Lessons learned from Man City vs Barcelona

Kampala, Uganda - These are two of Europe’s free scoring teams with over 100 goals pocketed by each of these giants so far this season. So it’s no surprise that most if not all the betting houses all tipped it to be a high scoring game.

But at the end of it, questions were raised as to whether Manchester City (Man City) where really on the level of Barcelona (Barca).

Man City was reduced to mere passengers in the game as they failed to exert any control over proceedings in their 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Tiki Taka kings. So the big question mark is, was Martin Demichelis’s sending off the sole reason the tie was tipped in Barca’s favour?

Barca’s highest pass completer was Xavi Hernandez with 123. Equal to City’s top three of Yaya Toure (43), Vincent Kompany (40), Gaël Clichy (40)

Jose Mourinho the current Chelsea manager and former real Madrid Manager said, this is the worst Barcelona side in recent years but the street fan will tell you that they won the league last season with no coach for half the season. Mourinho makes it look like there is something about Barcelona that many teams are yet to master and to think that they are the only ones that can determine whether they can be beaten on a given day.

Man City sat back and invited Barcelona to keep the ball in the opening 20 minutes, a sign of some much respect and lack of confidence in their brand of football. Cesc Fábregas illustrated why he will become the heartbeat of the Barcelona team when Xavi retires. Whether popping up on the left, right, or in the centre, the Spaniard was his side’s fount of energy and invention. Yaya Toure struggled to impose himself on the game only showing a glimpse of his devastating ability.

Barca did what we have grown to know them to do. Dominate the possession and territory. Beating Barca by more than 2 goals at the Nou Camp is a huge task and it is with this that Manuel Pellegrini will have to earn his handsome wages and also pray that his special weapon Kun Aguero is back in the squad to give is team a fighting chance against a Lionel Messi led team.

Seems from the game showing Man City still has a long way to become a European power house and this is still a learning curve for them, meantime we watch and see if money can buy them the experience they need to make that transformational quicker.

By Neville Igasira, Sunday, February 23rd, 2014


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