Nasri urges Man City to put FA Cup exit aside against Barcelona

Samir Nasri was frustrated by Manchester City’s FA Cup elimination after seeing a semi-final draw that he felt handed them the Cup “on a plate”, but backed his side to bounce back from the Wigan setback at Barcelona on Wednesday.
Nasri scored City goal in the 2-1 quarter-final home defeat, as the possibility of a domestic treble evaporated, and the France international admitted to feeling “hungover” after the defeat. That disappointment seems set to linger with his former club Arsenal the only top-four side left in Cup, with Hull City and Sheffield United playing in the other semi-final.
“It was a bad performance. We didn’t play well,” Nasri said. “We did exactly the same as the Capital One Cup final – we woke up after 65 minutes. Except this time we were 2-0 down and we cannot always score three goals. It is really difficult to accept.
“It is like, the FA Cup, they gave it to us on a plate and we refused to take it. When you see the semi-final it is really hard. I am really disappointed.”
City wasted a host of chances as they chased the game after Nasri’s goal but could not find the equaliser that would have earned a replay. “Sometimes you think it is not your day,” Nasri said. “We fought but it was too late. We only woke up and played for 30 minutes. At this level you cannot do that because any team can beat you.”
Nasri believes the Champions League last-16 second leg against Barcelona comes at the perfect time – despite City facing the daunting prospect of chasing a two-goal deficit.
“Thank God we play a big game on Wednesday. It is the best way to forget this game. Tonight maybe it is going to be difficult but from tomorrow at training we are going to think Barcelona and try to think positive and get a result there.
“A game like this you cannot not be focused from the start … We can do something fantastic if we change the result. But we have to be focused and take this game as a lesson.”
Barcelona also suffered defeat over the weekend, and sit third in La Liga behind the two Madrid sides, Real and Atlético, which should give Manuel Pellegrini’s team some hope as they attempt to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
“I think anything is possible in football,” Nasri said. “I saw them this week against Valladolid (where Barcelona lost 1-0). It just shows they are human.”
Nasri played twice for Arsenal at the Camp Nou and both times was on the end of big defeats but he believes that the Barcelona side of today cannot match up to the vintage of 2010 and 2011.
“It is not a good memory,” Nasri said of the 4-1 defeat in 2010, “but at the time I thought they were better than they are today. We played against Messi, who was unplayable. He scored four goals against us. I hope it is not the going to be the same.
“Camp Nou is always something special. It is a special feeling to play there. It is going to be difficult but I know if we play at our level we can do something. Let’s have high hopes, forget about this game and we will see.”
Although defeat to Championship opposition may not seem like ideal preparation but Nasri believes City’s experience in the two cups over the last fortnight will hold them in good stead.
When asked how City should approach the match against Barcelona he said: “Exactly the same way we finished the [Wigan] game. We have nothing to lose. If you go there and you lose it is no more but if you get a result it will be fantastic. I think we have nothing to lose. Just attack them from the start and try to score an early goal.”