Barcelona: Despite Barcelona stressing the need to avoid complacency to reach the Champions League quarterfinals, there should hardly be any problem for the defending Champions to overcome the German test.
Although Barcelona has a 3-1 lead over Bayer Leverkusen, the holders will have to cope without injured strikers Alexis Sanchez and David Villa at the Camp Nou on Wednesday. Sanchez will sit out after the Chilean suffered a muscle tear in the weekend win over Sporting Gijon.
And Leverkusen, with nothing to lose, is full of confidence after securing its first league win over Bayern Munich in 15 attempts at the weekend.
"Some may take Leverkusen for granted and underestimate them," Barca coach Pep Guardiola said. "But we still have a lot of work to do to get ready for a team with a lot of height that with a corner kick can break open the knockout series."
And since losing the first leg to Barca, Leverkusen has won three league games in a row for the first time this season.
"This is a very young team that tries to play with a lot of passion," Leverkusen coach Robin Dutt said. "They are always moving and are prepared to run a lot."
But top scorer Lionel Messi should be well rested after sitting out Barcelona's 3-1 win over Sporting Gijon due to suspension on Saturday.
The three-time world player of the year has netted seven goals in the Champions league and 43 overall for Barcelona this season and scored his first hat trick for Argentina last week.
And Dutt knows his side will need to produce an extraordinary performance in Spain.
"The way they pass the ball is second to none," he said. "But every once in a while they draw a match, every once in a while they lose."
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