Luis Suarez has put Barcelona in total control of their Champions League last-16 clash with Manchester City courtesy of a first-half brace at the Etihad this evening, with the Spanish giants going into the break 2-0 up.
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The visitors started brightly, with Neymar and Lionel Messi both threatening to get in behind the defence, but it was Suarez who had the first chance of the game, rippling the side-netting with an effort at the near post.
The former Liverpool man would get another opening just three minutes later, however, and this time he made it count. A cross from the right hit Vincent Kompany and bounced kindly for the Uruguayan, who swung his left leg at it to drill an effort into the bottom corner.
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Barcelona continued to dominate and Suarez perhaps should have doubled his personal tally for the night when he was played through on goal, only for Joe Hart to come out and thwart the striker.
The relentless pressure told again after half an hour, though, and Suarez was once more the man to hurt City, racing in front of his marker to slide home a Jordi Alba cross following a slick move from Barcelona.
Neymar was the next to threaten as he was played through on goal, but his lofted effort over Hart did not have enough on it as Kompany got back to clear it off the line.
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Hart was called into action yet again shortly afterwards as this time Messi almost scampered through, but the England number one snuffed out the Argentine before he could poke it past the keeper.
Just before the interval, Dani Alves came within inches of further adding to the lead with a clever chip that beat Hart but bounced off the top of the crossbar.
City had to wait until the final minute of the half as Sergio Aguero teed up Samir Nasri, whose low shot forced a save from Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Barney Corkhill
