Luis Enrique: 'Barcelona injuries are no excuse to lose'

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique has said that injuries to several first-team regulars will be "no excuse" should they fail to beat Manchester City on Tuesday night.

The Catalan giants have made the trip to England without Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Jeremy Mathieu and Andres Iniesta, but that has not stopped Enrique backing his team to beat City for a second time in the space of 13 days after thrashing Pep Guardiola's team 4-0 at Camp Nou.

Enrique is quoted by The Mirror as saying: "Every team has players missing. I have said this during these weeks. We have a great squad and I have complete confidence in them. That is no excuse.

"I think it is a great opportunity to qualify. We want to be first in the group. We will have to play very well, with and without the ball. City know how to occupy the spaces. We are going to have play at our top, top level."

Barcelona will qualify for the last 16 as winners of Group C should they emerge victorious at the Etihad Stadium.