“I think the door is still open.”
That is Pablo Zabaleta’s view on Manchester City’s trip to the Nou Camp on Wednesday night, despite most
pundits having already written off their Champions League campaign. Barcelona’s 2-1 win at the Eitihad puts them in the driving seat.
But things could have been worse and Zabaleta has already thanked Joe Hart for getting him out of jail and keeping City in with an outside chance of progressing.
The Argentina right-back admitted his debt in the moments after the England goalkeeper saved Lionel Messi’s spot kick in the first leg and Zabaleta’s superstar countryman had headed the rebound wide.
It was Zabaleta’s stoppage-time foul on the striker that had given Barcelona the chance to kill off the tie with a third away goal.
Hart’s save kept down the size of the mountain City must climb it’s now just Kilimanjaro instead of Everest!
Zabaleta insists that City are still in the tie, even though they’ll need to score at least twice to give themselves a chance.
“Obviously, it was not the result we expected before the first leg,” he says.
“We needed to win at home to give ourselves more of a chance because when the second game is Barcelona away, it’s very tough.
“We would be talking differently with a 3-1 scoreline, so I think the door is still open.
“We still have belief and we need to go there and try to win the game.
“Joe’s penalty save was a very key moment and gives us a better chance.
“It was a fantastic save against one of the best players in the world.
“I went to Joe at the whistle to say thanks because I was really frustrated with myself.
“I thought that defensively I did a good job for 90 minutes, and it was just that mistake at the end.
“I probably should have stayed more on my feet and not gone in on Messi the way I did.
“When you’re inside the box against players who are so quick, you should wait and not go for the challenge. There’s always the danger of giving away a penalty.”
Zabaleta got away with a booking for the foul that would have seen him suspended for the second leg. However, Gael Clichy was sent off and will be missing.
It was the third time in three encounters with Barca at this stage of the Champions League that City finished the game with 10 men.
“Sometimes we need to be more aware about referees in Europe,” says Zabaleta.
“In the Premier League, there is more physical contact and they probably don’t give so many free-kicks.
“But the Champions League is different. Sometimes there is some contact in the game that would never be a foul in the Premier League.
“We should know that, however. We have been playing in this for many years.
“When you play against fast attackers, it is really hard to stop them every time, especially when you can’t make any contact on them.
“You have to try to be less aggressive but you can’t give them space. You have to press them. You can’t let them play so easily.”
And then there’s Lionel Messi…
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