Can Pellegrini's men overturn a 2-0 deficit? Kompany answers, ''Yes they can''

It seems unlikely, if not quite impossible. A 2-0 home deficit has never been overturned in this competition - in any of its forms - never mind at a place like the Nou Camp. City must find something truly special tonight but if Kompany’s pre-match mood can infect his team-mates at kick-off then maybe Manuel Pellegrini’s team have a sliver of a chance after all.

‘Football is made out of nights like this,’ said Kompany. ‘Emotionally it’s a tough ask but you won’t beat how we beat QPR and if anything gives you belief in chasing late causes then it should be that.

‘Our team are stronger now than we were then. We are here to try to have one of those great nights. I still think we will have to score three goals across the period in 90 or 120 minutes. We can think we have nothing to lose and think  forward. If we get a lead, the dynamics will change. To say we can’t take the lead -  no-one will put any money on that. 

‘It’s in our own hands. We are coming out on the pitch tomorrow and if we lose they are better than us and if win we are better than them. 

‘But we have got to believe. Not only just to help ourselves but because we have 5,000 fans coming here. It’s our job to believe in that.’

When Daniel Alves scored  Barcelona’s second goal late in the game at the Etihad Stadium last month, the life appeared to drain from this tie. No-one comes to the Nou Camp and wins 3-0... well, with the exception of Bayern Munich in last season’s semi-final second leg.

City also have some goalscoring problems all of a  sudden. The goal glut of early- and mid- season is now a memory and their centre forwards would appear to have forgotten how to score.