Manuel Pellegrini accused his Manchester City players of failing to follow his instructions during a disastrous first half against Barcelonawhich left his team facing an uphill battle in the Nou Camp next month to avoid Champions League elimination.
Although Sergio Agüero’s second-half goal and a stoppage-time penalty save by Joe Hart from Lionel Messi kept City in the tie, England goalkeeper Hart admitted that his team-mates ‘panicked’ during the opening period, when two Luis Suárez goals gave Barcelona a decisive lead.
City manager Pellegrini surprisingly selected James Milner and Fernando as central midfielders in a 4-4-2 formation which was overrun by Barcelona in the first half.
But despite the ease with which Luis Enrique’s team tore City apart in the early stages, Pellegrini insisted that it was his players, rather than his tactics, which were to blame for Barcelona’s dominance.
“We couldn’t put three passes together in the first half,” Pellegrini said. “There was a bit of confusion and we committed a very soft error for the first goal.
“But we didn’t do until the second half what we wanted to do in the game.
“If we played in the first half in the way we did the second, I think we would have done better.
“We managed to be calmer in the second half, when we pressed well and did well to hang on. We almost got something from the game.”
The second-half dismissal of full-back Gaël Clichy for two bookable offences means the French defender will miss the return leg on March 18.
Yaya Touré’s return from a three-match suspension will boost City in Catalonia, but despite the prospect of having the former Barcelona midfielder available to face his former team, Pellegrini insisted there will be no need to change his tactical approach in the Nou Camp.
“No, I am very happy [with our tactics],” Pellegrini said. “It was the way we must play against Barcelona and we demonstrated that in the second half.
“Barcelona will always dominate in some parts of the pitch, but we demonstrated it was the way we must play – from the first minute.
“If we don’t play, it is not easy for our team to win.
"Unfortunately Barcelona managed to get through the game without committing errors. We committed mistakes.
“Until the goal the game was quite even, but then we waited for the first half to end.
“Next time, it is important not to make the same mistakes. We cannot have a player sent off every game against Barcelona.”
City travel to Spain in three weeks’ time with their hopes intact largely thanks to Hart, who aside from his penalty heroics, produced a number of important saves to deny Barcelona a healthier winning margin.
But the goalkeeper echoed Pellegrini’s comments by admitting that City created their own downfall in the first half.
"We pressed until the first goal and panicked a bit,” Hart said. “We regrouped in the second half, put a lot of pressure on and were good for our goal and maybe good for a result tonight.
"The occasion did not get to us, sometimes things go against you. It is 2-1 and we go there with belief.”
Messi’s penalty miss was the Barcelona forward’s fifth spot-kick failure from his last 10 attempts for club and country – the Argentine compounded his initial failure to by heading the rebound wide from six yards.
If City are to overcome Barcelona next month, Hart admits that the penalty save could prove a turning point.
"I hope so,” Hart said. “We will go there with a great group of fans, belief and we will have a right go. I hope our second-half efforts are worth something.”
Pellegrini added: “It was a very important save, but it was a very unnecessary penalty because we need to control our emotions in those situations.
“Of course the save gives us more chance to try and win in Barcelona because 3-1 is a very difficult score to try and erase.
"Losing 2-1 is not the best result here at home, but we are going to play in Barcelona and try and do it the way we normally play.
“We have a chance. We must try to do it there in the next game. It is important for this team to continue in the Champions League as far as possible.”
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