After steamrolling past Celtic in their opening game, Barcelona face Borussia Monchengladbach in the second game of their Champions League campaign this season.
The Bundesliga side are coming off a heavy defeat to Manchester City in their opening game. They will have to get some points from this match if they want to stand any realistic chance of qualifying for the next stage of the competition.
The Catalan giants will be in no mood to take it easy though, and will look for another huge victory before the big clash of the group against their former manager and club legend Pep Guardiola.
Probable line-ups & Tactics
Borussia Monchengladbach
Die Borussen are no pushovers and they will look to make maximum use of home advantage and restrict Barcelona’s space in the midfield and attack. The three man defence will prove problematic to go up against, even for the likes of Neymar and Suarez.
Monchengladbach are still reeling from the loss of midfield general Granit Xhaka to Arsenal, but have enough tough players like Mahmoud Dahoud and Cristoph Kramer to make things difficult.
They will defend deep and look to hit back at the Catalans on the counter-attack, with forwards Raffael and Andre Hahn in form and ready to go.
Probable Starting XI: Sommer; Christensen, Elvedi, Vestergaard; Hermann; Wendt, Dahoud, Kramer, Standl; Raffael, Hahn
Barcelona
The Blaugrana will be without their talisman Lionel Messi, who has been ruled out for three weeks with injury. However, their strength in depth means that they will not be too worried heading into the game against Monchengladbach.
As always, Enrique will be hoping for a free-flowing, tiki taka style of football from his players. The midfield diamond of Busquets, Iniesta and Rakitic will play a crucial role in building up the attack and feeding the front three.
Brazilian midfielder Rafinha could be asked to play further ahead in the absence of Messi, and he will be raring for the chance to line-up with Luis Suarez and compatriot Neymar to wreak havoc in the opposition defence.
Probable Starting XI: Ter Stegen; Alba, Pique, Mascherano, Sergio Roberto; Busquets, Iniesta, Rakitic, Neymar, Suarez, Rafinha
Stats
- Barcelona have won 18 of their last 22 Champions League games.
- The Blaugrana have scored at least 2 goals in 19 of their last 23 Champions League matches.
- This is the first time ever that Borussia Monchengladbach play against Barcelona.
- Die Borrusen have lost two games out of seven so far in all competitions this season.
Player to watch out for
Neymar
In the absence of Lionel Messi, the Brazilian dynamo will be hoping to get his mojo going once again against the German underdogs.
Neymar was the man of the match against Celtic last time around, scoring one goal and providing four assists. The 24-year-old will be looking to repeat his heroics, this time against a meaner defence.
Prediction
Borussia Monchengladbach 1-3 Barcelona
Although Monchengladbach aren’t an easy team to come up against, the Bundesliga club are simply not in the same class as the Catalan giants. They will look to defend and make sure that they don’t suffer another heavy defeat like they did against Manchester City.
Barcelona are a handful to deal with, even without star player Lionel Messi. They are likely to run all over their opponents and inflict a heavy defeat, but home advantage could help Monchengladbach to put up a fight.