Champions League Gulf Evident Despite Joe Hart's Lionel Messi Penalty Save

There were moments in the first half of Manchester City’s 2-1 Champions League home defeat to Barcelona that defied belief. The Spanish side started as favourites in most people’s eyes, but the gulf in class between the two sides during the first 45 minutes was far more pronounced than anyone imagined, as Luis Enrique’s side flexed their muscles and proved beyond doubt their superiority over their opponents.

City, who have ambitions to become an elite club side, have once again failed to deliver on the biggest stage. They’ve managed Champions League wins against some of the best in dead rubbers, but when it truly matters, when their reputation in Europe is set to be enhanced, they too often fall short. This game was no exception.

Going into the match, City had kept just one clean sheet in their last 13 home Champions League games, a statistic that gets to the heart of their European failures. Their hopes of adding another one to their pitiful record were dashed inside 15 minutes when Luis Suarez, last season’s PFA Player of the Year when he was at Liverpool, finished smartly from inside the area.

It was too easy, though, and Vincent Kompany, a player who has struggled for form in recent weeks since returning from injury, will be disappointed with his part in a goal which appeared to knock City for six.

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

It signalled the start of Barca’s total and utter domination. Quicker to the ball, sharper with their passing and more inventive in their play, it became almost embarrassing just how much better the visitors were. Manuel Pellegrini, whose position will once again come under scrutiny, could only look on in despair, almost helpless to stop what was unfolding before his eyes.

Neymar’s lob nearly made it three, but Pablo Zabaleta made a timely intervention on the line, and Dani Alves hit the bar with a cross-come-shot. Rarely has the half-time whistle been so gratefully received by the City fans.

The second half saw a huge improvement in City’s performance, but it felt too little too late. Samir Nasri’s blocked shot upped the noise from the home fans, and moments later Edin Dzeko should have scored with a header.

Sergio Aguero pulled a goal back, a wonderfully calm finish after David Silva’s cute layoff. But by then there was a feeling the game—and, indeed, the tie—was already over.

Gael Clichy’s red card for a second bookable offence added further misery for City, but Joe Hart, City’s best player on the night having made some excellent saves to keep the score respectable, made a last-gasp stop from Lionel Messi’s penalty to keep some believing the tie is alive. Zabaleta had brought his Argentina teammate down with a somewhat clumsy challenge, but Hart kept out what would have been a killer goal.

It’s much talked-about that the City fans may not have fallen in love with this competition, and they openly admit they prioritise domestic matters over European affairs, but in the Etihad boardroom there’s an acute understanding that if they are to be considered one of the best teams in the world, City need to improve their Champions League performance.

It was clear tonight they remain someway short of achieving that ambition.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

And for Pellegrini, who was brought in to improve their fortunes in this competition, questions must be asked as to how far they have actually come. He has, to a degree, taken them forward, with consecutive knockout stage appearances an improvement on Roberto Mancini’s reign, but it’s been baby steps, at best.

On the evidence of this game, it would take a huge overhaul of the squad to bridge the chasm in class between City and the best sides in Europe.

Pellegrini started with his preferred 4-4-2 formation—a surprise to almost everyone who felt a drop of conservatism in the early stages of this two-legged tie would have been beneficial for City. They looked way too open and susceptible to Barcelona attacks, particularly in the first half, and they paid a heavy price.

Their domination domestically cannot be questioned. Two league titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup are testament to that. In fact, a Premier League table combining the last four years of results highlights their supremacy even more sharply. In that time, they have taken 18 more points than their nearest competitors, Manchester United, and 24 more than Chelsea.

City, perhaps, haven’t received enough credit for that record, but in Europe they’ve consistently fallen short of expectations. This was the latest and arguably most vivid example.

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

The difference between the two sides was so big that pinpointing an area where City fell short seems almost churlish, but the game gave another reminder of Fernando’s limitations.

With Barcelona so fleet of foot and full of invention, weaving patterns on the pitch that mesmerised their opponents, the Brazilian was left a passenger. His conservative passing style was inhibiting, and City, in need of some spark, were non-existent in the middle of the pitch.

Afterward, Pellegrini told reporters he was unhappy with his side’s first-half display, and said Hart’s penalty save was hugely important.

"I think that we played two different games the first half and the second.

"Until the first goal was a very normal game and after that we concede an easy goal and played very bad until the first half finished.

"In the second half I think we played well, we scored one goal and had two or three more chances to draw. After that we repeat the same mistake as last year, one player sent off. It is very difficult to play against Barcelona with 10. We finished with the penalty Joe saved very well

"We couldn’t put three passes together in the first half. There was a bit of confusion. We committed a very soft error for the first goal. We managed to be calmer in the second we pressed well and did well to hang on and almost get something from the game.

"It was a very important save [from Hart]. It was a very unnecessary penalty. Of course it gives us more chance to try and win in Barcelona—3-1 is a very difficult score to try and erase."

This was City’s sixth defeat in their last 20 competitive home games, a huge downturn in form when compared with the six defeats in their previous 47. The Etihad Stadium no longer feels like a fortress, and that will be a concern to Pellegrini as he attempts to overhaul Chelsea in the race for the Premier League title.

Some will suggest this tie remains alive, but anyone who witnessed the first-half massacre dished out by the Catalan giants will be firmly of the belief this one was over before it really 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.