Mourinho: Man City Facing the Worst Barca for Many Years

• BBC Sport, Tuesday, February 18, 2014 2:20 PM

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho claims that UEFA Champions League powerhouse Barcelona, which faces off against Chelsea Premier League rival Manchester City at the Etihad on Tuesday, is currently the weakest Barca squad for “many, many years.” The Portuguese, whose team lost 2-0 to City in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday, believes he faced stronger Barca sides while he was coach of Real Madrid from 2010-2013.

"City have a chance," Mourinho said in an interview with ITV. "Of course by history Barcelona is the favorite, but this Barcelona, this season, is showing that it is not the same in previous years. Of course, they have [Lionel] Messi -- he is special -- and they have more than him. But I think this is the worst Barcelona of many, many years."

Mourinho was responding to comments made by Barca center back Gerard Pique that maybe the rest of the UCL field doesn’t fear Barca as much as they used to because the club has not won the competition in the last two years. "We can still be the best, but we have to show to the world we can do it," Pique said.

Barca was famously dumped out of the competition in last season’s semifinal by eventual winner Bayern Munich by an astonishing score line of 7-0 over two games.

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