Pellegrini still harboring hope

Despite losing to Barcelona, Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini said his side would take confidence from its second-half reaction into the return leg of the Champions League last-16 tie.

A first-half brace from Luis Suarez helped Barcelona to a 2-1 win in Tuesday's first leg at Etihad Stadium but Sergio Aguero's 69th-minute goal and a stoppage-time penalty blunder by Lionel Messi gave City hope.

City lost Gael Clichy to a red card - echoing the dismissals of Martin Demichelis and Pablo Zabaleta during last season's 4-1 aggregate loss to Barcelona at the same stage of the competition - but Pellegrini expressed belief his club would turn the tie around at Camp Nou next month.