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What’s the story?
Manchester City assistant manager Mikel Arteta has discussed Barcelona’s 4-0 loss against Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final second leg last month.
Despite being surprised in the manner in which Barcelona conceded some of the goals, Arteta claimed that any team could face such a result at Anfield.
In case you didn’t know…
Barcelona's season ended in a disappointing manner as the Catalan giants only managed to win La Liga, despite being in the running for another treble. Barcelona beat Liverpool 3-0 in the Champions League semi-final first leg at the Camp Nou before crashing out of the tournament after losing 4-0 in the return leg on Merseyside. Lionel Messi and company also lost to Valencia in the Copa del Rey final.
On the other hand, Arteta and Manchester City enjoyed a sensational campaign as the Citizens became the first English team to win the domestic treble consisting of the Premier League, the FA Cup and the League Cup.
The heart of the matter
In a recent interview with Marca, Arteta, who spent time at Barcelona's academy as a player, reflected on the Catalan giants' debacle at Anfield.
“Barça surprised me by the form of some goals, but in Anfield you can get five without knowing.”
Talking about the the daunting task of facing Liverpool at their own den, the former Everton and Arsenal star said,
“It's hard to explain, but it never happened to me anywhere other than Anfield.
“The stands push a lot, the intensity they put in the field.
“Neither in Spain nor in Greece or Germany did I have that feeling. Not even in Old Trafford.
“Anfield is the only field in which I had the feeling of 'pájara', of staying stuck. It happened to me with Arsenal, and we got five. They make you one, two, you see red shirts flying ... and you get five. You say: 'I do not know what's going on, stop the game, please, because I do not know where I am.”
What’s next?
Despite winning the domestic treble, Manchester City once again failed to make their mark in Europe as they were knocked out by Tottenham in the Champions League quarter-finals.
