Pep Guardiolas men are not having a good week, tasting defeat in front of 90,000 fans at their home stadium to Real Madrid on Saturday night. Messi’s and co will relish the chance to bounce back, and Tuesdays fixture provides the ideal stage. Chelsea enters camp nou with a goal advantage, Barcelona nee only to score 2 goals and keep a clean to reach the final. Barcelona has not lost three games in row since 2003, and are looking to extend that recorded even further. Defeat to real Madrid came as a shock to many of us, Barcelona were unlucky at times but the waste-fullness of some Barcelona players in front of opponents goal proved to be the catalyst in defeat to their nemesis . I’m sure the Catalan clubs manager Pep Guardiola will instruct his team to be more accurate and clinical in front of goal come Tuesday . as in recent years everyone has got use to the sight of Barcelona easliy slotting one one one chanced into the opponents goal. Chelsea managed a goalless draw in the emirates stadium, holding arsenal off and securing a crucial away point. Chelsea lost once in 14 games . Chelsea care taker manager certainly make some changes to the line up from the weekend with the old guard (Terry, Lampard, Cole, Cech, Drogaba) almost certain to get a chance to complete the revenge mission.
I usually go into statistics at this point, but we all know it useless since this two recently played each other and their condition more or less remains the same.
The deciding factors at this point remain tactics and the the players who will take part as well as the ones who don’t . Lionel Messi will need to step up and be counted, and finally end his goal drought against the London club. Messi is now goals less in the last two games his played ,although he has already netted 63 goals this season in total. he is now a goal behind Cristiano Ronaldo in the pi-chichi race.
Chelsea defense was impressive in the first leg .Ashley Cole and Ramirez manged to keep Barcelona Left back Dani Alves quiet ,and Mikel and Frank Lampard made nuisance of themselves in the middle of the field to stop the fluied movement of Barcelona passing game . this proved vital in shutting out Barcelona . it remains to be seen whether they will deploy the same tactics this time round.
Barcelona Legend Johan Cryuff had the following to say about the fixture in his weekly column for a Dutch news paper:
"I still think Barcelona will beat Chelsea on Tuesday, Despite the fact that Barcelona have now lost two games in a row, I expect another good game from them at Camp Nou”
"You can't compare the loss against Real Madrid to the defeat versus Chelsea. Barca created plenty of chances in London, but failed to convert any of their opportunities. There were hardly any serious chances against Madrid, because the simple things went wrong”
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| Chelsea defended very well in the last time the two teams met |
Roberto Di Matteo is currently sweating the availability of drogba who missed the game against arsenal due to swollen knee, if Drgogba does not recover in time ,Chelsea are likely to call upon Fernando Torres’s services, who is the only player to have tasted victory over Barcelona at the camp Nou from his playing days in athletic Madrid .
Probable Line Ups
Gerard pique is likely to return to team after missing 5 games, a falling out with pep Guardiola semd him down the pecking order. he will be eager to prove his worth ,and will look ro prove a point . Cesc Fabregas who was rested against Madrid is likely to return with Alexi Sanchez being called back to the starting 11 after making a substitute appearance against Real Madrid.
Valdes
Alves, Puyol, Pique, Adriano
Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta
Sanchez, Messi, Fabregas
Alves, Puyol, Pique, Adriano
Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta
Sanchez, Messi, Fabregas
Barcelona will have to try and break the impressive Chelsea backline. with Sanchez lurking in the 18 yard box and Messi in possession of the ball it’s a very do able task. If Barcelona manage to score Chelsea will have to come out of their own half and actually try to attack Barcelona, this however might give Barcelona the advantage to counter.
If fit is certain that Drogba will start the game, Michael l Essien played a full 90 minutes arsenal and its likely for Miel to replace him in the Center of the feild.
Cech
Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Cole
Mikel, Meireles
Ramires, Lampard, Mata
Drogba? /Torres
Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Cole
Mikel, Meireles
Ramires, Lampard, Mata
Drogba? /Torres
Chelsea will most likely sit back and soak up all the pressure before hitting Barcelona on the counter, just like the reverse fixture in the Stamford Bridge .if they concede a goal, ashlye Cole and Juan mata are likely to attack the flanks , and try to provide aerial crosses for the forward to hit . Chelsea will try to use their physical advantage over the Catalan opponent.
Final Verdict
Barcelona Chelsea
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