UEFA Champions League
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Played
February 14, 2012 7:45 PM GMT
BayArena — Leverkusen
Referee:‬ C. Thomson‎
Attendance:‬ 29400‎
 

Champions League Preview: Bayer Leverkusen - Barcelona

The Catalan giants will be hoping to extend their dominance over German opposition in recent seasons as they prepare to face Robin Dutt's side in the round of 16

By Karthick Arvinth

More On :  Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayer Leverkusen vs Barcelona
Champions League: Bayer Leverkusen - Valencia, Andre Schuerrle
Bongarts

 PROBABLE LINEUPS

BAYER LEVERKUSEN


Leno
Corluka, Schwaab, Friedrich, Kadlec
Castro, Reinartz, Rolfes
Bender
Kiessling, Schurrle
BARCELONA


Valdes
Alves, Pique, Puyol, Abidal
Xavi, Mascherano, Iniesta
Fabregas, Messi, Sanchez

Michael Ballack suffered a calf injury during training on Sunday and will miss Bayer Leverkusen's round of 16 first leg clash with Barcelona on Tuesday. The news comes as a blow to Bayer coach Robin Dutt, who is already without his two top scorers, Eren Derdiyok (foot) and Sidney Sam (thigh).

Defender Danny da Costa should be fit after suffering a knock to his shin during training.

Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets, who has been missing from action with a bruised knee since 4 February, is included in the squad travelling to Germany, and may feature at the BayArena.

Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez and Cesc Fabregas could all start for the Catalan outfit after the trio were left on the bench for Saturday's defeat at Osasuna.


 DID YOU KNOW?
  • Bayer Leverkusen and Barcelona have met each other six times in European competition, with the Catalan club notching three wins to Bayer's two.
  • Leverkusen, who are sixth in the Bundesliga table, are bidding to reach the last eight of the Champions League for the first time since 2002, when they went on to lose to Real Madrid in the final.
  • The German club's overall home record against Spanish opposition is W5 D3 L4.
  • Barcelona have avoided defeat in their last seven trips to Germany (W4 D3).
  • However, Leverkusen were the last German side to beat the reigning European champions on German soil - a 2-1 win in the 2001-02 Champions League first group stage.
  • With six goals to his name, Lionel Messi (pictured) was joint-top scorer of the Champions League group stages along with Bayern Munich's Mario Gomez.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Bayer Leverkusen 0-3 Barcelona
    15.28 %
  • Bayer Leverkusen 1-3 Barcelona
    12.7 %
  • Bayer Leverkusen 0-2 Barcelona
    10.9 %
Head to Head
UEFA Champions League ‎(UCL)‎ 7 Mar 2012 Barcelona 7 - Bayer Leverkusen 1
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UEFA Champions League ‎(UCL)‎ 14 Feb 2012 Bayer Leverkusen 1 - Barcelona 3
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Last Five Matches
Bayer Leverkusen
5 May 20121. FC Nürnberg 1 - Bayer Leverkusen 4GER1
28 Apr 2012Bayer Leverkusen 1 - Hannover 96 0GER1
21 Apr 2012TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 0 - Bayer Leverkusen 1GER1
14 Apr 2012Bayer Leverkusen 3 - Hertha BSC 3GER1
11 Apr 2012Bayer Leverkusen 3 - Kaiserslautern 1GER1
Barcelona
25 May 2012Athletic de Bilbao 0 - Barcelona 3ESPC
12 May 2012Betis 2 - Barcelona 2LIGA
5 May 2012Barcelona 4 - Espanyol 0LIGA
2 May 2012Barcelona 4 - Málaga 1LIGA
29 Apr 2012Rayo Vallecano 0 - Barcelona 7LIGA
Odds
Returns: Bayer Leverkusen £1010.00 Sportingbet Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets!
Returns: Draw £110.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Barcelona £14.00 PaddyPower Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20!
Team News
Available Squads
23Bernd LenoGoalkeeper
2Daniel SchwaabDefender
3Stefan ReinartzDefender
5Manuel FriedrichDefender
24Michal KadlecDefender
27Gonzalo CastroDefender
14Vedran CorlukaDefender
6Simon RolfesMidfielder
8Lars BenderMidfielder
10Renato AugustoMidfielder
9Andre SchürrleStriker
22David YelldellGoalkeeper
4Bastian OczipkaDefender
20Danny da CostaDefender
21Ömer ToprakDefender
17Michael OrtegaMidfielder
11Stefan KießlingStriker
38Karim BellarabiStriker
1Víctor ValdésGoalkeeper
2Daniel AlvesDefender
5Carles PuyolDefender
21AdrianoMidfielder
22Éric AbidalDefender
4Cesc FàbregasMidfielder
8Andrés Iniesta LujánMidfielder
14Javier MascheranoMidfielder
16Sergio Busquets BurgosMidfielder
9Alexis SánchezStriker
10Lionel MessiStriker
13José Pinto ColoradoGoalkeeper
32Marc Bartra AregallDefender
11Thiago AlcántaraMidfielder
28Dos SantosMidfielder
30Sergi RobertoMidfielder
17PedroStriker
-Joan Isaac Cuenca LopezStriker
Players to Watch
Stefan Reinartz
Stefan Reinartz
Position: Defender
Squad Number: 3
Games Goals YC RC
7 0 0 0
A defender by trade, the 23-year-old Germany international has been mainly employed as a holding midfielder this season, and he will be the man screening Bayer's defence from Messi's guile.
Xavi
Xavi
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 6
Games Goals YC RC
9 1 0 0
The midfield maestro was surprisingly an unused substitute for the second league game in a row, as Barcelona crashed to defeat on a freezing night in Pamplona at the weekend. A re-energised Xavi - along with the returning Iniesta - could just be the answer to get the zip back in Barca's play away from Camp Nou.
Prediction
Leverkusen would probably have wanted Barcelona to win at the weekend, as a defeat means they have to contend with the prospect of a backlash from the visitors. The Catalans have some key personnel returning to action and should have too much for their hosts on what looks set to be another freezing night of football in Germany.
Editor's Prediction
Bayer Leverkusen 0
Barcelona 2
Results
ALL MATCHES >>
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Lionel Messi Lionel Messi
Striker
Barcelona 		14 4
Mario Gomez Mario Gomez
Striker
Bayern Munich 		13 0
Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo
Striker
Real Madrid 		10 2
Karim Benzema Karim Benzema
Striker
Real Madrid 		7 0
Didier Drogba Didier Drogba
Striker
Chelsea 		6 0