Barcelona are second in their group (group F), the leader after losing the previous day (3-2) 1-0 win and Apoel at start of the tournament. Tuesday needs a win to open considerable scope not only with Ajax, who have drawn their two games, but with the Cypriot side, which has everything to lose against the French.
Barcelona and Ajax return to the same scenario already
faced them last season, where the team of Gerardo 'Tata' Martino won 4-0 with a
hat-trick from Lionel Messi. The Catalan team ended up being the leader of the
group that Milan also went round, not Ajax and Celtic, both eliminated.
The crash on Tuesday presented quite favorable to the
interests of the club, leading the League, Ajax versus a weekend draw with
Twente (1-1), falling four points behind leaders PSV Eindhoven and losing one
of his players in midfield Thulani Serero, injured hamstring.
Coach ajacied Frank de Boer, who first measured on the
bench Luis Enrique Martinez, with whom he met at the club for four and a half
seasons, may not have Nicolai Boilesen, who suffered a concussion in a loss of
Denmark 0-1 against Portugal last October 14.
Besides these two absences, Viktor Fischer has been
sidelined since February 23, with an injured hamstring.
This will be the first game in the dugout between Luis
Enrique and De Boer, and although both were measured in a match of the
Champions League, when the first was Real Madrid and Ajax second. The game was
played in Amsterdam (1-0).
Last season Barcelona had no trouble taking the match by
a landslide (4-0). This time, the Catalan team occurs after conceding the first
goals of the season. While still unbeaten in the league, in Europe where it has
been seen for the first time whipped his goal, after three goals in Paris would
fit. Not expected to Luis Enrique remove ownership German Marc-André ter Stegen
despite criticism.
Luis Enrique alignments are a mystery to decipher the day
before, as the trainer combines a series of information normally makes a
surprise just before a match. However, due to the alignment in the final game
of Mascherano in the pivot, relegating to rest Rakitic is expected that the
Croatian return to first team, like Sergio Busquets, which would cause some
movement in the lineup, as Xavi jump and the Argentine team return to central defense.
Barca thrashing comes from Eibar (3-0) and be firm in the
lead but for a few days may not align at Luis Suarez, former player of Ajax for
three and a half seasons before joining Liverpool. The new Barcelona striker,
suspended four months for biting an opponent, his team will debut this weekend
against Real Madrid.
Despite this absence is being done in the eternal
Barcelona, Luis Enrique, who may not also be without the injured Adriano has
sung her other two attackers star: Lionel Messi and Neymar Junior, who are
going through an idyllic time the game and the match. Another former player of
Ajax, Barcelona is now the Belgian Thomas Vermaelen, who remains low without
having debuted with the Catalan team.
Statistics smile at Barca, they have never lost in their
stadium against a Dutch team. It has yielded three draws against only seven
wins, while Ajax has a disturbing report, as it has lost six of its last seven
games in Spain.
Ajax
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Barcelona
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UEFA Champuons League
