Champions League: Barcelona, Manchester City Pegged Again, Can City Stop Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez?

By Joseph Trezza joeseph.trezza@mstarsnews.com | Dec 15, 2014 01:48 PM EST

Manchester City and Barcelona will go head-to-head in the UEFA Champions League Last 16 once again. Barcelona has taken the last two previous meetings, both earlier this year. In February Barcelona topped Manchester City 2-0 in the Last 16 first leg. In March they repeated with a 2-1 victory in the second leg. Here we are again.

Other intriguing matchups include Arsenal taking on Monaco, as Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger gets a chance to play his former team. "I'm not against it at all," Wenger told the Daily Mail. "It would be a visit to my first home. Of course I would love to go there.

Also look out for Chelsea, who was paired with Ligue 1 champs Saint-Germain in a game that pins David Luiz against his former club.

Manchester City earned a chance to play the four-time European champs Barcelona by topping Roma in the final round of group games, according to BBC News.

The Guardian reports Manchester City's sporting director, Txiki Begiristain, isn't thrilled. "It is unbelievable," he said. "We don't need to talk because, every time, it is the same: Bayern Munich, AS Roma, CKSJA Moscow in the group state, and now Barcelona, who we also drew last season."

Barcelona features probably the most formidable front line in the world, with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.

"We have plenty of confidence, though," Begiristain said. "We have improved our squad since last season, we are more solid and stronger at the back. We have more confidence for this game."

Here is the full slate of games, set to start in February:

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Chelsea
Manchester City vs. Barcelona
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Atletico Madrid
Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund
Schalke 04 vs. Real Madrid
Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Bayern Munchen
Arsenal vs. Monaco
Basle vs. Porta

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