Super Eagles midfielder John Obi Mikel has backed Chelsea to upset Barcelona when both sides meet in the return leg of the Champions League.
Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi finally opened his account against Chelsea with a 75th-minute equaliser to earn his side a 1-1 draw in a fascinating Champions League last 16, first leg duel at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
Willian’s superb 62nd-minute effort looked like giving Chelsea a precious advantage for the second leg in Spain but they undid all their good work by handing Messi an equaliser.
The Argentine maestro, teed up by Andres Iniesta, struck a low shot past keeper Thibaut Courtois for his first goal in nine attempts against Chelsea.
As expected, Barca dominated possession but Antonio Conte’s Chelsea side were unfortunate not to end with a victory after Willian was twice denied by the woodwork before halftime.
The second leg is on March 14 at the Nou Camp.
Cesc Fabregas has warned Chelsea to beware his old friend Andres Iniesta’s timeless “intelligence” ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Barcelona.
The Spanish international is urging his team-mates to thread caution over his compatriot when they clash in the Champions League.
Furthermore, the former Arsenal ace has disclosed he is wary of the threat Iniesta poses for the Catalans during matches.
And the ex-Barca star wants the Blues to be at alert when they meet the Balugrana in the Champions League.
Since the beginning of the year 2018, the reigning Premier League champions have struggled to secure positive results in matches.
But on Friday, they bagged their second straight victory by walloping Hull City 4-0 in the FA Cup fifth round.
Despite that, the Blaugrana are the favorites when they come visiting the West Londoners at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.
Fabregas could actually lock horns with Iniesta in the middle of the park when the game finally starts in London.
And he has insisted his 33-year-old countryman still possesses the potential to break defences despite not regularly scoring this season.
That particularly is the case with Iniesta netting a goal and contributing two assists in 27 games in every competition.
“He is still good and for this type of player, age does not really matter.
“That is once you have talent, once you have the class that he and so many other ‘big’ players have.
“I have the belief that they can play until their late 30s,” Fabregas disclosed to reporters.
“Physically, it is very important but when you have the quality, when you have the intelligence, it can sometimes compensate.” Fabregas concluded.
The Argentine Football Association President, Claudio Tapia is urging Barcelona to feature National team Captain, Lionel Messi in less number of matches.
Tapia has made a disclosure that he has requested for his fellow compatriot to play fewer games for the Blaugrana in a bid to avoid fatigue or injury ahead of the Russia 2018 World Cup.
Messi is at this very moment trying to help the Catalans win the treble in manager, Ernesto Valverde’s debut campaign.
And the attacker has so far made 29 starts and three substitute appearances across every competition during the 2017/18 term.
However, Tapia says he wants to see the 30-year-old have better protection in preparation towards the Russia 2018 World Cup.
That is the case with the South American country keen on clinching the trophy for the first time since 1986.
Tapia made the disclosure to top media outlet, TYC SPORTS during a short interview session he granted on Monday night.
“I hope all the players arrive at the level they are. Sergio Agüero’s thing is terrible and Lionel Messi is always up.
We talk to Messi to take care of him and to play less in Barcelona, “said Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association.
Messi has already struck the net 61 times in 123 outings for Argentina since making his international bow in 2005.
Former Barcelona midfielder, Xavi Hernandez is already tipping Paris Saint-Germain to win the Champions League ahead of both Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Alexis Sanchez is reported to have been slammed with a 16-month prison sentence for committing tax fraud during his time at Barcelona.
Barcelona Legend and former World Footballer of the year, Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, popularly known as Ronaldinho has finally retired from Professional Football.
There’s never a good day to come up against a Lionel Messi and with the countdown to the World Cup already on, opponents of Argentina will rarely sleep easy at the thought of the Argentine Maestro.
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