Gael Clichy believes he was unfortunate to be sent off against Barcelona but admitted that referee Felix Brych was within his rights to show him two yellow cards.
The left-back saw red for fouls on Ivan Rakitic and Daniel Alves in 15 second-half minutes during Manchester City's 2-1 defeat on Tuesday.
But Clichy, who will be suspended for the second leg in the Nou Camp, feels unlucky because he thinks they were his only offences.
"If you play by the rules, they are probably two yellows, but I have done two fouls during the game, and I wouldn't even call them big fouls," the France international said.
"So probably after the first booking, if I had made four or five fouls and the ref is saying 'okay, the sixth one is enough' that would have been fair.
"But it was only my second one, and they made some fouls as well, probably worse than mine, and didn't get booked. But that's the way it is and I can't complain because by the rules it is probably two bookings."
Clichy also thinks Joe Hart's injury-time penalty save from Lionel Messi could be the pivotal moment in the tie if it allows City to get back into it.
"We always say you have to look for positives and I think this save was a massive one," he added. "I am not talking about the quality of Joe, because he is one of the leaders in the dressing room and on the pitch, and this save could be the turning point.
"I am not saying it's going to be easy, and you cannot day this save is going to make us win the game. But for sure 2-1 is a different score to 3-1 and we have to look forward."