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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claims Manchester City will face “the worst Barcelona of many, many years” in the last 16 of the Champions League.<\/p>\n
The Spanish side won the competition in 2009 and 2011 but have failed to make it past the semi-finals since.<\/p>\n
Mourinho, who worked at Barcelona under the late Sir Bobby Robson, has had a tense relationship with his former club and appears to have stirred the tensions ahead of the game.<\/p>\n
“Of course by history Barcelona is the favourite, but this Barcelona, this season, is showing that it is not the same in previous years,”<\/p>\n
“Of course, they have [Lionel] Messi – he is special – and they have more than him. But I think this is the worst Barcelona of many, many years.”<\/p>\n
Mourinho’s comments came after former Manchester United centre-back Pique admitted his side may not be as highly regarded as they once were.<\/p>\n
He said: “Maybe they don’t fear us as before because in the last two years we didn’t win the Champions League.<\/p>\n
“We can still be the best, but we have to show to the world we can do it.”<\/p>\n
Barca’s most recent Champions League successes came under former coach Pep Guardiola, but Tito Vilanova’s side were thumped 7-0 in a two-legged semi-final by eventual winners Bayern Munich last season.<\/p>\n