Barcelona overcame Manchester City 2-0 in the first leg of the round of 16 stage of the UEFA champions League thanks to goals from Leonel Messi and Dani Alves.
Messi scored from the penalty spot after he was brought down in the box by Martin Demichelis and Alves doubled the lead shooting the ball inbetween Joe Harts leg in the closing stages of the game after a good interchage of pass on the left of the City defence to give the Catalans a huge advantage going into the second leg at the Camp Nou
Gerardo Martino opted for Cesc Fabregas in place of Pedro, and fit again Neymar also started from the bench, with Javier Mascherano pairing Gerard Pique in Center Back.
Pellegrini on the other hand welcome back Fernadinho to the team after weeks of being out with injuries, Kolarov makes the starting lineup so as to provide cover for the defence from the left while Samir Nasri got a place on the bench.
City got the first chance on goal as David Silva played Alvaro Negredo through on goal and he muscled his way in between two Barcelona defence but was force into a tight angle by Pique and his looped shot did not trouble Valdes.
Moments later Negredo got another chance but Mascherano was on hand to stop him from getting a clear cut chance at goal.
Messi got Barcelona's first sight of goal on the half-hour mark but right-footed effort went over the crossbar, before Xavi forced Joe Hart into a diving save with a speculative effort from 20 yards.
City defended very well to keep the Catalans out until Half time but not for long in the second half as Barcelona broke the deadlock just nine minutes into the second half.
Jesus Navas was disarmed of the ball but despite his call for a foul the referee didn't oblidge and said play on giving room for Andreas Iniesta to play Messi through on goal but he was adjudged to have been brought down in the box by a sliding tackle by Demichelis, Messi stepped up himself and clotted home through the middle as Hart went for his left.
Pellegrini immediately made two quick changes - bringing in Lescott and Nasri for Jesus Navas and Aleksandar Kolarov, to get his team back into the game.
Alves should have should have extended Barcelona's lead but his shot went wide of the far post from a tight angle.
Edin Dzeko who caming in for Negredo forced Valdes into a super save twice. First Valdes tipped a pin point Silva cross heading into the part of Dzeko into a corner, and he again saves the striker's effort again with his foot though the second was later ruled for a foul on Pique.
David Silva again pulled a fine save out of Valdes as he went down quick enough to stop Silva's half volley from going in
City's hopes were further dented at the closing stages of the game when Alves finally got his goal, the second for his team on the day.
Dani Alves ran at the City defence with the ball before releasing a pass to Neymar who then played a second pass into the part of Alves who was still running for him to shoot inbetween the legs of Joe Hart into the net.
The victory gives the Spainish giant an advantage going into the second leg as City will have to score three unreplied goals at the Nou Camp to overturn the result and qualify for the next round.
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