Last week, it was Real Madrid’s clash with PSG that made fans stand up and take notice. This week, we have another spectacle as Chelsea will take on Barcelona. The two have shared an intense rivalry in the Champions League and expect the same to continue as the Blues will leave no stone unturned in upsetting the favourites.
Chelsea will have to play out of their skin, though, as Barcelona are unbeaten in the Champions League and the La Liga. Ernesto Valverde’s side have shown this season that they can dig deep and get the result they need. Chelsea, on the other hand, haven’t been consistent enough to challenge for the League title but are doing well in the Cups.
Antonio Conte’s side ended a wretched run of two successive defeats by first beating West Brom at the Bridge and then putting four past Hull City in the FA Cup, so the morale will be much better ahead of the knockout tie.
Conte rotated his squad for the FA Cup, but he made sure the key players also got a few minutes too. Here’s how the side could line up for the tie against Barcelona…
Defence
Antonio Rudiger is expected to keep his place at the back and he could be joined by the duo of Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta in the three-man defence.
Marcos Alonso has returned to training after his hamstring problem and is in line to start. Victor Moses could play on the opposite flank. The duo will have a tough task as the likes of Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto are good at making runs from their own half, so they can’t afford to switch off. Thibaut Courtois is expected to have a busy evening in goal.
Midfield
Cesc Fabregas and N’Golo Kanté are expected to start in midfield. While Fabregas will play the role of starting the counter-attacking or spray passes against his former side, Kanté will have the role of breaking Barcelona’s attacking moves, most importantly, stop Lionel Messi.
Attack
Eden Hazard and Willian will most likely play behind Olivier Giroud. Though Conte started with Giroud against Hull, he is expected to continue with the Frenchman as he has combined well with the rest of the Chelsea attack and scored his first goal for the club as well.
In Fabregas, Hazard and Willian, Conte has the players to hurt Barcelona on the counter, so the fans will hope the defence can hold on.
