Can Barcelona stop Chelsea?
History is about to made and record is about break as chelsea host Barca![Chelsea-Barcelona.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmXLKBA5NdgCnXR4cH6jg6kjhDunDMDAm72J5nAH7XbciM/Chelsea-Barcelona.jpg)
Is here again the hour to make history and set another record in the history of UEFA Champions league as chelsea The Blues is ready to the spanish laliga side Barcelona as both side battle in the round of sixtenthof the UEFA championships league. The hour of history has come for both side to show their superiority. The premier league defending champion will welcome the considered Spain furry in the UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE tonight around 7: 45 pm. This game has been a talk of the moment as both supporter are anticipating for the outcome of the result.
The history behind the game between Chelsea and Barcelona come in a long way.here are the sypnosis of the history.
Barça and Chelsea are squaring off for the first time in six years . . . The two sides have played 12 Champions League matches before — all since the year 2000 — with 10 of them coming in the knockout stages and two coming in the group stage . . . This is the third time Barça and Chelsea have met in the round of 16 . . . Barça is looking to extend its record and qualify for the quarterfinals for the 11th straight time .
The last time Barça and Chelsea faced each other came in the 2011/12 semifinals, with The Blues winning, 1–0, at Stamford Bridge in the first leg before a 2–2 second-leg draw at Camp Nou, thus sending Chelsea through to the Final, 3–2 on aggregate. Two current Chelsea players, Cesc Fàbregas and Pedro Rodríguez , featured for Barça in the 2011/12 semifinals . .
Arguably the most famous Barça–Chelsea matchup ever came three seasons earlier, in the 2008/09 semifinals, when the pair played to a scoreless draw in the first leg at Camp Nou before a 1–1 draw at Stamford Bridge sent Barça through to the Final . . . Chelsea had taken a 1–0 lead in the second leg, but Barça, playing a man down, ended up qualifying when Andrés Iniesta scored a miraculous goal in second-half injury time to shock Chelsea .
Barça arrives in this season’s round of 16 after winning its group for a record 11th consecutive season.
Leo Messi has played 655 minutes against Chelsea in his career but has yet to score against them . . . It’s the most Messi has played against any other team without finding the net.
Formation
A lot of speculations evolve has to the formation for both team and who are the player or players to make the first team. Sport analyst and fans is considering that Conte would repeat the same formation against juventus until valvede realease his start yesterday and conte as well.
Barcelona team that made the travel to England comprises of, namely;
- Marc-André Ter Stegen
- Gerard Piqué
- Ivan Rakitic
- Sergio Busquets
- Denis Suárez
- Andrés Iniesta
- Luis Suárez
- Leo Messi
- Ousmane Dembélé
- Jasper Cillessen
- Paulinho
- Paco Alcácer
- Jordi Alba
- Lucas Digne
- Sergi Roberto
- André Gomes
- Aleix Vidal
- Samuel Umtiti
- Yerry Mina
- Thomas Vermaelen
- Adrián Ortolá
Returning to the squad is Vermaelen, the Belgian center back who was declared fit on Sunday. Philippe Coutinho, however, cannot play after having already appeared in the Champions League this season while playing for Liverpool. Fullback
Nélson Semedo is serving a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation during the group stage.
Valverde will have to trim three players from the 21-player list before the match to make it down to the maximum of 18 allowed.
formation; the formation release as at yesterday by velverde still remained the same as 4-4-2 slitted thus
Sergi, Umtiti pique and Alba playing from defence line
Rakiti, Paulinho, Busquet and Iniesta from mid field
suarez and messi on front line.
chelsea formation took another dimension as Conte came up with unsual formation setting of 3-4-3 despact the sleepness night he had in team selection and how tactical he wanted the game to be. Speculation has that the Chelsea side are ready to defend in tonight against Barca as the formation appear to be;
Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rodiger forming defence line
Moses, Konte, Fabregas and Alonso central
Havard, Williams and Morata leading the game.
With Chelsea formation it look as big thing is going down tonight.