next wednesday at Camp Nou
FC Barcelona have scored 13 goals in their four home games in this season's UEFA Champions League but they need only one - as long as they do not concede - at Camp Nou to clinch their semi-final place after returning from the away leg against SL Benfica with a 0-0 draw.
Sustained pressure
• It was a game in which the Spanish champions exerted sustained pressure on the home goal, striking the woodwork on two occasions through Henrik Larsson and Thiago Motta, and going close time and time again. Moretto in the Benfica goal added to their frustration in the Estádio da Luz with a series of outstanding saves.
Imperious at home
• Barcelona's home form in the competition is intimidating. Following their loss to Juventus in the quarter-final second leg in 2002/03 they have gone unbeaten in eight matches, winning six and drawing two, while scoring in every fixture.
Eight wins in a row
• They have also shown imperious form at Camp Nou against Portuguese opposition in UEFA club competition.
• After losing the first game - in the 1972/73 UEFA Cup, 1-0 to FC Porto - they have won the next eight, keeping clean sheets on five occasions. In the last three games they have scored a total of ten goals.
Barça on top
• Barcelona's confidence will be further enhanced by the fact that in home-and-away format against Portuguese opposition they have won seven of their eight ties, reeling off a succession of victories since that first two-legged tie against Porto.
Special for Koeman
• Both Benfica's leading scorer Nuno Gomes and Barcelona captain Carles Puyol should return after missing the first leg through suspension while this game is extra-special for Benfica coach Ronald Koeman.
• It takes the Dutchman back to the club he served with distinction and who will always hold him in the highest esteem after he made Barça’s one and only triumph in the European Champion Clubs' Cup possible. His goal from a free-kick gave them a 1-0 victory at Wembley against UC Sampdoria in the 1991/92 competition.
Two previous meetings
• The clubs have met only twice before - with the most recent coming in the group stage that immediately preceded Barcelona's victory in Europe's most prized club competition. They earned a 0-0 draw in Portugal before a 2-1 home success.
• The first meeting came in the 1960/61 European Cup final which ended Real Madrid CF's run of five successive triumphs since the competition began. Benfica returned home from Berne with the trophy after a 3-2 win - they retained it the following year, beating Madrid 5-3 in Amsterdam.
Route to quarter-finals
• Frank Rijkaard's side, who in their tenth UEFA Champions League campaign are attempting to reach the semi-finals for the fourth time, knocked out another favoured team, Chelsea FC, in the last round. A 2-1 victory in London, with Samuel Eto'o's late header adding to an own goal, gave the Spanish champions a good platform and a 1-1 draw at home was enough to see them through. Ronaldinho's goal was his sixth in the competition.
• To join them at this stage Benfica curtailed the reign of the most recent champions, Liverpool FC. Their 2-0 victory at Anfield on Matchday 8 - their first away from home in the UEFA Champions League - was secured with goals from Simão and Fabrizio Miccoli and added to the 1-0 home win that came courtesy of Luisão's late header.
• They have not conceded a goal in their last two away games in this competition and are unbeaten in three away fixtures.
No wins
• Before that historic win at Anfield, Benfica had played 13 games in the competition on the road, including qualifying rounds, drawing six and losing seven.
• To secure a first semi-final appearance in the UEFA Champions League they will have to improve on their record in Spain. They have played there on six occasions and won just once.
Sole triumph
• That sole triumph was a 2-1 defeat of Real Betis Balompié in the 1982/83 UEFA Cup first round. In the third round of the same tournament in the 1999/00 campaign, Benfica suffered their heaviest loss in UEFA competition, succumbing 7-0 at RC Celta de Vigo.
Semi-final opponents
• The winners can look forward to a semi-final tie against the winners of Olympique Lyonnais v AC Milan, with the score at 0-0 from the first leg in France.
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Nuno Gomes got a knee injury in the saturday league match and will miss the game. Same with Motta.
My prediction: 1-1
