsenal against City, Napoli and Liverpool which is worrysome for their chances at defending Bayern's machine. Bayern does have a penchant for some odd mental melt downs when facing a bit of adversity though.

Arsenal 1 Bayern 2

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Arsenal needs to get past the first 20 minutes or so without giving up a goal.

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Yeah, Arsenal's defensive problems in the matches I've seen (which isn't a lot and mainly against some very good attacking sides like City, Napoli and Liverpool) have had more to do with huge amounts of space behind/through midfield than the CBs really playing poorly.

That said, Bayern's the best side in Europe right now but if they have a weakness it's that they sometimes seem like the bully who crumbles if he actually ever gets punched.

Arsenal will be on the back foot for sure but they have the quality to "punch" them if they take their chances and defend well early like you say.

I'd forgotten Ribery was out. That should help. Not that Bayern don't have quality in his place but not quite anyone that's the nightmare Ribery is to defend.