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Barcelona logo
Champions League | Group Stage
Dec 11, 2013 at 7.45pm UK
 
Celtic logo

6-1

Pique (7'), Pedro (40'), Neymar (45', 48', 57'), Tello (72')
FT(HT: 3-0)
Samaras (88')

Preview: Barcelona vs. Celtic

Sports Mole previews Wednesday's Champions League Group H clash between Barcelona and Celtic.

Barcelona welcome Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday knowing that a point would be enough to secure top spot in Group H.

The Spanish champions have taken 10 points from their five group matches, but defeat in their final fixture could drop them to second in the section if AC Milan beat Ajax on the same evening.

The Catalan outfit were victorious in the reverse fixture in Scotland, but they needed a late header from Cesc Fabregas to collect all the points in a tight affair.

The La Liga leaders will also enter the match boasting an impressive home record in this competition, having lost just one of their last 24 European games at Camp Nou.

Celtic, meanwhile, will finish bottom of Group H regardless of their result in Spain. The Scottish outfit have taken just three points from their five matches, losing four times in the process.

The home side are still without the services of first-choice goalkeeper Victor Valdes, with the Spaniard out with a calf injury.

The match will also come too soon for Jordi Alba, while Lionel Messi will not return until 2014 as he battles to overcome a thigh injury.

Pedro is once more expected to start on the bench as speculation surrounding his future grows, meaning that Neymar, Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez will line up in a three-man attack.

Meanwhile, Celtic boss Neil Lennon has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the clash. Anthony Stokes is expected to be joined in attack by Georgios Samaras, while Kris Commons, fresh from his double against Motherwell in the league at the weekend, will start in midfield.

Recent form

Barcelona: WWLLW

Celtic: WWLWW

Possible starting lineups

Barcelona: Pinto; Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Adriano; Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta; Neymar, Fabregas, Sanchez

Celtic: Forster; Izaguirre, Mulgrew, Lustig, Ambrose; Brown, Ledley, Commons, Pukki; Stokes, Samaras

Sports Mole says: 3-0


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Celtic midfielder Kris Commons celebrates after a goal against Shakhtar Karagandy on August 28, 2013
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
QBayern651016
QCopenhagen62228
3Galatasaray61235
4Man Utd61144

Group B

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QArsenal641113
QPSV62319
3Lens62228
4Sevilla60242

Group C

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QReal Madrid660018
QNapoli631210
3Braga61144
4Union Berlin60242

Group D

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QReal Sociedad633012
QInter Milan633012
3Benfica61144
4Salzburg61144

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
QAtletico642014
QLazio631210
3Feyenoord62046
4Celtic61144

Group F

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QDortmund632111
QPSG62228
3AC Milan62228
4Newcastle61235

Group G

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QMan City660018
QRB Leipzig640212
3Young Boys61144
4Red Star60151

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
QBarcelona640212
QPorto640212
3Shakhtar63039
4Antwerp61053


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