Unai Emery is again intent on breaking his run against Barcelona as a Coach by defeating them with Spartak Moscow in midweek.
The 41-year-old has yet to record three points in a game against the Catalans with Almeria, Valencia or in his previous match with Spartak.
However, in preparing to welcome the Spanish to Russia this Tuesday for the return group stage encounter between his side and Barca, Emery is once more eyeing a first win.
“We can beat Barcelona. But we need to be at our best and find Barcelona’s defects, which appear rarely,” commented the former Valencia boss this week.
“That I have not beaten Barcelona yet is not news. Beating them would be news. I have never succeeded, but it is not a burden that I am carrying.
“I take it as a matter of course, like any other Coach who has faced Barcelona.”
The game is likely to be played in freezing cold conditions, but Emery denied that this would present an advantage to his side.
“The general winter will not be a factor for this game, but it will be about zero degrees on that day. We should rely on the climate as an option.
“At their ground we played well, we were close to our peak performance and it was Messi who decided the game.
“We can repeat our performance, and playing well in both defence and attack will see us closer to winning.”
