This is the kind of tie Manchester City fans have been dreaming of.

I watched City beat Chelsea 2-0 at the weekend and Barcelona destroy Rayo Vallecano 6-0. If they play to the same levels, we are in for a treat.

Barcelona are one of the great European teams, but they will fear playing City at the Etihad. This is where I see the game being won and lost.

THE KEY CLASHES

Gerard Pique vs Alvaro Negredo

City pose an attacking threat all over the pitch but they are particuarly strong in the air.

Negredo is a real handful and he is excellent at getting across defenders. To combat that your marking has to be top drawer, but I just don’t see that from Pique.

He’s a tall man but if City can get their full backs forward and they provide good deliveries into the box, then Negredo will cause his fellow Spaniard real problems.

Vincent Kompany vs Lionel Messi

We all know about Messi’s quality and he is difficult to pick up when he drops into midfield, but Kompany was tremendous against Chelsea.

He was decisive and homed in on any danger he saw. He came out to meet Eden Hazard whenever he was on the ball and Hazard plays in a similar way to Messi.

I think Kompany will have to gamble and do the same with Messi, but his game went up a gear against Chelsea and I expect him to play in exactly the same way.

Yaya Toure vs Sergio Busquets

They might not go head to head on the pitch, but these players are both so valuable to their team.

Toure’s contribution is obvious with his goals and powerful runs, but Busquets is the man who took his place at Barcelona.

Everybody in the football world respects the job Busquets does and he is loved by his team-mates in the dressing room. It will be fascinating to see who is the most valuable player for their team on the night.

WHO’S THE REF?

Jonas Eriksson is a multi-millionaire after he sold his stake in a media company seven years ago. The Swede took charge of last year’s UEFA Super Cup final, in which Chelsea lost to Bayern Munich on penalties.

THEY WERE THE PASS MASTERS… NOW MEET BREAKAWAY BARCA

Barcelona’s passing style made them the kings of Europe but with a new boss, things are changing.

Gerardo Martino has tried to mix it up, even if that has meant upsetting the club’s purist fans. The tiki-taka passing that made them one of the game’s greatest sides has been diluted, and they can now be direct when needed.

They proved that with a stunning counter-attack against Sevilla nine days ago when Lionel Messi scored from a move that took just 17 seconds and 14 touches to complete (below).

‘We are not a counter-attacking side,’ argued Xavi after that game, but they have scored 11 times on the break this season.

PLAYING KEEP BALL

Barcelona still try to dominate possession, but total passes per game are down this season and they have been putting in more crosses.

As Gerard Pique said: ‘We were slaves of our own philosophy. If you are under pressure, there’s nothing wrong with a long ball every now and then.’

With the new approach, though, they have had slightly less possession.

GET THEM IN THE CORNER

For all their attacking play, Barcelona are poor at defending from corners, so City should pack the box. Barca mark man for man but do not do it well, and apart from Gerard Pique are a small side.

City’s first XI at the weekend was on average three inches per man taller than the Spaniards.

ON THE ATTACK

City should not just focus on set pieces. Dani Alves and Jordi Alba love to get forward so City will want to expose them with balls over the top.

Sergio Busquets is also Barca’s lone holding midfielder, so he should be targeted. He took Yaya Toure’s place at Barcelona, so the City man has a point to prove.

—Daily Mail