Barcelona v AC Milan (2nd leg) Preview
Barcelona head out of the Camp Nou tonight with a two-goal deficit. There's no doubt that Barcelona is a team able to make decisive come-from-behind victories. Revered and hailed as one of the best clubs in recent seasons, we know anything is possible at Barcelona.However, this is a Barcelona without Tito Vilanova. A defensive barrier suddenly so penetrable, a lethal attack now less creative than the one we have come to admire. The statistics say it all; Barcelona have only one clean sheet in their last 14 matches, and an uncharacteristic six wins, three draws and four defeats in the last 13 games.
Although the Catalans look on track to winning the La Liga, their exit to the hands of Chelsea in the Champions League last season leaves them hungrier to regain the European crown.
Milan thwrated Barcelona's attempts to grab an away goal at the San Siro, and we shall see if a more smooth and fluid attacking play will be installed in the Catalan camp. Slick passing and strategic runs are key to a Barca revival. Messi, who has netted only five times this season in European-level competitions, will have to keep his head up.
In the Milan camp, Mario Balotelli's ineligibility to play could give way to El Shaarawy leading the attack. Robinho has reminded Milan that they should not focus solely on defence. "We have plenty of quality and must attack and defend well. We should play our own game in possession and try to score."
A champion is consistent, and this game is not a footnote, but a climatic paragraph in the thick book of Barcelona history.
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