Barcelona v Rangers

Champions League, Group E match
Date: Wednesday, 7 November
Kick-off: 1945 GMT
Venue: Camp Nou
Listen: BBC Radio Scotland 810 MW & BBC Radio 5 Live Updates: BBC Sport website and mobile; Score on BBCi (1930 GMT)

Brahim Hemdani will take the place of Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson, who is suspended for the Champions League trip to the Nou Camp.

Lee McCulloch may be given a more central role, while Daniel Cousin or Jean-Claude Darcheville are fighting it out for the lone striker position.

Barcelona will continue without Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o and the injured midfielders Deco and Edmilson.

Italian right-back Gianluca Zambrotta faces a late fitness test.

Interview: Rangers manager Walter Smith

BIG MATCH STATS

Head-to-head

The 0-0 draw in the reverse fixture on 23 October was the first time these two teams had ever met.

European history

Last season, FC Barcelona reached the last 16 and were beaten by Liverpool (1-2, 1-0). In 1992, they won the Champions Cup and in 2006 they lifted the Champions League trophy.

In 2005-06, Rangers were the first Scottish club to survive the Champions League group phase, reaching the last 16.

Current European form

Barcelona are unbeaten in their four Champions League matches, keeping clean sheets in all four. They are yet to concede a goal in this season's Champions League. Arsenal are the only other team to have kept three clean sheets in this season's competition.

Rangers are on the longest running unbeaten streak in the Champions League of nine matches. It's a run which started with six consecutive draws. They are also undefeated in four Champions League away matches.

VfB Stuttgart are the only team to score against Rangers in seven matches of European competition this season.

Player and disciplinary info

Kevin Thomson (Rangers) is suspended. Team mate David Weir will be suspended if booked.

Thierry Henry is Barcelona's most prolific CL striker with 43 goals. The Frenchman is fourth on the all-time top scorers list of the Champions League.

If Barcelona's Bojan Krkic scores, he will become the youngest goal scorer in Champions League history (17 years and 71 days)

Other miscellaneous facts

Barcelona beat Real Betis 3-0 on Sunday, and are now second in the Primera Division, a point behind leaders Real Madrid.

Rangers beat Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2-0 on Saturday, and are second in the SPL, three points behind leaders Celtic.

Definitions of terms used:-

Champions League (CL) - only group phase matches and beyond of this competition which began in 1992-93.
Champions Cup/Champions League - all matches played since it began in 1955-56 including qualification matches.
European matches - all matches played in the major European tournaments (Fairs Cup, Uefa Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, Champions Cup, Champions League).
Uefa Super Cups, Intertoto Cups and the old Intercontinental Cup competition are excluded.

Big Match Stats source: Infostrada Sports

Source: BBC Sport