Barcelona V Stuttgart
Football : UEFA : Champions League
Wednesday 17th March 2010 - Kickoff 7:45pm

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We've already had one Spanish giant crash out of the tournament this season. So, why not another? Jens Lehmanns will be hoping for some revenge against Barcelona as his side look to turn a fantastic 1st leg 1-1 draw into a place in the quarters.

Barcelona (Spain)

Barca were the overwhelming favourites going into the first leg, but they were given a rude awakening as Stuttgart danced around them and bullied Barca while taking a deserved 1-0 lead in halftime.

In the second half, Barca rode the luck that had kept their deficit so low, and then equalised via an Ibrahimovic goal. The Spaniards could have gone in front, but appeals for handball were turned down, and it ended 1-1 with the Catalan giants clearly dominant through the second half.

This weekend saw Barca warm up with a Messi hattrick to see of Valencia 3-0. He will line up along with Iniesta and Xavi to help feed Ibrahimovic dismantle Stuttgart's narrow hopes of a quarter finals berth. Also in the Barca team will be Thierry Henry, a man who knows keeper Lehmann and his weaknesses all too well.

Pepe Guardiola's side have yet to taste defeat at the Camp Nou, and will doubly on alert to avoid being the 2nd big team, also from Spain, to crash out of the tournament. This side has banged in 37 goals in just 13 home games, and you can count on them getting another handful here.

Stuttgart (Germany)

Full credit to the Germans. You'd be forgiven for thinking this tie would have been buried by now, but Stuttgart battled hard and gave the Spanish champions an almighty fright. With hard work, and an impressive edgy performance, they got in front to lead but with the game ending 1-1, you would now have to think they have missed their chance.

Their task is not "impossible". Remember Rubin Kazan (yes, it's a real side) that came here and won? It can be done, although since then Barca have crushed the likes of Real Madrid and Valencia here so I would imagine they are back on form and concentrating perfectly for any kind of threat to their CL progress.

Stuttgart have not actually tasted defeat away from home in the Champions League so far. They managed draws against Sevilla and Unirea Urziceni before the one away win at Rangers.

This group of opposition isn't in the same class as Barca and they are going to be given all they can handle here in a game I am sure they will lose. The weekend warm-up went a bit wrong too, with Stuttgart losing 2-1 at Schalke.

The Betting Verdict :

I wouldn't put anyone off laying Barcelona at 1.10 (Betfair) if you're a Stuttgart fan, but for everyone else seriously in check with reality you just know Barca are going to put the Germans in a Hurt Locker.

Expect goals and quite a few of them as Barca frustrate the Jerry's before moving clear in the later stages of the game. The odds are too small so take Barca in an accumulator with Bordeaux, or perhaps consider the AH bet, which pays slightly more generously.

The Statistics :

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

Take Barcelona to win as your Wednesday Banker @ 1.28 (Pinnacle)

Consider Barcelona & Bordeaux accumulator at 2.00 (Bet365)

HANDICAP BETTING :

Consider Barcelona AH (-1.5) at 1.70 (Bet365)