Pablo Zabaleta: 'Clean sheet could be key against Barcelona'

Pablo Zabaleta has claimed that Manchester City need to keep a clean sheet in the first leg of their Champions League tie with Barcelona.

City take on the Catalan club at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday and Zabaleta admits that how the hosts handle Lionel Messi, who recently returned from injury, will be key over both matches.

"Messi is back to being the Messi that we have always known," the 29-year-old claimed about his Argentina teammate.

"The important thing for us will be to make sure we don't concede. Barca at the Camp Nou will be very hard and it is important to give ourselves a good chance going into the second leg.

"For us the Champions League is still a new experience."

The second leg of the tie will take place on March 12.