Barcelona have one foot in the quarterfinals thanks to their 2-1 victory over Manchester City on the first leg. Lionel Messi’s missed penalty could loom large though as the Blaugrana missed a chance to return home with both a two-goal lead and three away goals. Sergio Agüero’s late goal in the first leg ensured that City are still alive, though the task ahead of them is difficult.
Barcelona vs. Manchester City, Champions League 2015: Game time, TV schedule and team news
Barcelona will advance if they take care of business at home against the defending EPL champions.
David Ramos/Getty Images
City will get a huge boost from the return of Yaya Touré, who was forced to miss the first leg due to a card suspension. His return should improve the City midfield, and help boost their attack. Which is good, because they’ll need to score goals. City will also have to be solid in the back and stop Barcelona’s mighty attack from putting the tie away early. The result of this matchup will likely hinge on who scores the first goal.
Key player - Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
You can argue with most soccer fans about whether Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo is better, but at the moment, Messi is the man. He's playing better, scoring more consistently, and his team is playing better as well. Messi played a big part in Barca taking the first leg and if City can't find a way to keep him contained, they'll probably find themselves out of the Champions League completely.
Key matchup - City defense vs. Barca’s “Hydra”
City can score against the Barcelona defense, especially with Sergio Busquets still unavailable due to an injured ankle and Yaya Touré back from suspension.. The real question will be whether or not Pellegrini's defense can slow down Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez. They didn't do the best job in the first leg, but they also didn't let Barca get completely out of touch in the scoreline. Vincent Kompany will need to be at his absolute best.
Barcelona injuries and suspensions
Out: Thomas Vermaelen (hamstring), Sergio Busquets (ankle).
Manchester City injuries and suspensions
Out: Gael Clichy (suspended).
Match Date/Time: Tuesday, 8:45 p.m. local, 3:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
TV: Fox Sports 1 (U.S. - English), ESPN Deportes (U.S. - Spanish), Sportsnet regional (Canada), Sky Sports 5/HD (U.K.), C+ Liga de Campeones/HD (Spain)
Online: Fox Sports Go, Fox Soccer 2Go (U.S.), Sportsnet World Now (Canada), Sky Go (U.K.)
Listings via Live Soccer TV.
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