Spartak Moscow vs Barcelona Champions League Preview

PREVIEW

The Russians' coach Unai Emery, who has not got the greatest record against the Blaugrana, will have his work cut out here with a number key players missing for their crucial game

PROBABLE LINEUPS

SPARTAK MOSCOW 

Chernyshuk 

Makeev, Bryzgalov, Suchy, Kombarov 

Rafael, Kallstrom 

Jurado, Ari, Gorbatenko 

Emenike 

BARCELONA 

Valdes 

Alves, Puyol, Pique, Alba 

Fabregas, Iniesta, Xavi 

Pedro, Messi, Villa 

TEAM NEWS

Spartak Moscow have an injury crisis ahead of their crunch match with Group G table-toppers Barcelona.

The Russians have a goalkeeping dilemma, with third-choice Artem Rebrov now also ruled out having suffered an injury in Unai Emery's men's 1-1 draw with Volga at the weekend. He now joins Andriy Dikan and Sergei Pesyakov on the sidelines.

Also missing for the hosts is strikers Artem Dzyuba and Welliton while skipper Sergei Parshivlyuk, Russia international Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Brazil midfielder Romulo and Republic of Ireland winger Aiden McGeady are unavailable.

Argentine defender Nicolas Pareja is suspended for the bottom of the table side who need a good result here to have any chance of reaching the knockout stages.

Meanwhile, Tito Vilanova will be looking for a response from his Barcelona team after falling to a shock 2-1 defeat to Celtic on Matchday 4.

The Catalans welcomed back Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol at the weekend where the Blaugrana disposed of Zaragoza 3-1 and it would be surprising if the pair did not start in the Russian capital.

One defender who is definitely ruled out is 21-year-old Marc Bartra, while attacker Alexis Sanchez is missing for up to four weeks after returning from international duty with Chile injured.

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Source: Goal