UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Barcelona v Inter Milan:BARCELONA ARE hoping to call on Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic for tonight's must-win Champions League showdown against Inter Milan.
The team’s leading scorers are doubtful for the game at the Nou Camp through injury.
“Messi has an injury in the abductor muscle of his left thigh,” the club said. “We do not discard his presence in Tuesday’s game. As for Ibrahimovic, there has been an improvement with regards to his thigh injury but we will have to monitor the situation.”
Barcelona go into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao which saw them drop to second in La Liga, one point behind Sunday’s rivals Real Madrid.
In Group F, they are level on five points with Rubin Kazan and one point behind leaders Inter. Barcelona have a trip to Ukraine to meet Dinamo Kiev in their last group match next month.
There is an even great sense of urgency to win tonight for Barcelona because a defeat to Inter, coupled with a win for Rubin against Dynamo Kiev, would see Barca eliminated.
“We know what we have to do,” said Barcelona captain Carles Puyol. “We have the same ambitions, but we know Barca v Inter is a final and we will face the game as such. I don’t like the word failure, but not to qualify for the next round would be a huge blow. We do have crucial players out injured and if they don’t recover, we still have players that can do well.”
Puyol knows his side will have to keep a close eye on former team-mate Samuel Eto’o.
The striker returns to Barcelona for the first time since leaving in the summer. “We know him very well,” he said. “He can create goal-scoring chances on his own. We cannot give him any spaces, otherwise he can be dangerous.”
The Italians also know the implications of the game. While a defeat would complicate their hopes of progressing, a win could give them the upper hand.
Unlike Barcelona, Inter face an easier encounter in their last group game as they take on Rubin Kazan at the San Siro.
“This game will be a test of character for my players,” said Inter coach Jose Mourinho. Inter travel to Spain in buoyant mood after Saturday’s 3-1 win at Bologna. That result allowed them to go five points clear at the top of the Serie A standings.
They will welcome back Wesley Sneijder, who has recovered from an ankle injury. But they will be without injured Davide Santon.
Barcelona will be without Eric Abidal and Yaya Toure, who are sidelined with swine flu.
Rubin Kazan secured their second successive Russian Premier Liga title at the weekend and could make it a double celebration in the Champions League tonight as a win against Dynamo Kiev could put them into the knockout stages.
