How Manchester City Will Differ vs Messi and Barcelona in Champions League Tie

Manchester City’s dramatic qualification from their Champions League group, which was confirmed after their impressive 2-0 win in Rome on Wednesday, has seen them draw Barcelona in the last 16 of the competition.

It’s the second consecutive year they have been pitted against the Catalan giants in the last 16. Last season, it was Barcelona who progressed, winning 4-1 on aggregate, including a 2-0 win at the Etihad in the first leg.

However, with City’s late show against Bayern Munich followed up by a comprehensive win over Roma that saw them scrape through Group E after a poor start, the situation now feels somewhat different.

There’s little doubt City have struggled to replicate their domestic form when competing in Europe’s premier competition in recent seasons, but there’s a feeling now their recent results may have rooted out some of the negativity which has affected their performances.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Sergio Aguero’s two late goals which helped beat Bayern were dramatic, and the comfortable win in Rome, which saw City give their first truly impressive win in Europe in a match in which both teams had something to play for, has given everyone connected to the club a lift.

The City fans have made no secret of the fact that they have struggled to establish an emotional connection to the competition, mainly because of their team’s inability to provide them with something to cheer, but also because of a disliking of UEFA’s approach to FFP and the Champions League seeding system.

The tide appears to be turning, though, and the club, the players and the fans will go into this game, which is set to be played between late February and mid-March, with renewed optimism and a feeling of belonging at the top table of football.

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UEFA confirm the dates: City vs. Barcelona at the Etihad on 24 February, Barcelona vs. City at Camp Nou on 18 March.

— City Watch (@City_Watch) December 15, 2014"

Barcelona, of course, are a side full of experience and quality, and in Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, they have a trio of South Americans capable of brilliance. The four-time winners of the competition currently sit second in La Liga, four points behind leaders Real Madrid, and they will rightly start the tie as favourites.

This fixture last season left City with a feeling of what could have been. They showed too much respect to Barcelona in the first leg, which was turned on the decision to send Martin Demichelis off for a foul on Messi, despite the Spanish side being far from their best.

It left them with a mountain to climb, travelling to Barcelona with a feeling of inevitability that they would go out. A half-fit Aguero started that match and barely kicked the ball, and City will be determined to right the wrongs of 12 months ago.

The fitness of their key players, as ever, will be vital, particularly Aguero who has consistently provided them with goals this season, but if they can play Barcelona at full strength, they have nothing to fear.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

For everyone connected with City, and, in particular, the owners and directors, Champions League success remains a long-term ambition. Consolidating last season’s  progress, where Pellegrini took them to the last 16 for the first time, was imperative, but now they need to make further improvements.

Much has been made about City’s struggles in Europe since they entered the competition in 2012, but it is often forgotten that other Premier League sides have also taken time to acclimatise to the Champions League.

It’s a rigorous format that requires a mix of technical and tactical skill, and City, slowly but surely, are beginning to figure out how to hold their own. This tie against Barcelona should be drastically different to the one last season, which was over, really, before it even began.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2014-15 season. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.