City's Guardiola: We'll make slight tweaks for Barcelona test

Pep Guardiola has vowed to line up his Manchester City side with the same attacking mindset that has characterised his start in English football when it plays at Barcelona on Wednesday, but with slight alterations.

The Spaniard spent much of his medal-mustering playing days at the Camp Nou, and then took his first senior management job in charge of Barca, guiding the club to an incredible three league titles, two Copa del Reys, and two Champions League trophies in four years.

"I've spent time here, this stadium is part of my life, I grew up here," Guardiola noted at Tuesday's pre-match media conference for the Champions League group-stage tilt.

Some of the hallmarks of his Barcelona reign - retaining possession at all costs, constantly stealing pockets of space, winning the ball back as quickly as possible - are now evident at City, and Guardiola says he won't make drastic changes to address the Blaugrana's style.

"I would like to defend well and attack well but to change the way you think, the way you believe in playing football, it's impossible," he said.

"Of course you adjust many things because it's a special team, how they play, build up, high pressing, they control all the departments, and you have to adjust - and try to be ourselves as much as possible."

When Guardiola took over Barcelona in 2008, and then at Bayern Munich in 2013, the clubs were already leading protagonists in the European game. While City has steadily boosted its continental pedigree since its takeover from the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, Guardiola knows what the club needs to do to ensure to reach the next stage in its growth.

"You are important in Europe when you are in the semi-finals all the time and that is the next target at this club," he revealed.

To achieve that regard, his side will have to stymie the world's best - and that includes Lionel Messi.

"I think Barca have been dominating Europe for so many years, they have experience, and they have four or five of the best players in the world in different positions," offered right-back Pablo Zabaleta.

He added: "At the moment we've been playing good football and we're coming here to play our style, not to change anything because they are great ... not that we don't have respect. But we will try and play the game to win."

City is placed second in Group C with four points from two matches, while Barcelona tops the quartet with the maximum return from its two outings.