Pablo Zabaleta has called for Manchester City to produce the “perfect game” and overcome Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
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The two sides meet at the Etihad for the first leg of their blockbusting last-16 tie, with the Argentine bullish about their hopes. While Zabaleta admits Barca have the best attack in the world, he thinks City have strengths of their own, highlighted in Saturday’s 5-0 Premier League win over Newcastle.
Asked if Barca would be worried about facing them, the full-back said: “I think they are. Also maybe they are talking about the fact that Man City have great players up front who can create chances and score goals any time.
“We needed to get a win like that just to get confidence,” he added.
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1 – Barcelona have only won one of their last 7 away games in the Champions League knockout stages (D2 L4), (v Man City Feb 2014). Sole.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 23, 2015
“People are talking about Barcelona losing against Malaga and us winning, but let me be honest I don’t think even if Barcelona had won, nothing would change.
“They are still a great team. Everyone is surprised when you see Barcelona losing a game at home against Malaga, but it is one of those days. They will come on Tuesday very strong even more now because they lost to Malaga. It’s going to be a really interesting game between two good teams with great players.
“They have probably the best attack in the world, in Suarez, Messi and Neymar. Three fantastic players up front, always a threat, and Barcelona are so lucky to have three players in the same team like that.
“They always create chances and it seems like you have to do a perfect game against teams like Barca. Hopefully we can do that.”
Manager Manuel Pellegrini says City will be aggressive, as they were against Newcastle, to put Barca under pressure.
In last season’s meeting between the two sides at the same stage, the dismissal of centre-back Martin Demichelis and subsequent Messi penalty proved the turning point in a 2-0 first-leg home defeat.
Zabaleta, 30, added: “After the penalty, everything changed because Demichelis got sent off and we played 35 minutes with one player less.
“But when we played the second game in Barcelona, we did a great game [but lost 2-1]. We played better than at home, so this is the way we need to play against them. We are an attacking team and we need to play the game to win.
“You need to be intense, aggressive. You need to do everything well.”
