Direct Barcelona best Manchester City again in Champions League

Manchester City move out to 50/1 outsiders with Coral (from 20/1) to lift the Champions League this term, and are massively odds-on at 1/14 to fall once again at the first knockout hurdle, after Barcelona beat them 2-1 in another last 16 first leg.

Two Luis Suarez goals inside half an hour left Manuel Pellegrini’s men on the brink already, but Sergio Aguero pulled one back with 20 minutes left and Joe Hart’s penalty save from Lionel Messi gives the Premier League champions a slim chance.

Critics of City shall say their Chilean manager Pellegrini was too open in his tactical approach by playing two up top. While this undoubtedly played into Barca’s hands, Luis Enrique has evolved the Catalan giants beyond tiki-taka.

Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic looked for front three Messi, Neymar and Suarez very early, and this directness is a definite departure from patient, probing, possession-based football everyone has come to associate with the Nou Camp club.

There was not better evidence of this than Suarez’s opener after 15 minutes. Dani Alves and Messi exchanged passes following a simple throw-in, and City skipper Vincent Kompany failed to cut out the Argentine maestro’s cross; an error which last term’s leading Premier League marksman punished clinically.

No, it’s not a misprint. Barcelona crossed the ball into the box. No narrow, mind-numbing working of an opening in the area by passing City to death. On half an hour it was Kompany at fault again, as Suarez slid in to finish a superb team move.

Messi again provided guileful industry, drifting across the Etihad turf to find willing runner Jordi Alba, up from left back, and his cutback was met by ex-Liverpool striker Suarez.

It could have been much worse for City, but Hart saw Alves’ chip clip the crossbar. This came before the hosts finally had a shot in anger through Samir Nasri, but Barca keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved.