Manchester City v Barcelona: Pep Guardiola faces Barca again

Pep Guardiola is approaching Man City's Champions League clash with Barcelona as if it were a final and knows his side must be brilliant to win.

City host the Spanish champions at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday a fortnight after being thrashed 4-0 at the Nou Camp.

That has left City facing a battle to qualify from Group C for the Champions League last-16 having also been held to a draw by Celtic.

City manager Guardiola, speaking at his pre-match press conference, said: "I think we know what we have to do to beat them and hopefully our quality up front will make a difference.

"We have to play in that way - like a final. It's not a final for them, it is a final for us. There are just three games left and we dropped two points in Glasgow, so we have to recover those points in the next two games.

"We have to be focused for 90 minutes, knowing they are going to provoke mistakes because of the quality they have.

"But we had a few chances and have to keep going in that sense and try to finish better than we did in Barcelona.

"We will try. I have never entered a match thinking we can't win but we have to play almost perfectly."

Premier League leaders City go into the game having ended a six-match winless sequence with an emphatic 4-0 defeat of West Brom at the weekend.

Former Barcelona boss Guardiola said: "Winning the last game will help us a lot. When you play a game having won the previous one the feeling is much better. We play the best tomorrow and we're going to try to win."


Team news

Full-backs Pablo Zabaleta (foot) and Bacary Sagna (hamstring) are both set to miss the match with injury, while midfielder Fabian Delph is also unavailable with a muscle problem.

Willy Caballero will start in goal for City, with first-choice Claudio Bravo suspended after being sent off in the 4-0 loss in Catalonia.

The visitors, meanwhile, will be without the likes of Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Andres Iniesta, Jeremy Mathieu and Aleix Vidal due to injury, although Arda Turan is back in their squad.


Opta stats

Barcelona have won all five of their previous encounters with City; conceding only twice.

City suffered their heaviest Champions League defeat when these sides met in the reverse fixture, conceding four goals for the first time.

Guardiola is facing Barcelona as manager for the second season of his career; as Bayern Munich boss, he was knocked out by the Catalan side in the semi-finals of the 2014/15 Champions League (3-5 on aggregate).

City are unbeaten in their last six Champions League home games (W4 D2). They've never gone seven consecutive games without a defeat at the Etihad in the competition.

Barcelona have won their last three away Champions League games against English clubs, two of which were against City.

Barcelona have scored in their last 20 away games in the Champions League group stages.

There have been five red cards shown across the five previous meetings between these sides. Four of which being awarded to City players, only one of the five encounters has gone without seeing a red brandished.


More games: friv

CASE FOR THE DEFENCE Manchester City transfer news: Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy and Pablo Zabaleta could leave Etihad after contract talks are shelved

The defenders are all in the last year of their deals and must prove themselves if they are to earn a new contract.

MANCHESTER City could release full-backs Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy next summer after contract talks were shelved with the three of them.

The trio are in the final year of their current deals and Pep Guardiola has told them they must prove themselves in his new style of play to get new contracts.

Pablo Zabaleta is one of the Manchester City players who could leave after this season

Bacary Sagna’s contract talks have also been shelved by the club

The defenders are all over the age of 30 and City believe they have youngsters who can replace them next season.

An Etihad source said: “There are no talks in pipeline to discuss possible contract extensions for Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy.

“All three are out of contract next summer but all given a reprieve by Pep Guardiola to prove themselves this season.

Kelechi Iheanacho included in Manchester City's squad for tour of China

Kelechi Iheanacho has been included in Manchester City's squad for their pre-season tour of China.

There were suggestions the 19-year-old Nigeria striker would not be able to travel due to visa issues.

Joe Hart and Raheem Sterling, members of England's Euro 2016 squad, were also in a 34-man playing group, as were new signings Oleksandr Zinchenko and Nolito.

Ilkay Gundogan, another summer recruit, was not included due to injury while Kevin de Bruyne, Eliaquim Mangala and Bacary Sagna remained on leave following prolonged involvement at the European Championship.

City were due to play a friendly in Germany against new manager Pep Guardiola's old club Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening before heading onwards to China. They play Manchester United in Beijing next Monday and Borussia Dortmund in Shenzen the following Thursday.

Bacary Sagna believes England are a Euro 2016 threat

France defender Bacary Sagna thinks England are a team to be feared at Euro 2016.

The right-back, who made his debut for France in 2007 in a friendly match against Slovakia, rates England's young side highly and believes they pose a real threat to France manager Didier Deschamps' hopes of claiming a home victory.

The host nation will open the tournament with a Group A game against Romania at the Stade de France on Friday.

"I think they [England] are a serious rival for us," Sagna told Sky Sports News HQ. "It's an extremely young team, a bit like ours actually."

The 33-year-old joined Manchester City from Arsenal in 2014 on a four-year contact and has plenty of experience playing with and against members of the England squad in the Premier League.

"Their team is very young," he said. "They have a certain force on the offensive. I play with them. I watch them during the year and for me it's the most serious English team in a long time."

France remain the last host country to lift the trophy - in 1984 - and warmed up for the tournament by nicking a late victory against Cameroon before hammering Scotland 3-0.

England take on Russia at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille on Saturday before facing Wales on June 16 in Lens and then Slovakia four days later in Saint-Etienne.

Bacary Sagna says Manchester City players have only themselves to blame

Bacary Sagna accepts Manchester City will have only themselves to blame if they miss out on Champions League qualification for next season.

