A rematch of one of last season’s round of sixteen ties in the UEFA champions League is on the cards, as Man City were once again drawn against Spanish giants Barcelona.
City have had little luck with their draws in the Champions League in their relatively short history in the competition, and they have drawn another short straw this time around.
City pay the price for failing to win their group, although again it was a tough one as they had to battle with Bayern Munich, Rome and CSKA Moscow. Back to back wins over Bayern Munich and Rome saw City edge through in second place behind the Bundesliga outfit from their group.
So City’s success has come with a heavy price tag because they are now charged with trying to beat Barcelona to progress to thee quarter finals.
It has been a strange Champions League draw for City, because they faced CSKA Moscow and Bayern Munich in the group stage, just as they had done last year, and now face Barcelona in the round of sixteen, again, just as they did last season.
City came unstuck in last season’s round of sixteen against Barcelona, losing 4-1 on aggregate against the Catalans. Barcelona won 2-0 in Manchester and then finished the job with a 2-1 win back at the Nou Camps. Goals from Lionel Messi and Dani Alves in both fixtures was enough for the Catalans to progress, with Vincent Kompany getting City’s consolation in the tie.
City are 5/2 underdogs for the first leg of the round of sixteen meeting, which will be played in Manchester on February 24th. Barcelona are even money at online betting site Bet365 to pick up the away win and the Spaniards are 4/11 odds on To Qualify from the tie.
The Citizens have only ever managed three wins from eleven previous meetings with Spanish opponents, losing five of those eleven. Two of those victories came home and away against Villarreal CF in the 2011/12 group stage.
As for Barcelona, their win in Manchester last season, snapped a run of five away games against English sides without a win for the Blaugrana (D2 L3), a sequence that included semi-final eliminations against Manchester United in 2008 and Chelsea in 2012.
Barcelona’s record away at English clubs though isn’t great, winning just seven of their 29 away games played against English sides, losing 14 of those. However, they have massive strength at home, because they have won fifteen and lost just two of 28 home fixtures at the Nou Camp against English opposition.
Barcelona have also beaten English clubs in three UEFA Champions League finals: Arsenal FC (2006) and Manchester United FC (2009, 2011).
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Champions League Outright Winner Odds at Bet365
Bayern Munich 11/4, Real Madrid 11/4, Barcelona 6/1, Chelsea 8/1, Man City 18/1, Atletico Madrid 20/1, Arsenal 20/1, bar 28/1
