Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Barcelona v Inter Milan

Barcelona    v    Inter Milan (agg 1 - 3)

    Champions League semi-final, second leg
    Venue: Camp Nou Date: Wednesday 28 April Kick-off: 1945 BST
    Coverage: Text commentary on BBC Sport website, live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live and live on ITV1


    Carles Puyol
    Puyol will be powerless to help his team in the second leg

    Barcelona captain Carles Puyol is banned for Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg with Inter Milan.

    Barca have the competition's top scorer Lionel Messi and team-mate Gerard Pique says they must "go for as many goals as possible" to turn round a 3-1 deficit.

    Inter's Goran Pandev is an injury doubt but Wesley Sneijder trained on Tuesday despite fears about a thigh problem.

    If he misses out Mario Balotelli could start despite an angry exchange with Inter fans after their first leg win.

    Barcelona's Pep Guardiola faces probably the biggest test of his brief but hugely successful managerial career so far as his team look to overhaul a two-goal deficit against Jose Mourinho's team.

    Not only will they be desperate to try and retain the trophy, but they have the added incentive of this year's final being played at the home of their bitter rivals Real Madrid, and the players are fully aware of the task they face.

    606: DEBATE

    "It's one of the most important matches in our recent history," said Pique.

    "I hope the atmosphere makes the Inter players hate their profession for 90 minutes."

    But the former Manchester United defender said Barcelona must not let the pressure get the better of them.

    "We mustn't get carried away by anxiety," he said.

    "Even if they score, which could happen, we have to keep on trying. We have to be ambitious."

    When the teams met in the group stage, Barcelona won the home game 2-0 after a 1-1 draw in Italy.

    Wesley Sneijder
    Sneijder's presence would be sure to lift Inter's chances

    But as well as being without inspirational captain Puyol, his fellow defender Eric Abidal and midfielder Andres Iniesta are doubts because of leg injuries.

    The big question for Inter is about the fitness of former Real Madrid playmaker Sneijder, who damaged a muscle in his left thigh at the weekend.

    He has been named in the squad but despite training on Tuesday, if he turns out to be unfit then Mourinho could be forced to move first-leg goalscorer Maicon up from right-back to midfield, as Dejan Stankovic is also ruled out through suspension.

    Italian league leaders Inter last reached the final of Europe's biggest club competition in 1972, and club president Massimo Moratti said their domestic success should boost their morale ahead of such a match.

    "Right now we're thinking only about the Champions League, but clearly as far as our confidence goes, retaking the (league) lead really helps," he said.

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