MX23RW : Wednesday, January 22 23:53:35| >> :120:20146:20146:
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Barcelona logo
Champions League | Group Stage
Oct 21, 2014 at 7.45pm UK
 
Ajax

3-1

Neymar (7'), Messi (24'), Ramirez (94')
FT(HT: 2-0)
El-Ghazi (88')

Preview: Barcelona vs. Ajax

Sports Mole looks ahead to the Champions League group encounter between Barcelona and Ajax at the Camp Nou.

Between 1999 and 2003, Luis Enrique and Frank de Boer were teammates at Barcelona.

But, on Tuesday evening, the duo will have to put their friendship aside when Enrique's Barcelona takes on an Ajax team managed by De Boer in the Camp Nou.

Hosting Barca go into the contest still smarting from their 3-2 defeat at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain on matchday two of the Champions League. It was their first loss of the season and also the first goals that they had conceded in all competitions this season.

With rivals Real Madrid to come at the weekend, there may be a temptation for Enrique to rest some of his key players, but reports have suggested that the Barca head coach has every intention of naming a strong starting lineup.

Andres Iniesta could be recalled, with veteran midfielder Xavi being rested as a consequence. There may also be starts for Ivan Rakitic and Sergio Busquets, both of whom were left out at the weekend.

Meanwhile, visiting Ajax will have to make do without the services of winger Viktor Fischer, who is currently sidelined with a hamstring complaint. Aside from that, De Boer has no other pressing injury concerns.

When the two sides met in Barcelona in the group stages last term, the home side ran out 4-0 winners, with Lionel Messi helping himself to a hat-trick.

The Dutch outfit have made 15 separate trips to Spain throughout their history and have five victories to show for their efforts. Their last win in the Iberian nation came at the expense of Atletico Madrid back in 1997.

Going into this contest, Barca are second in the group behind leaders PSG, while Ajax are a point and a place further back in third.

Recent form

Barcelona: WDWLWW

Ajax: WWWDDD

Possible starting lineups

Barcelona: Bravo; Alba, Mathieu, Mascherano, Alves; Busquets, Rakitic, Iniesta; Pedro, Neymar, Messi

Ajax: Cillessen; Van Rhijn, Moisander, Veltman, Boilesen; Klaassen, Viergever, Serero, Schone, Andersen; Sigthorsson

Sports Mole says: 2-0


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Written by
Liam Apicella
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Barcelona's midfielder Xavi Hernandez scores a goal during the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona vs Eibar at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on October 18, 2014
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League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
QLiverpool770021
QBarcelona760118
3AC Milan860218
4Inter Milan751116
5Arsenal751116
6Atletico750215
7Atalanta742114
8B. Leverkusen741213
9Monaco741213
10Brugge741213
11Brest741213
12Aston Villa741213
13PSG841313
14Lille741213
15Feyenoord741213
16Dortmund740312
17Real Madrid740312
18Bayern740312
19Celtic733112
20Juventus732211
21PSV732211
22Benfica731310
23Sporting Lisbon731310
24Stuttgart731310
25Man City82248
26Dinamo Zagreb72238
27Shakhtar72147
28Bologna71245
29Sparta Prague71154
30Sturm Graz71063
31RB Leipzig71063
32Girona81073
33Red Star71063
34Salzburg71063
35Slovan Bratislava70070
36Young Boys70070


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