• Champions League

City need better luck against Barca - Pellegrini

Manuel Pellegrini hopes Manchester City have better luck in this season's Champions League last 16 tie against Barcelona.

When the teams met at the same stage last season, referee Jonas Eriksson awarded Lionel Messi a penalty with the first leg still scoreless, and showed a red card to City's Martin Demichelis for a professional foul.

Martin Demichelis was sent off in the first leg last year © PA Photos

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Pellegrini claimed afterwards that the Swedish official "was not impartial" and was subsequently punished by UEFA for his comments. Pablo Zabaleta was also sent off late in the second leg at the Nou Camp, as Barcelona ran out 4-1 winners on aggregate.

"I believe all years are different, but the most important thing is the form in which the teams arrive in the game," Pellegrini said. "We will see that in February and March. Last year we had bad luck, with the sending off and Demichelis penalty, but it is not worth going over the subject again.

"At the Camp Nou we also had a player less for some time. I hope this experience makes us take the game in a more relaxed way. The mistakes in the home and away games were fatal. Last year we suffered and I hope this year we have better fortune."

Last season's last 16 exit was the furthest City have been in the Champions League, with the huge investment from the club's Abu Dhabi-based owners having brought two Premier League titles but little joy on the European stage.

Asked if his club had a 'thorn in their foot' over this record, Pellegrini said he and City's hierarchy were content with their rate of progression in Europe.

"I do not think it is like that," he said. "It is an objective for the future, that of course the club wants to achieve in some moment. It is about improving year after year, but not leaving aside the Premier League, which for the fans in England is as important as the Champions League.

"But our objective is to advance further. We have twice in a row reached the last 16, and we are going to see if this year we can keep advancing. We will know in February, but of course it is an important objective."

Pablo Zabaleta received his marching orders at the Nou Camp © PA Photos

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