PREVIEW: Barca to shake off domestic blues, Milan's England curse

By John Bagratuni Feb 13, 2012, 9:41 GMT

Berlin - Holders Barcelona are hoping to leave behind their Spanish Liga blues when they visit Germany's Bayer Leverkusen in the European Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday.

The world champions are practically out of the race for the Spanish title after a shock 3-2 defeat at Osasuna on Saturday, a result which allowed Real Madrid to establish a massive 10-point lead.

Barca's form away from home has been indifferent all season, but they are rated favourites over the 2002 runners-up Leverkusen as they aim to become the first team to repeat the title since AC Milan in 1990.

Milan are also in action, on Wednesday against Arsenal, desperate to come fourth time lucky against English opposition after going out in the round of 16 against Premier League clubs in their last three showings.

The other two games - the remaining four ties start next week - see Olympique Lyon take on Cypriot surprise team APOEL Nicosia Tuesday while Zenit St Petersburg play Benfica Lisbon on Wednesday.

Barca have an unbeaten run of seven games in Germany since losing 2-1 in 2000-01, in Leverkusen. Their form away from home back in Spain has not been convincing at all, but captain Carles Puyol was defiant.

'We need to forget all about what happened in Pamplona, and start to concentrate on the trip to Leverkusen. It will be a very important game for us,' Puyol said.

Barca will make the trip to the Rhine area without long-term injury victims David Villa, Ibrahim Afellay and Andreu Fontas, but Andres Iniesta and Pedro are both fit again, and Sergio Busquets will probably be ready as well.

Iniesta, Xavi and Cesc Fabregas were rested in Pamplona, while in attack Guardiola will have to choose between Alexis Sanchez or Pedro as the partner for World Player Lionel Messi.

Leverkusen avoided a further debate on former Germany captain Michael Ballack because he will be sidelined with injury. They are sixth in the Bundesliga, far away from another Champions League berth and coming off a 1-0 defeat at champions Borussia Dortmund.

Milan are better off as current Italian Serie A leaders after a 2-1 at Udinese.

'This could be the turning point of our season. The spirit of this team is the right one, but now we must continue on this path,' said coach Massimiliano Allegri. 'We are ready for Arsenal.

Star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and midfielder Marc van Bommel are back after suspensions in Udine, while goalkeeper Christian Abbiati, defender Alessandro Nesta, midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng and Brazilian forward Pato have recovered from injury.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has promised his side will attack after getting a confidence-booster by moving into fourth place in the Premier League.

'You always have to push for a goal when you play away in the first leg because it gives you a cushion for the second leg,' Wenger said. 'We will try to score, of course - we always do.'

The match will be the last in Thierry Henry's spell on loan from the United States league and Wenger says he hopes Henry will sign off in style.

'He finished the story of the legend in the championship (scoring the winner at Sunderland on Saturday),' Wenger said. 'I hope he will add some in the Champions League on Wednesday now.'

APOEL surprisingly qualified first from a group containing former UEFA Cup champions Zenit St Petersburg, Europa League holders Porto and last season's Champions League quarter-finalists Shakhtar Donetsk.

With Serbian coach Ivan Jovanovic at the helm, the team has established a no-nonsense defence coupled with a flair-filled, attacking frontline in which Brazilian Jose Almeida Ailton is the star.

'We have nothing to lose and will give our best. It is an honour and fantastic opportunity for such a small team as ourselves to have even reached this stage - we have achieved something which just a few months ago we could not have even dreamed of,' APOEL spokesman Panikos Hadjiliasis said.