Barcelona vs. BATE Borisov: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
If Barcelona can get three points from their Champions League tie against BATE Borisov, then qualification to the next stage is assured.
With that in mind, you'd expect Luis Enrique's side to go all out to put this one to bed as quickly as possible and rest as many top stars as they are feasibly able to do with the La Liga game against Villarreal on the horizon.
Given how poorly BATE played in the first tie between the sides, there'll be an expectation from those gathered at Camp Nou that this is a game where the Catalans can express themselves fully.
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Although it took Ivan Rakitic's intervention to break the deadlock in Belarus, in truth, the hosts were never in the game at any point. It was more a question of when Barcelona were going to score rather than if they were.
That it took until almost the 76th minute before BATE had their first shot on goal rather rams home the point.
If they don't play as badly again, it could make for an exciting match, and the visitors will have to come out and play because a draw doesn't do them any favours either.
Enrique will be pleased to once again be able to call upon the services of Andres Iniesta, but he could leave his captain in reserve unless he is absolutely needed.
Sergi Roberto has been a revelation this season and shouldn't have any trouble in producing the same level of excellence that we are becoming accustomed to.
The youngster was forced off with injury in the first game against this opposition, but returned against Getafe, producing a man-of-the-match performance.
The Barcastuff Twitter account reported some of the manager's post-match comments after the weekend's win, and his praise for Roberto was encouraging:
"Luis Enrique: "Sergi Roberto? Very complete game, he's in great form. Neymar? Unique player, greay dribbling, he'll keep on getting better."
— barcastuff (@barcastuff) October 31, 2015"
This could also be the game where we see other players emerge from the Barca B shadows as Enrique shuffles his pack again.
BATE head coach Aleksandr Yermakovich could well do without another plethora of yellow cards coming the way of his playing staff. If they're still in with a chance of qualification after this match, suspensions in their final game will hurt.
Date: Wednesday, 4 November
Time: 7:45 p.m. BST / 2:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona
TV Info: BT Sport Extra 3 (UK only)/DirecTV (U.S. only)
Live Stream: BT Sport app (UK only)
Form Lines
| Barcelona | BATE Borisov |
| W 2-0 vs. Getafe | W 1-0 vs. Dinamo Brest |
| D 0-0 vs. Villanovense | W 2-1 vs. Naftan Novopolotsk |
| W 3-1 vs. Eibar | L 0-2 vs. Barcelona |
| W 2-0 vs. BATE Borisov | W 2-0 vs. FC Vitebsk |
| W 5-2 vs. Rayo Vallecano | D 1-1 vs. Granit Mikashevichi |
| L 1-2 vs. Sevilla | W 3-2 vs. AS Roma |
Predicted Formations
In a game BATE simply have to win to stand any chance of progressing, Yermakovich will stick with his tried and tested 4-2-3-1 formation.
It's a big risk given that Barca are at home and will attack from the first whistle, but the manager really has little option. Sitting back and allowing the Catalans to play their natural game will be of no benefit to them either.
Luis Enrique isn't going to deviate from a 4-3-3, but we could see a number of changes in personnel.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be back between the posts for this one, but Marc Bartra will partner Thomas Vermaelen at the heart of defence.
Both need minutes and this is the perfect game to give both free rein, albeit Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano are in reserve should the experiment not work as planned.
Dani Alves and Jeremy Mathieu will make up the four, with the latter tasked with keeping Igor Stasevic quiet for the duration.
Maksim Volodko will buzz around and get busy as he always does, but he will find it difficult to impose his natural game against an equally effervescent Alves.
Nikolai Signevich needs to do so much better than what he served up in Belarus. Holding up play to bring his team-mates into the game would be a decent start point. If he's unable to do so, the front four are in for another extremely long night.
If Mikhail Gordeychuk can get in behind Sergi Samper, then he could cause problems and prove to be the thorn in Barca's side. He has to find those pockets of space first however, and they are likely to be at a premium against a well drilled home side.
Aleksandr Volodko gets the short straw of trying to defend against Sergi Roberto, and Barca's man of the moment will be all over him like a rash given half the chance. His defensive midfield partner Nemanja Nikolic will face a similar trial at the hands of Ivan Rakitic, the destroyer of BATE's dreams last time out.
This has to be the last chance that Sandro Ramirez and Munir El Haddadi get to impress at the top level. Both will start alongside Luis Suarez but need to hit the back of the net.
It's been over a year since El Haddadi scored and coming up to 12 months for Ramirez. If they want to genuinely be considered as the future of this club, a massive personal performance is required from the duo.
BATE's back line will remain unchanged from the first game with Denis Polyakov, Vitali Gayduchik, Nemanja Milunovic and Filip Mladenovic aiming to repel any attack on Sergei Chernik's goal.
Player to Watch
Mladenovic was the busiest player for BATE when Barca came to town just a couple of short weeks ago.
The left-back worked the channel with aplomb and got forward at every opportunity without neglecting his primary duty of defence.
With Alves expected to continue in the right-back berth, Mladenovic needs to continue his work in the area of the field behind the Brazilian.
As Alves pushes forward in support of his attacking brethren, the visitors need to break at pace and get the ball out wide for Mladenovic to deliver the early ball into the box.
More than once the player put in some last-ditch defending in Belarus to keep the scoreline respectable.
He will need to work as hard again to ensure that the status quo is preserved, or preferably bettered.
Whether his team-mates will be on his wavelength is another issue entirely.
Key Battle
In Lionel Messi's absence, both Neymar and Suarez have really stepped up to the plate to provide match-winning performances of the highest quality.
Gayduchik will have the pleasure of trying to contain the Uruguayan, but in this form, he'll have a huge job on his hands.
Suarez has five goals and an assist in his last four games and looks odds on to score every time he steps on the pitch. At his belligerent best, the striker will take some stopping if he's in the mood.
Gayduchik can't afford any early transgressions. Booked in the first meeting, if he were to get an early yellow here, his contribution thereafter will be negligible.
Easier said than done, but the defender will have to be "touch tight" on Suarez all game to dilute his influence on proceedings.
Barca's No. 9 failed to score in the first match and will be keen to put that right in front of his home crowd, thereby aiding their passage in the round of 16.
Odds
The following pre-match odds are available, per Odds Shark.
Barcelona win 100/1667
BATE Borisov win 736/25
Draw 1071/100
