NEU » tched his chances fade when his tap-in putt for bir

BARCELONA, Spain -- Pep Guardiola, the managerial mastermind who led Barcelona to 14 of 19 possible titles in four seasons, is returning to Camp Nou.This time he will be at the helm of Manchester City as he faces his boyhood club in the Champions League on Wednesday.But how does the best of the teams Guardiola coached from 2008-2012 stack up against the current Barcelona side?Here is a comparison of Barcelonas current players with those led by Guardiola in 2008-09, the team that started the clubs winning era by becoming the first Spanish club to win the Champions League, Spanish league and Copa del Rey in the same season.Barcelona repeated that rare feat of winning the treble of titles two seasons ago under present coach Luis Enrique.---FORWARDSMessi/Etoo/Henry (2008-09) vs. Messi/Suarez/Neymar (now)A budding star at 21 years old, Lionel Messi fully blossomed under Guardiola.The Argentina star won his first of a record five Ballon dOr awards in 2009, after having scored important goals such as his double in a historic 6-2 win at Real Madrid and the second goal in a 2-0 win to beat Manchester United in the Champions League final.Guardiola got one more superb season from striker Samuel Etoo, and squeezed out some of the last vintage goals that Thierry Henry had to offer.Hard to top that, right?Just look at Messis present partners in attack.With Messi moving away from a pure scorer to becoming both scorer and playmaker, Luis Suarez and Neymar have proven to be perfect fits up front. Suarez is the voracious goal-taker that Messi needed to focus on orchestrating, while Neymars dribbling skills and speed are almost unstoppable. The trio broke scoring records in each of the last two seasons.ADVANTAGE: Luis Enriques current attack.---MIDFIELDXavi/Toure/Iniesta (2008-09) vs. Rakitic/Busquets/Iniesta (now)Both teams enjoy the devilry of Andres Iniesta, but the 2008-09 side had both Yaya Toure and an upstart Sergio Busquets sharing time in front of the defense, as opposed to the current teams reliance on Busquets as a holding midfielder.The major difference, however, is the downgrade from Xavi Hernandez to Ivan Rakitic.Rakitic is more athletic and a better tackler than Xavi, but that cannot trump Xavis vision, poise and control of the match. The World Cup winner was Guardiolas on-pitch general of a possession-based passing attack that bewildered opponents.In other words, its a no-brainer.ADVANTAGE: Guardiolas 2008-09 midfield.---DEFENSEDani Alves/Puyol/Pique/Abidal (2008-09) vs. Roberto/Pique/Mascherano/Alba (now)Always at the service of Messi, Xavi and Iniesta, Barcelonas defense under Guardiola was easy to overlook.But that 2008-09 team enjoyed Dani Alves and Eric Adibal in their prime, a fully fit Carles Puyol before he was diminished by injuries, and a Gerard Pique hungry to come into his own.Pique now anchors a back line that is under transition.Jordi Alba offers blistering pace on the left flank, but its other two positions are in flux.Sergi Roberto, a converted midfielder, has impressed as Dani Alves replacement so far, while the other central defender position is in dispute between an aging Javier Mascherano and newcomer Samuel Umtiti.ADVANTAGE: Guardiolas 2008-09 defense.---GOALKEEPER: Valdes (2008-09) vs. Ter Stegen (now)Marc-Andre Ter Stegen has just inherited the full-time goalkeeping responsibilities from Claudio Bravo. Despite his passing skills and ability to make spectacular saves, the German needs to improve his decision making to reach the level of Victor Valdes from 2008-09.ADVANTAGE: Guardiolas 2008-09 goalkeeper.---CONCLUSION:Even though this Barcelona side should be favored over City, it has a way to go to equal the overall excellence of Guardiolas first Barcelona squad.Ryquell Armstead Womens Jersey . Louis. To which I would say two things: 1. Where there is smoke, there is or perhaps has been a little fire. Or, in other words, the two teams would appear to have at least spoken. And spoken is defined as one calling the other to inquire, no more, no less. Telvin Smith Youth Jersey . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. 