Barcelona aim to assure Champions League progress
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FC Barcelona aim to do what rivals Real Madrid were unable to do a week ago when the reigning European Champions entertain Stuttgart in the second leg of their Champions League tie on Wednesday night.
Barcelona go into the game in a better position that Real Madrid did before losing to Lyon. Pep Guardiola's side drew the first leg of their tie 1-1 in Germany three weeks ago and that away goal could make all the difference.
A 0-0 draw will be enough to see Barca into the last eight, but it is unlikely that Guardiola's outfit will set out to defend that slender advantage.
Stuttgart showed in the first leg that they are a strong side capable of raising the pace of the game and in the first half three weeks ago Barca struggled with their rivals pace and aggression.
Zlatan Ibrahimovich will be back in the Barcelona starting 11 after missing Sunday's 3-0 win against Valencia through suspension.
The Swede will partner Leo Messi and possibly Thierry Henry in attack. Messi is once again the hero of the Camp Nou following his hat-trick against Valencia.
Meanwhile Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta will start in midfield, although the match comes too soon for Seydou Keita, who will have to settle for a place on the bench after recovering from a muscle injury.
Meanwhile Barcelona captain Carles Puyol is also expected to return to the side after suffering back pains which kept him out at the weekend. Puyol will partner Gerard Pique, Dani Alves and Maxwell in the back line.
Alves commented on Tuesday that a lot of people would like to see Barcelona knocked out of the Champions League. He is probably right, with Real Madrid already out and the final to be played in Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, nothing would upset Rea Madrid fans that to see Barcelona parade the trophy around their home turf.
