Barcelona has an invaluable 2-1 edge after the first leg of its UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie with Manchester City on Tuesday.
Manager Luis Enrique is pretty happy to roll out of the Etihad Stadium with two away goals, even knowing that City’s second half could’ve been enough to turn the tides.
[ MORE: Match recap | 3 things ]
Our own Joe Prince-Wright was on hand in Manchester, and got the Barca boss’ take on how his club held City to one goal -- coming from Sergio Aguero in the second half -- and a remarkable first half that saw Luis Suarez net twice.
[ MORE: Hart on his PK save | Messi v. Aguero ]
From the Etihad:“We would have taken this before the match. It is a win. It is a deserved victory. We need to be proud of victories like this. This type of tie is very difficult. It could have been 2-2. In general the game is in our favor.
“We were superior in the middle of the park and created situations of dangers. They couldn’t find Silva between the lines. Second half, after the break we knew they would come at us. They have quality, they pressed us in the second half.
“The first half, every [Barcelona] player on the pitch was fantastic.”
You have to like Barca’s chances for the second leg, leading by one and knowing City will have to press for a pair of road goals.
Enrique also noted that Lionel Messi will remain Barca’s penalty kick taker despite being saved by Joe Hart in stoppage time and heading the rebound wide of the goal.
