Messi, Ter Stegen, De Jong... Pep's lessons on how to beat Madrid

Quique Setién's Barcelona could present some characteristic details of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City style of play at the Santiago Bernabéu this Sunday.

The Barça coach took good note of the English' comeback against Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League, and was even there to witness it first hand.

As if all this were not enough, Setién and Guardiola met at the hotel after City's victory over Madrid, where the Catalan coach most probably spoke about the keys to beat Zinedine Zidane's team.

Setién faces his first 'Clásico' since he arrived at the bench of the Camp Nou and he himself revealed in a press conference that what the team from Manchester has done will be: "City did things that can be useful for us in the 'Clásico".

But what exactly did Guardiola and Setién talk about in Madrid? Marca says that one of the names that was repeated more in that talk was Dani Carvajal, vital for Real Madrid, but his efforts against City were in vain. 

Protecting the right-wing of Real Madrid's attack with the rise of the Spanish international, a function that was performed to perfection by Gabriel Jesus, was one of the keys to City's comeback, and it will no doubt be a trick Setién will try to use this Sunday.  

Another of the stars of the meeting at the hotel was Frenkie de Jong, who returns to the place of his confirmation and will have the difficult task of becoming Barcelona's De Bruyne, who was responsible for breaking the midfield line to launch the offensive in search of Courtois' goal. 

From Ter Stegen to Messi

Ter Stegen will also be playing a key role. The need for the ball to pass through his boots, a strategy implemented by Setién since his arrival in Barcelona, makes the team far superior on the pitch to their rivals. The German's long passes to unsettle the rival's defense will be vital in throwing off their opponents and looking for the longed-for goal. 

And to close the intense conversation between Pep and Quique, there is no better way to end than by mentioning Leo Messi. The Catalan knows him well, while Setién praised him even before he arrived in Catalonia. If the Argentinian is fit, the night of March 1 will become a nightmare for Real Madrid.