• Champions League

Stoke are tougher test than Barcelona, says Kompany

Vincent Kompany has claimed Manchester City have nothing to fear when they face Barcelona on Tuesday, saying Stoke City can put up more of a fight than the La Liga heavyweights.

City host Barcelona in the Champions League last-16 on Tuesday evening, looking for revenge after the 2011 European champions beat them 2-0 and 2-1 at the same stage of the competition last year.

Kompany will be at the heart of a defence charged with stopping Barcelona's record scorer, the four-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi, and two of the most expensive players in football history - Luis Suarez and Neymar.

But the City captain is adamant he won't be cowed by the task, saying: "Fear? We don't fear them. You don't go in at this level fearing strikers.

"We want to play against them. It's the fourth time in a year now. There's nothing new to worry us, it's a case of having the whole team at a very high level."

Kompany is warning that one lapse in concentration could cost City dearly, whereas other matches present more of a physical test.

"They're a special team with special players, of course," he added. "I think their ability is not about hurting you all game - you can have tougher games when you go to Stoke City. It's about the fact they can decide a game within a second. They have more players than anyone else in the world who can finish games with a touch of magic.

"But I've come into football to play those games. From the moment I'm feeling reluctant to play in these games I'm not in the right place. This is what I want."

City beat Bayern Munich and Roma in their last two Champions League matches and Kompany is looking for his team-mates to raise their game against elite opponents again.

"You hope that on your day you can beat them but I think it's the same for us as it is for them," he said. "It's all about the day - who is on form.

"But that's what the Champions League form is about. It's not about putting 30 performances in a row - but maybe 10 that get you to the end."

City have never reached the last eight of the Champions League but Kompany is convinced they will do soon.

"We're putting in a fight again for the Premier League - you saw that [in Saturday's 5-0 win against Newcastle]," he said. "And we'll put in a fight for the Champions League too. The history of this club tells you that in the past six years we always keep progressing. It's only a matter of time."

Vincent Kompany applauds the fans © Getty Images

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