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The World Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended the Moscow Antidoping Center on Sunday, saying its operations must improve or a six-month ban on the facilitys accreditation will be imposed.ENDICOTT, N.Y. -- Paul Goydos likes to say his golf game is two good rounds, then a mediocre one.Thats kind of all tournaments, not just here, he said before playing in the Dicks Sporting Goods Open.Last year, he did just that at En-Joie Golf Club, fading late while challenging for the lead and losing to Jeff Maggert by two shots.For one day at least, Goydos didnt follow that script. He shot a bogey-free 69 on Sunday to beat Wes Short Jr. (69) by two shots on a tricky day at En-Joie buffeted by gusting winds, finishing at 14-under 202 for his third career victory on the Champions Tour.My game is like a jack-in-the box, kind of keep spinning it and it pops up every once in a while, Goydos deadpanned afterward. There was no inkling that I was going to play well, other than the mythical law of averages. Things hadnt gone well, hadnt played well, my attitude was bad, so naturally I won.Qualifier Neal Lancaster (70) was alone in third at 11 under, while John Riegger (72) finished tied for fourth at 10 under with Joe Durant (68).Glen Day (69) and Kevin Sutherland (69) were another shot back in a tie for sixth.John Daly (73) was three shots behind to start and couldnt muster anything. He made bogey at the par-5 fifth hole and another at No. 9 to make the turn at 7 under, where he finished.First-round leader Scott Dunlap began the overcast day one shot off the lead and took himself out of contention with a disastrous second hole. Dunlap twice plunked shots into the greenside water hazard at the par 4, a 379-yard dogleg left, and carded a quintuple-bogey 9. He finished with a 75 to tie Daly.Goydos began play tied for the lead at 11 under with Riegger and was the steadiest of the leaders, carding eight pars and making birdie at the par-4 sixth hole while none of the others staged a threat in difficult conditions. A birdie at No. 10 dropped him to 13 under, three shots ahead of Riegger, Short and Lancaster.Riegger, who played the first two rounds without making bogey, had his streak end with a bogey on Sundays opening hole.dddddddddddd He had another at the par-3 fourth hole after having recovered with a pretty fairway chip for eagle at the par-5 No. 3, but another bogey at No. 10 dropped him to 10 under in a three-way tie for second.Rieggers strength over the first two rounds had been his play at the generous par-5s, having gone 7 under, and his streak of excellence on the holes continued on the back side. At the par-5 No. 12, he notched his second straight eagle at the hole to move within a shot of Goydos.Despite another bogey at No. 14, Riegger was still within striking distance at No. 16 and rallied once more. He drove the trees right at the short par 4 but rallied for birdie. Unfazed, Goydos, who played it safe on the hole by laying up short of the elevated green thats guarded by a handful of bunkers, matched Rieggers birdie to maintain his two-shot edge.I mean, John couldnt have hit a better putt, Goydos said. He hit that putt and Im like, `Wow! I was very happy with the way I kind of didnt rush it. I kind of stayed in my routine, kind of went through whatever I needed to do to hit a good putt.Both drove into the bunker on the right of the green at No. 17, their balls sitting side-by-side in the white sand, and only Goydos escaped. After Riegger hit out past the pin and two-putted for bogey, Goydos blasted to 4 feet and saved par.John hit a nice bunker shot. Him going first I think was an advantage for me, Goydos said.Riegger also made bogey at 18 to slip back further.Lancaster, in only his second tournament of the year, watched his chances fade when his tap-in putt for birdie at No. 16 lipped out while trailing by two shots.I guess just so close you kind of took it for granted, Lancaster said. I just think its nerves. I feel like I should have won the tournament.---Follow Kekis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Greek1947tched his chances fade when his tap-in putt for bir ' '