Saturday’s 2-0 win over Chelsea was a welcome return to form for Manuel Pellegrini’s men but Barcelona represent an entirely different challenge on Tuesday evening.
Navas says two tip-top performances against the Spaniards are required to progress past the Round of 16, but adds he believes City are more than capable of triumphing over two legs.
“We have to challenge Barcelona for possession because they are at their best when they have the ball,” said the City winger. “Without it, they cannot hurt you.
“We will be playing our normal game because it has served us really well this season. It is a style that we particularly enjoy, though it will be difficult to impose it on Barcelona because they also want a lot of the ball and it will be very intense on our side.
The tie will not be decided on Tuesday, but in Barcelona. It is 180 minutes. We have to put pressure on them, maintain the concentration at all times and take the chances
...Jesus Navas...
Despite boasting some of the best players in the world, Navas says that the La Liga giants can be beaten and there are areas City will look to expose in what should be a fascinating encounter at the Etihad.
“Even the best teams have their weaknesses, and Barcelona struggle in set pieces and counterattacks, when they lose the ball in attacking positions,” he said.
“We have been training hard and hopefully by preparing well for this match we can go through to the next round. We are full of confidence. The one thing we must do is play with high pressure and high tempo because they have some top-quality players.
“It’s hard to say if Barca are as strong as they were three or four years ago because they set the standards so high in the past.
It is very, very difficult to keep playing with that kind of style year in and year out. But, that said, they are top of La Liga and they are in the final of the Copa del Rey
...Jesus Navas
“Barca will find we are a really difficult team to play against and to beat. We are playing very well, creating chances scoring a lot of goals. I reckon they won’t be happy having to come here.
“Experience could be a factor in the tie, but I hope it is not the decisive factor. It is important that we enjoy ourselves and play the way we usually do.”