City are in danger of dropping out of the top four after winning only one of their last four league games. Their latest setback was a 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday and their destiny is now out of their hands.

If Manchester United win their game in hand against West Ham on Tuesday, City will be pushed down to fifth before their final game of the season at Swansea.

“It’s very disappointing, especially with the way we started the season,” said the right-back. “But we are to blame. We had everything in our hands to be the best and I believe if we play like we did against Arsenal we are the best team – but we have to play like this all season.

“But this is the past now and we have to keep our heads up. We can still make it happen. We have to recover, work well during the week and take the three points against Swansea. Then we will see what happens with the other results.”

City, who opened their season with five successive wins, have been in a Champions League position almost all season.

Sagna said: “To me, we deserve it. We gave a lot. Of course we are not perfect, of course we could have done better, but to me we deserve to be in the Champions League places.”

It was also not the plan envisaged when the club appointed Pep Guardiola as their next manager.

Sagna, 33, said: “It’s a big project that we are part of. We have managed to reach the Champions League semi-final this season so that shows we are quite a good team. It’s vital for us to be part of the Champions League.”

Photo: Bacary Sagna, Paul Pogba give thumbs up amid Chelsea, Man Utd link

Bacary Sagna and Paul Pogba are all smiles ahead of France's trip to Netherlands

Barcary Sagna and Paul Pogba were all smiles as the France duo settled in for their trip to the Netherlands on Thursday afternoon.

The Manchester City defender has been included in Didier Deschamps’s France squad for their friendly against the Dutch at Amsterdam on Friday night.

Sagna may consider himself a tad fortunate to be named in the travelling party considering City’s inconsistent performances in recent weeks.

However, there was no doubt about Pogba’s inclusion give the former Manchester United midfielder’s impressive displays for Serie A champions Juventus.

The 22-year-old midfielder has been linked with a potential return to the Prmeier League in the summer amid reported interest from Chelsea and United.

And Pogba had the chance to quiz Sagna on a move to England during their short trip to the Dutch capital on Thursday afternoon.

Sagna wrote on his Twitter page: “Depart for the Netherlands”

Pogba has scored six times and has made seven assists in 28 Serie A appearances for the reigning Italian champions this term.

Bacary Sagna could play at centre-back for Man City - Manuel Pellegrini

MANCHESTER -- Manuel Pellegrini is considering picking right-back Bacary Sagna in the middle of the Manchester City defence in the middle of defence against Norwich as he looks for an answer to his injury problems.

Eliaquim Mangala, who has a hamstring problem, and Vincent Kompany, who has a calf injury, both miss the FA Cup tie at Carrow Road. And Pellegrini, who is also without injured striker Wilfried Bony, has only two fit specialist centre-backs, in Nicolas Otamendi and Martin Demichelis.

But with right-back Pablo Zabaleta fit again, the Chilean could move Sagna into the centre of the defence.

"Bacary is an option to play as a centre-back," he said in a news conference. "He has done it before in the past and he likes to play in that position. He is an important option especially now that Pablo Zabaleta has recovered from his [knee] injury and he will start playing."

City loaned centre-back Jason Denayer to Galatasaray but the Belgium international does not have a recall clause and could only return to the Etihad Stadium if both clubs agreed on it.

While Pellegrini did not rule out Denayer's return, sources told ESPN FC that it would be unlikely, while the manager added: "Mangala and Wilfried Bony continue to be injured."

Mangala came off at half-time in the 2-1 defeat Everton in the Capital One Cup, while Bony missed that match with a calf problem and Pellegrini is yet to reveal if the Ivorian will be fit again for the rematch with Roberto Martinez's side on Wednesday in the Premier League.

He said he will not rush captain Kompany back into action, explaining: "Vincent is progressing the same way a muscle injury must progress with time but you cannot try to hurry him up because he needs the days to have a good calf."

Pellegrini has picked his second-choice goalkeeper Willy Caballero throughout the Capital One Cup and had already said the Argentinian would start at Carrow Road.

Now he has confirmed Joe Hart will remain on the bench in the FA Cup, saying: "Willy will play both cups."

Manchester City ready to send out SOS to Bacary Sagna in defensive crisis

Manuel Pellegriini is considering playing the right-back in the centre following injuries to Vincent Kompany and Eliaquim Mangala.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Bacary Sagna of Manchester City is pursued by Fabio Borini of Sunderland during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium on December 26, 2015 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

Manuel Pellegrini is ready to ask Bacary Sagna to solve Manchester City ’s defensive crisis and play the Frenchman at centre-back.

City are down to the bare bones at the back with Nicolas Otamendi and 35-year-old Martin Demichelis his only fit central defenders for Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie at Norwich.

Vincent Kompany is still recovering from a calf injury, while Eliaquim Mangala hurt his hamstring in the Capital One Cup semi final first leg defeat to Everton on Wednesday.

With a Premier League game coming up against Everton in midweek Pellegrini admitted he could turn to right back Sagna, who has played centrally for Arsenal and France in the past.

“We will see tomorrow the 11 starters, but Bacary is an option to play as a centre-back. He has done it before in the past and he likes to play in that position.

“He is an important option especially now that Pablo Zabaleta has recovered from his injury and he will start playing.”

Jason Denayer is currently on loan at Galatasaray and there is no option to recall him before the end of the season.

It would take an agreement from both clubs to cut short his time in Turkey.

Wilfried Bony also misses the trip to Carrow Road with a calf injury, while Samir Nasri is a long-term absentee.