Somehow I am not too scared for this, history shows , no matter the current squad, we will show up against them. Hopefully we will rest Hazard and Kante against Hull and also I want David Luiz to play against them!

Tibo

Dave Luiz Christensen

Moses Kante Cesc Alonso (if available)

Pedro (Willian) Hazard

Giroud (Morata)

Guess Pedro and Cesc will play against their former Team.

26 minutes ago, Erdal1905 said:

Somehow I am not too scared for this, history shows , no matter the current squad, we will show up against them. Hopefully we will rest Hazard and Kante against Hull and also I want David Luiz to play against them!

Tibo

Dave Luiz Christensen

Moses Kante Cesc Alonso (if available)

Pedro (Willian) Hazard

Giroud (Morata)

Guess Pedro and Cesc will play against their former Team.

Luiz will certainly not play against Barcelona. If Andreas is fit, he will start. 

Tibo

Dave Christensen Cahill

Moses Kante Luiz DD Alonso

Giroud Hazard

 

I would go with the team that beat WBA, bringing in Alonso (if fit) and Willian. The latter will need to put in one hell of  a shift, being the extra man in midfield whenever we don't have the ball (which will be a lot), and also to provide an effective outlet on the counter. 

Giroud should keep his place. He provides the presence and aerial threat also possessed by Morata, but less likely to sh*t himself in the event we get a 1 on 1.

Given his form, and attitude of late, I think Morata needs to work to get his place in the starting 11 back, and shouldn't just be handed it for the 'big one' that everyone dreams of playing in. 

Pretty certain we are going to see the return of Cahill and Bakayoko though, which will be suicide in my opinion. 

On paper it's to see anything other than a Barca win given our current situation, but if there was one fixture I would fancy us to deliver in, it would be this one. 

Courtois

azpi  christiansen Rudi

Moses Willian kante fabregas alonso

Hazard morata

Id drop Willian into midfield and try hit them on the break. Bakayoko can't be trusted to do the simple things at the moment, Barkley and drinkwater don't have the experience for this type of fixture imo. 

As much as I hate the 352, I can't see any option other than a 3 man midfield.

I am pretty nervous for this match up. I'm mad cause I'll miss the first half, I'll be in the middle of my calculus 2 class.

I'd go with the same lineup as @big blue has

Courtois

azpi  christiansen Rudi

Moses Willian kante fabregas alonso

Hazard morata

We all know Conte will use a 3 man midfield and start Bakayoko. He's stubborn like that. 

Willian needs to start. Play him behind Eden and Giroud. 

Would like to think that in 2012 against all the odds Chelsea KO'd Barca in the CL semis, so why not again in 2018 - lets be optimistic!  Few points - as stated by others the team had big personalities in it back then, not so much today's squad. In 2012 it was a semi, players had their eyes on the prize in Munich, the final. Miracles do happen, but does lightning really strike twice?

Needless to say then, a win at the Bridge with a clean sheet or a bore 0 0 draw is what is required for a little bit of hope when playing the return leg. Can this current lot of players deliver ?

Answers next week then.

Ah, at last a match where I don't have to feel nervous;-)

Loving the confidence on here. I don't share it but nice to see.

33 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Loving the confidence on here. I don't share it but nice to see.

I dont think people are "confident", but surely a bit optimistic. No one doubts which is the better team or which team is likelier to go through. BUT, its football and a lot of things can go down. I feel a lot can depend on the team sheet. Hazard can announce himself as one of the best with these games, so i am sure he will be up for it. 

Messi's record against us, Barca's previous games against us, the fact that barca themselves have not been THAT special. We surely can pull one off the bag. I just hope not to see baka/cesc starting. 

just a little 0-0 at the bridge and who knows 

Game the most important of the year ! Conte will start with 3-5-2 is obvious, and I think that in the middle that will be Fabregas, Kante and Bakayoko and in the front Hazard and Morata...

Barcelona stay on 2 Draw in the row in LIGA, I think they are not unbeatable !

16 hours ago, General said:

Would like to think that in 2012 against all the odds Chelsea KO'd Barca in the CL semis, so why not again in 2018 - lets be optimistic!  Few points - as stated by others the team had big personalities in it back then, not so much today's squad. In 2012 it was a semi, players had their eyes on the prize in Munich, the final. Miracles do happen, but does lightning really strike twice?

