Barcelona Fear City Strike Force!

Last updated : 16 December 2013 By Footy Mad - Editor

City may have paid a steep price for failing to top their group but in the build-up to the draw at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, were the one team that Barcelona had been keen to avoid - the local sports daily El Mundo Deportivo''s front page had stated simply "El City, No!"

City boss Manuel Pellegrini famously made a mathematical error in the final group match, not realising that one more goal at Bayern would have seen his side top the group and be seeded for the draw, but the club''s director of football Txiki Begiristain - formerly of Barcelona - said the team is brimming with confidence.

Begiristain told the club''s website: "I think it will be a great match.

"Ours is a team with a lot of confidence especially after winning against the champions in Munich - that will give us a lot of confidence.

"Not just at home but away as well.

"We are showing that we can score in all matches. This is important in the Champions League.

"We scored in Plzen, in Moscow, in Munich - it should give us confidence to play against a team who have been champions many times.

"Our manager knows perfectly Barcelona because he managed in Spain for a long time. In this sense, we are confident."

Begiristain said the text messages "will be flying" between Argentina team-mates Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero, and added: "If you want to win the Champions League you have to beat the biggest teams, Barcelona are one of the biggest teams."