Barcelona and Chelsea will go head-to-head for a place in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday night.
The two sides couldn’t be separated at Stamford Bridge, with a late Lionel Messi strike cancelling out Willian’s opener to give Barca a crucial away goal.
Blues boss Antonio Conte was heralded for his tactical display in west London as Chelsea soaked up Barcelona possession but allowed the pass-masters limited space to create any openings.
Here, we look at how the re-match could be decided as Conte renews touchline acquaintances with Ernesto Valverde.
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HOW CAN CHELSEA RESTRICT MESSI’S INFLUENCE?
The Argentine only had one shot on goal in the first leg, but what did he do with that? Score, of course.
Messi (96) and Suarez (46) had the fewest touches of all Barca’s midfield and attacking players, with the Blues doing well to stop the supply line to them.
Between them, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic made just four key passes in west London with Marcos Alonso, Cesc Fabregas and N’Golo Kante weighing in with 15 tackles and interceptions between them – often stifling positive looking build up.
On what seems like a bigger pitch in Catalonia, giving Barcelona the chance to spread the play, it will be difficult for Chelsea to adopt their close pressing, hassling and harrying mantra once more. Barca are just too good to be kept quiet for 90 minutes.
Conte got it right in the first leg and kept Messi largely underwraps.
BARCELONA TO UP THE ANTE
Ernesto Valverde’s first season at the Camp Nou has followed an almost-perfect script, but this is the biggest test of his tenure.
The ex-Athletic Bilbao coach was outfoxed by Conte two weeks ago, with the Italian’s side soaking up Barcelona’s superior 73-per-cent possession, shackling the Catalans’ attacking talent by closing down at close quarters and playing more on the break.
Valverde seemingly had little to no answers to break down that obstinate resolve and relied on a misplaced Andreas Christensen pass, coupled with some Iniesta and Messi magic, to escape with a draw.
Expect Barca to make home advantage count, try to move the ball quicker and ensure their full-backs restrict the Blues’ wing play this time around.
The hosts needs to put the Blues on the backfoot early on.
CHELSEA NEED TO THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND
The former Juventus and Italy manager’s tactics have come in for plenty of stick in recent weeks, especially in the defeat at Manchester City, but Conte is shrewder than he is given credit for and deployed the perfect strategic footprint in the opening leg which should have brought about a 1-0 lead.
However, on Spanish soil, the Blues will need to be a bit more fluid in search of a vital away goal – and need to score to have a chance of going through.
Eden Hazard, who will probably occupy the false-nine role, is a man they should rely on given he has top-scored with 15 so far this term.
Both Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud should have an important role to play too – but that’ll probably be from the bench.
Willian scored Chelsea’s goal at the Bridge.
