Comeback Of The Season
To suggest that Barcelona will have to pull off the mother of all comebacks would be overstepping the mark, but there can be no denial of the fact that the reigning Spanish and European champions will have to stage a dramatic rally in the second leg of their semi-final tie against Inter in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
The 3-1 deficit from the first leg at the San Siro last week means that the Catalans will progress to the final if they win 2-0, but a goal from the Nerazzurri will force them to score at last thrice.
The last time the two sides met in Barcelona was in the group stages of the Champions League earlier in the season, with Barca winning 2-0. It was a game in which Pep Guardiola's side typified their footballing identity and philosophy as Inter had no answers whatsoever to Barca's creativity, coherence and superior game plan.
But things have changed since then, as the Italian champions showed in the first leg when they comprehensively defeating Barca.
Barcelona warmed up for this potentially nerve-jangling fixture with a comfortable 3-1 win against Xerez in the Primera Division in Spain on Saturday evening which maintained their one-point advantage over Real Madrid in the race for the Liga title.
Barca have a formidable record at home both in the league and in the Champions League: the last time they hosted a side at Camp Nou in a European Cup tie, they won 4-1. That was against Arsenal in the second leg of the quarter-final.
Nevertheless, Barcelona will be aware that Inter are a much more intelligent and stronger side than the Premier League team and that the Italians will start as slight favourites. The Inter midfield overran their Barca counterparts in the first leg and the Catalans will be keen to see that they win the battles in the middle of the park from the start.
TEAM NEWS
Barcelona
The defending European champions were without key midfielder Andres Iniesta for the first leg because of a torn right thigh muscle and the Spanish international will be out of the second leg for the same reason. Carles Puyol is suspended, which means that Gabriel Milito is likely to slot into central defence to partner Gerard Pique.
Sergio Busquets had a rather average game in Milan last week in defensive midfield and coach Pep Guardiola might like to change him with Yaya Toure, although the Ivorian starting the league fixture against Xerez on Saturday night suggests that Busquets was merely being given some rest ahead of Wednesday's clash.
Probable Line-up (4-3-3): Valdes, Alves, Milito, Pique, Maxwell; Xavi, Busquets, Keita; Messi, Ibrahimovic, Pedro
Inter
Dejan Stankovic is suspended for the second leg against Barcelona, but will still travel with the squad. Wesley Sneijder was struggling with a hamstring strain he picked up during the weekend's Serie A game against Atalanta but has overcome the knock and should start.
Troublesome teenage striker Mario Balotelli has also been included in the squad, having sat out the weekend fixture with Atalanta at the request of president Massimo Moratti following his antics at the end of last Tuesday's first leg.
Back-up goalkeeper Francesco Toldo makes the squad after shrugging off a minor thigh problem, whilst Davide Santon is also a surprise inclusion having seemingly overcome a knee problem.
Probable Line-up (4-3-1-2): Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Chivu; Zanetti, Cambiasso, Motta; Sneijder; Milito, Eto'o
Goal
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