THE Barcelona team which turns up at Celtic Park on Champions League duty on Wednesday night has been called the best ever assembled. But Miku, the Venezuelan striker who played on the famous night the Catalan giants went down 2-1 at Parkhead, doesn't reckon they are any better than the 2012 vintage.
While Barcelona's current much vaunted front three of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez ripped Celtic to shreds in the course of a 7-0 win at the Camp Nou back in September, the 31-year-old, now playing his club football in Spain at Rayo Vallecano, reckons lightning could yet strike twice in midweek - but only if Brendan Rodgers' side are prepared to work as hard as Neil Lennon's team did that famous night in 2012 and adopt the same kind of belt and braces game plan.
"That team in 2012 had David Villa, the all-time top scorer in the Spanish national team and Xavi, maybe Barcelona's best-ever player ever," Miku told Herald Sport. "When he played the team played. Now they are a different team: Neymar is very fast and unbelievable one on one, and Suarez is an unbelievable striker but I don't think they are better. Or worse. They are just different. Two great teams.
"It is always more difficult of course to play against them at the Camp Nou," said Miku. "[Manchester] City pressed high against them [in their recent 3-1 win in Manchester] and when Barcelona players made some mistakes the City players didn't think twice and ran direct to the goal. Maybe this is the way, but you never know what will happen in football - each game is different.
"It is very hard to predict but if Celtic can do everything in defence then I think at Celtic Park they can score one goal and win the game," he added. "Maybe particularly if [Moussa] Dembele is good. But the main thing is that everyone has to sacrifice, be willing to run and clear about what they are trying to do."
The 2-1 win that night, on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the club's foundation, was secured with only 34% possession of the football, courtesy of a first-half header from Victor Wanyama and a late clincher from substitute Tony Watt, before Messi's late goal sparked a late fightback which didn't quite materialise.
Back in Spanish football after a spell in the Qatari game, Miku has been impressed with the start Brendan Rodgers has made to life at Celtic. The Parkhead side already lead the Ladbrokes Premiership by ten points with a game in hand. "This is his first year at Celtic and it is never easy to come to a new team and a new league," said Miku. "Of course everybody knows that he is a top manager but he still needs more time and to get more confidence but I think he is doing well so far. In a few years time if he stays I think he can improve the team even more."
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