Barcelona vs. Spartak Moscow: UEFA Champions League Preview
Barcelona looks to continue their winning form during their opening round group stage match against Russian side Spartak Moscow.
The Catalan club will host Spartak Moscow for their first match of the Champions League on Wednesday night which will complete match day 1.
Barcelona is in top form leading the Spanish Premier Division and is eight points clear of their closest competitors. But given their winning ways, they will be without a few key players that Spartak will look to capitalize on.
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Barcelona Manager Tito Vilanova will have to find ways to fill the gaps left by Andres Iniesta and Carles Puyol. Both Alexis Sanchez and Jordi Alba are listed as doubtful for the match at Camp Nou, where the Spanish side has not lost a Champions League match at home since October 2009.
However, all eyes will be on Lionel Messi as fans intensely watch his every touch on the pitch, not to mention those fantasy football fans that are lucky to have him in their team. Messi has scored six times in his last four matches.
Spartak Moscow does have one advantage heading into Wednesday's match, their coach Unai Emery has previously managed Valencia and Almeria in Spain before leaving to take over Spartak. Unfortunately, Emery has yet to secure a result against Barcelona, having lost the previous 12 meetings against the Spanish side.
This is the first Champions League match for Spartak in six years, and they were able to make the elusive European tournament with the help strong midfield play from Brazilian Romulo and Kim Kallstrom of Sweden. The side has been able to find the back of the net with Spaniard Jose Manuel Jurado.
The club is limping into the first match of the group stage after drawing their last domestic league match 2-2 draw at Kuban Krasnodar on Saturday. It left the club with one point from its last three league matches.
