体坛英语新闻：Barca need to improve to beat upbeat Manchester City

MADRID, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- FC Barcelona have to pick themselves up and dust themselves down after the disappointment of their defeat to Malaga on Saturday and prepare for their most important game of the season when they face Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Last season saw Barca knock the English Champions out of the tournament, but there were factors in the tie which went in Barca's favor, such as the fact that Manchester City striker, Kun Aguero was struggling for match fitness after injury and a red card shown to Martin Demichelis before halftime in the first leg, both of which left City with a mountain to climb.

This time, around, although Toure Yaya is suspended for the first leg against his former club, Aguero is 100 percent fit, while the club have recent signing William Bony ready to make an impact. The English outfit are also brimming with confidence after blowing Newcastle United away 5-0 on Saturday as Edin Dzeko showed coach Manuel Pellegrini he has plenty of options in attack.

Weighted up against this, Barcelona produced one of their most disappointing performances of the campaign on Saturday, just when most were expecting them to step up their challenge for the BBVA Primera Liga title.

A win would have momentarily lifted Barca above Real Madrid in the table, but now they have fallen to four points behind and need a favor from other sides if they are to win the league.

Coach Luis Enrique made several changes to his team on Saturday and will make more on Tuesday as Javier Mascherano replaces Jeremy Mathieu in central defense, while Ivan Rakitic comes into central midfield.

The club have taken all of their available player to England, but are likely to line up with Ter Stegen in goal, a defense made up of Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, Mascherano and Jordi Albar, while Sergio Busquets, Rakitic and Andres Iniesta play in midfield behind a fearsome attacking trio of Neymar, Luis Suarez and Leo Messi.

None of those three were particularly inspired at the weekend, in Manchester they will hope they are not inspired on Tuesday either.