Graham Hunter is the author of a number of books orientated around Spanish football, including one on City’s upcoming opponents – Barcelona – during the Pep Guardiola era. He is a regular guest on Sky Sport’s Spanish football coverage, and also contributes to Talksport, PlayUp, FourFourTwo magazine and many other publications and organisations. In light of the highly-anticipated meeting between City and Barcelona, we deemed there to be no better man to help us preview the tie.
Read Graham’s thoughts on the team Luis Enrique may opt for, the influence of Yaya Toure, the key to nullifying Barca and much more.
So City and Barca will lock horns again in the Champions League. Do you think City are better prepared for the task at hand this time round and is this a good time for them to play Barcelona?
I interviewed Manuel Pellegrini in the autumn about the experience of losing to Barcelona last season and his wish was that his players had learned a great deal from the experience. His view was that simply getting to the knockout round was an advance in learning for his squad – the knowledge that there’s no safety net, the understanding that tiny errors make a massive difference, the importance of taking chances. Things like that. Written in black and white they seem obvious, but what happens, I think, is that when a group of players like that are assembled and learn about each other in the Premier League they get used to a great deal more ‘forgiving’ work atmosphere.
Errors are punished a lot less regularly against Villa, Hull and Fulham and even Liverpool and United than when it’s Messi or Neymar. Above all Pellegrini wanted City to ensure that they played with eleven men in both games against Barca (should they play again) – something he partly still blamed on his players, partly he clearly disagreed with how the referees interpreted two big decisions against Barca last season. So better prepared – they should be, simply with the accumulation of experience against Bayern twice again and winning albeit in extremis.
Mangala or Demichelis to partner Kompany against Barca’s attack? What partnership would cope best?
Personally I’d have no doubt that it should be Demichelis against Barcelona. I thought he was playing very well until the team went to sleep in the seconds before he was sent off and I thought some of his fellow defenders were fast asleep in the build up to that first Barcelona goal. When I’ve watched Mangala he still looks raw and it’s street smarts, not power, you need to contain Barcelona’s strikers.
Like last year, the Catalan side are away in the first leg. In your view, does that suit Barca more or City?
I think it’s quite clear that the top teams still vastly prefer to play away first if they can. It’s no guarantee for going through and the Champions League, in general, has taught teams to attack for a win just as regularly away from home as at home. That’s been one of the single biggest changes in my career – the expectation of top teams to win on the road in Europe and the tactics they employ to achieve that. So while it suits Barcelona to play away first by definition I’d say that City will believe that they can score, draw or win in Camp Nou. In fact their performance there was far better, than at home last season. City look more dangerous this term – Aguero fit, I very much hope, Bony a different kind of threat, Silva bang on form and Zabaleta just loves a shot at Barca!
As you would expect, Luis Enrique has integrated a host of youth team players into the Barca side. Will he opt for his most experienced side against City?
I suspect that Enrique will play: Ter Stegen, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba, Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta, Messi, Suarez, Neymar.
Obviously, Yaya Toure is banned for the first leg, but City did produce their best Champions League display without him in Rome. In your opinion, does the loss of Toure aid Barca, having seen how the Blues have struggled in his absence over the past few weeks?
When a team plays well, like in Rome, there shouldn’t be any temptation to say ‘maybe better off without him’. I think that’s easy to say when Yaya is at his peak and when he’s not. When he’s not, there’s a tendency, which I think Pep [Guardiola] spotted even when he was at Barcelona, to lack a touch of stamina, to wander back into position and to slightly upset the team equilibrium. But let’s cut to the chase he’s an absolutely magnificent footballer, many Maine Road and City of Manchester Stadium goers won’t have seen a better player.
Where I think his absence in the first leg may count is that he offers such a threat of goals, height and intelligent goal passes. I’ve got no doubt whatsoever that Luis Enrique is delighted not to have to face him, however well the two Ferna’s [Fernando and Fernandinho] play. As a football fan I’m very sorry not to see him in the City lineup for the first leg. It’s a joy seeing him in full flow and the game will be lesser without him.
Of course, Messi is undoubtedly the key man for Barca, but who else do you feel City need to isolate in order to gain a positive result on Tuesday?
The things for you to take into account with ‘stopping’ Barcelona I think would be preventing the Neymar-Messi partnership functioning. When they combine they are so quick, so technically brilliant that most teams find it hard to cope. I think that a vastly unsung, but vital, guy this season has been Ivan Rakitic. His work-rate, his willingness to defend and attack liberates Busquets to do much more creative work, and Rakitic works so hard that while he’s no 100m sprinter himself, he’s quicker than Busquets and Iniesta and able to get back and cover if the ball is robbed in midfield. He also regularly slots in as the fourth forward, and again, teams find that hard to cope with – particularly in the eleven game winning run from the Anoeta until the Malaga game.
Turning our attentions away from the game for a moment, both Pep Guardiola and Diego Simeone have been touted as potential successors to Manuel Pellegrini. Who would be a better fit?
I genuinely hope that Manuel Pellegrini remains in charge after this season. I’ve a lot of respect for his man management skills, I think his teams play good football and while I accept that both in Europe and, this season, in domestic cup competitions he’s got room for improvement, I really hope that City aren’t lining someone up. However we can talk generally, about both Simeone and Guardiola. Atletico are trying their socks off to renew Simeone. He’s a very special coach and man manager, and they are right to bend over backwards to convince him that there are the resources, the support network, the squad and the ambition to make it worth him staying longer. I’ve got no doubts that big offers are going to come his way from May onwards for the next couple of years. When he becomes available, for whatever reason, just watch the queue form.
As for Guardiola I could see how City would be determined to make them the next destination for Pep. He’s got a contract for another year and, in general, he’s a guy who’d prefer to see out his contract. However I see little things which MIGHT make him prone to moving on in a year. For example, the relationship between him and Sammer is very fiery and I’m not convinced that Pep enjoys Sammer’s input [public or private]. Pep really liked Hoeness and felt a close connection with him. I’d also say that running away with the Bundesliga won’t stay a challenge for him for too long. Perhaps he’ll stay and commit to making Bayern dominant in Europe, commit to the great lifestyle he’s got for his partner and kids. But I think that the clock’s beginning to tick on the concept of Pep moving to England. Again, wait for the queue to form.
Finally, for the big game at the Etihad on Tuesday, can we get a score prediction from you?
2-2.
We thank Graham for agreeing to take part in this interview.
