Holders Barcelona are heading to Prague with eyes on three points that would all but win them a place in the Champions League play-offs as they face Czech champions Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday.
Barcelona, who beat Plzen 2-0 on October 19 with goals from Andres Iniesta and David Villa, are leading Group H with seven points from three games.
They are ahead of AC Milan on goal difference, while Plzen and BATE Borisov have a single point.
Barca will qualify with a win as long as BATE fail to beat Milan.
Barca got a boost from a 5-0 trashing of Real Mallorca in La Liga on Saturday, with Lionel Messi scoring a hat-trick within 30 minutes to silence his critics pointing out his lack of luck in recent games.
“It’s crazy that people said I was having a crisis. When possible I score, but the most important thing is that the team wins,” he said after the game.
Against Plzen at the Nou Camp, Messi set up both Iniesta and Villa for the goals and hit the post twice.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola will miss injured midfielder Ibrahim Afellay and striker Pedro Rodriguez, out with an ankle injury since last Tuesday’s league game against Granada.
Isaac Cuenca seems a likely replacement for Pedro — after his debut for the Catalans against Plzen, the 20-year-old striker scored his first La Liga goal against Mallorca, earning praise from Guardiola.
Plzen showed all due respect at the Nou Camp, failing to produce a shot, but they vowed more effort up front at Prague’s Eden arena — their home for Champions League games as their own stadium does not meet UEFA requirements.
“We will definitely want to be more active in Tuesday’s game than we were in Barcelona,” Plzen coach Pavel Vrba said after his side hammered Hradec Kralove 5-0 in a league game last Friday.
“Barcelona is definitely a different level, but… if they let us we’ll definitely want to be a more of a threat for their keeper,” Vrba added.
Bad news for Victor Valdes perhaps as the Barca keeper is on track to break the club’s record goalless streak scored by Miguel Reina in the 1972-73 season.
Valdes, who has not conceded for 787 minutes, needs another 37 minutes to beat the father of Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina for the record.
Barca out to get close to play-offs against Plzen
