Five players who played for both Man City and Barcelona

Sport360 staff 17:27 01/11/2016
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  • Blue and Barca: These stars have played for both.

    Barcelona and City met a fortnight ago at Camp Nouw with the visitors suffering a 4-0 drubbing thanks to a mesmeric hat-trick from Lionel Messi.

    Current City supremo Pep Guardiola created a dynasty at Barcelona and ahead of their clash at Etihad Stadium, Sport360 takes a closer look at seven players that have played for both clubs…

    CLAUDIO BRAVO

    The Mexican has not enjoyed a good start to his Manchester City career and has already made a host of errors with some fans praying for Joe Hart to be recalled from his loan spell with Torino in Italy.

    Bravo left Barcelona to join Man City this summer in a Dhs76 million (£17m) transfer but in City’s last Champions League outing, on his return to Camp Nou, he endured a truly horrible evening.

    The goalkeeper made a dreadful error and was then forced to handle the ball outside of the penalty area – the referee giving him a straight red card as City went on to lose. Bravo certainly hasn’t been a popular signing so far for Man City.

    SYLVINHO

    The talented Brazilian made his name in English football with Arsenal during a successful three-year spell from 1999-2001.

    The full-back was hugely popular at Highbury and left Arsenal in 2001 to join Celta Vigo, before he secured a dream move to Barcelona in 2004. After spending five successful seasons at the La Liga giants he made a shock return to the Premier League with Man City.

    However, Sylvinho wasn’t the player he was when he first burst on the scene in English football and made just 10 appearances for City before departing a year later. He retired in 2011, after making only made six international appearances for Brazil, finding it difficult to dislodge Roberto Carlos.

    YAYA TOURE

    Yaya currently finds himself in exile at Man City and hasn’t featured at all this season since the arrival of Pep Guardiola, who is refusing to consider the powerful midfielder for selection due his on-going dispute with the midfielder’s agent Dimitri Seluk.

    The Spanish boss was furious with an interview Seluk did with a newspaper after Toure was left out of City’s Champions League squad.

    Toure was signed by Barcelona in 2007 and helped them win the Champions League in 2009. But after finding first-team chances hard to come by – again under Guardiola – he joined Man City in 2010.

    The Ivorian became a club legend and helped them to two Premier League titles but despite his history at the club, his days at Manchester City look numbered.

    DENIS SUAREZ

    Suarez was signed by Man City in 2011 as a 17 year-old and touted as one of the hottest prospects in world football.

    However, under Roberto Mancini the Spaniard found his chances limited. He grew increasingly frustrated and made only one appearance for City’s first-team after he was introduced as a second-half substitute in a League Cup clash against Wolves.

    Suarez then signed for Barcelona in 2013, but left for Villarreal in 2015, with the former inserting a buy-back clause in his contract.

    They exercised that clause this summer and Suarez has been in impressive form for Luis Enrique’s side so far this season.

    GEOVANNI

    Geovanni played for Barcelona between 2001-2003 and found it difficult to nail down a regular starting berth during his time. He featured just 23 times but did showcase some glimpses of his undoubted technical ability.

    He then signed for Man City in 2008 and scored some spectacular goals, including the winner in his first Manchester derby. The Brazilian went on to join Hull City after just one season at the Etihad Stadium – scoring against Manchester United again for the Tigers – before moving to the MLS and retiring in 2013.

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