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On Wednesday, "Barcelona" and "Lyon" clubs hope to advance to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League, however, after victories in the first matches, they will have to withstand the attacks of Bayer Leverkusen and APOEL Nicosia, respectively.
"Barcelona" - Bayer Leverkusen
First leg: 3-1
Time: Wednesday, 21:40
Stadium: Camp Nou, Barcelona (Spain)
Referee: Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway)
Broadcast: "Viasat Sport Baltic" (live)
"Barcelona" fans are eagerly awaiting the return leg, as the team has gained a solid advantage. However, coach Pep Guardiola urges not to write off the German team, which has not won an away match in the Champions League since 2002.
"In recent years, we have often had to play the second leg after losing the first match or drawing. This time our position is better, so you probably won't ask about the duel because you think everything has already been done," Guardiola told reporters.
He continued: "In the first half against Leverkusen, we dominated, but after the break, the opponents showed their strength and speed. The Germans certainly do not think they have already lost. It may seem that everything is clear, but then "Bayer" will suddenly recover and cause problems. I hope we will control the ball 70% of the time, as the opponents' speed bothers me. We need to control the match and not let the visitors take the lead."
During the weekend, "Barcelona" defeated Sporting Gijon 3-1 in the Spanish league, but still trails Real Madrid by 10 points. Some experts emphasize that this will force the Catalans to focus more on the Champions League.
In Barcelona, the hosts will play without defender Eric Abidal and forward Alexis Sanchez, who are nursing injuries, while Carles Puyol trained separately on Tuesday due to groin problems.
Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen will be without striker Eren Derdiyok, but Sidney Sam, Michael Ballack, main goalkeeper Rene Adler, and Tranquillo Barnetta are also unavailable.
Coach Robin Dutt admits that the chances are not many: "On paper, Barcelona's situation looks great. However, we are well motivated and we know that we can win a lot in this situation, but we won't lose much. But I am worried about many facts, especially that the hosts control the ball for a long time. We will need not only to defend reliably, but also to ideally use that 30% of the time when we have the ball."
"I don't think it makes sense to talk about the percentage chance of reaching the quarterfinals. We need to focus on the match, and no matter if the likelihood is 5% or 10%. The situation is complex, but we will see how it all ends."
APOEL Nicosia - Lyon
First leg: 0-1
Time: Wednesday, 21:40
Stadium: GSP, Nicosia (Cyprus)
Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain)
Broadcast: TV6 (live)
The first Cypriot club in this stage of the Champions League has nothing to lose and will try to overcome a one-goal deficit, which the French team gained after a home victory.
"The opponents were favorites after the draw ceremony, and they still are," said APOEL coach Ivan Jovanovic. "But this will be one of the most important matches in the team's history. On Wednesday, before the game, fans can wake up proud of what we have already achieved, so we await their massive support."
The specialist continued: "There is pressure before every match, but in this case, we have nothing to lose - we can only win an awful lot. However, to eliminate an eleven like 'Lyon,' we will need to play perfectly. We have already overturned such a deficit against Wisla Krakow, but those are different teams with different experiences."
Meanwhile, Lyon's Remi Garde did not hide his expectations of reaching the quarterfinals: "We have goals set for this tournament, so we feel the pressure to achieve them. We understand that we are not doing very well in the French championship, but the Champions League is a whole different tournament.
"We need not only to defend but also to score. We are capable of doing both. We know that the opponents are well organized and disciplined, but our goal is one - the quarterfinals."
The Lyon team will seek to recover from a national league defeat 0-2 against Nancy, while APOEL won their last match against Ermis Aradippou 4-1.
