EVEN A HALF FIT MESSI WILL DESTROY MAN CITY... PIQUE.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner who came off the bench to score in Barca's 4-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday will likely start for Barca in their Champions League showdown with Manchester City at the Nou Camp on Wednesday.

Gerard Pique has boasted that even a half fit Messi will be so hot for the Citizens. Pique said, "He's the best in the world, in my opinion, “He gives us a lot, if he's 100 per cent or if even if he's just 10 per cent fit.

“He's so different and good that just his presence on the pitch means a lot to us - and to other teams.

"I see him great right now. In three minutes he can something [from nothing] and - I'll say it again - he's the best player in the world, the best in history.

"I'm very fond of him, ever since we started playing together at the age of 13. Leo provides a lot, but he needs to be at his best.

"We all need to be at a great level and obviously very often he makes the difference and wins the game, but the team needs to be playing well too."

Former Barca Boss Pep Guardiola joined City in the summer, and Pique believes that the arrival of his former boss at Manchester makes the English side a stronger opposition.

"I think Manchester City are a different team from the team that came to the Nou Camp with Manuel Pellegrini in the last few years,” said Pique.

"Their style of play is different. They press a lot, really high, and play more or less the same style as us, because obviously Pep was here for a lot of years and he understands football the same way as us.

"It will be a really challenging game and I hope we can win.”

"Pep has another project now that is important to him,” said Pique. “A club with their financial capacity can focus on the very best players in the world.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to sign some of our players from Barcelona, the Spaniard added.