Needless to say then, a win at the Bridge with a clean sheet or a bore 0 0 draw is what is required for a little bit of hope when playing the return leg. Can this current lot of players deliver ?

Answers next week then.

In 2012 the team had winners, and real men who stood up to what ever was thrown at them, sadly the 2018 model is a lot less talented  and are very weak in character. I can only see 0-3 or more result, all I ask is this 2018 lot don't embarrass the club.

17 minutes ago, chi blue said:

In 2012 the team had winners, and real men who stood up to what ever was thrown at them, sadly the 2018 model is a lot less talented  and are very weak in character. I can only see 0-3 or more result, all I ask is this 2018 lot don't embarrass the club.

Thats just not true. 

The "weak in character" and "untalented" have won 2 PLs in the last 3 years. This team is definitely talented. Yes, we do have some average players but the system and formation gets the best out of them (moses and alonso). That 2012 team was a squad full of veterans and battle hardended leaders (cech, cole, lamps, JT, DD, Iva). Any team would look "weak in character" in front of them, but I still believe in this team. Hell, I am overly optimistic about us against barca. Dont why, I just am.

                      COURTOIS

AZPI      CHRISTIANSEN LUIZ    RUDI

            KANTE     DRINKWATER

              WILLIAN .   FAB

       HAZ 

                      MORATA

Yes my friends four at the back SHOCKER!

Lets rip Barca a new asshol, COME ON THE CHELS! I'm excited already

2 minutes ago, Zola Mio Fratello said:

                      COURTOIS

AZPI      CHRISTIANSEN LUIZ    RUDI

            KANTE     DRINKWATER

              WILLIAN .   FAB

       HAZ 

                      MORATA

Yes my friends four at the back SHOCKER!

Lets rip Barca a new asshol, COME ON THE CHELS! I'm excited already

I'm not shocked by you choosing four at the back. I'm shocked you chose to play Rudiger at LB and D.Luiz in a flat back 4. Eek.

Do we actually know who will be available for this game, i.e. are Alonso & Barkley going to return from injury in time? Are there any other injuries to consider? 

44 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

I'm not shocked by you choosing four at the back. I'm shocked you chose to play Rudiger at LB and D.Luiz in a flat back 4. Eek.

It's far too early to get serious about predicting a realistic team choice, just have a good feeling about this game, hoping for an entertaining win to keep our enemies quiet for a few days.

Could be our last game in the CL for a long time so we might as well enjoy it. As others have said as long as it's not an Arsenal result then I'll be happy.

After a five- year gap, the rivalry returns. Can't wait.

Not sure why the axman poster keeps on predicting a Chelsea thrashing, and mincemeat to be made of us. If you've seen the Chelsea v Barcelona games prior to these you will know there usually tight games that take on a certain pattern. I'm not saying we will shock the world by going through, but I wouldn't be surprised one bit if we make it through. I promise you, when the draw was made, Barcelona would have been thinking " f**k sake. " sports are all about matchups, and this is a matchup Barcelona don't enjoy. As long as it's a fair fight, I remain optimistic we can knock these fellas out. I'm sure it will be a typical Chelsea performance in Europe against the so called big boys. With a team of players including Azpi, Kante, Alonso, Andreas, Hazard, Willian, Tibo and even players like Rudiger and Moses, we can do our job of playing smart and hitting them when the chance comes(Which it will.) 

No regrets, Chelsea. Come on you blues. 

Edited February 15, 20188 yr by Famous CFC

I'm hopeful the players can step-up and at least put in a strong performance against them. Historically it's always been a good tie, and we've given as good we've got, I just hope that can continue! If we go out then I hope we can do so with our heads held high. Maybe the poor form we're in will actually help to inspire us? Wishful thinking perhaps, but the underdog mentality has served us well before.

I know we're out of form, but these are the games where, with the right players, form can become irrelevant. Hazard, Kanté, Azpi, Christensen, Courtois and either Morata or Giroud are all players capable of performing at this level. It may not the squad from 'The Glory Days', but it's not half-bad either! Add in the likes of Fabregas, Pedro, Willian and the possibility of Alonso popping up with some magic, it's not all bad. It will require a huge effort from every single player, but there isn't much greater motivation than us against Barcelona in the CL! 

-------------------------------Courtois

-----------Azpilicueta-----Christensen------Cahill

Moses-------------Kanté---------------Mikel-----------Alonso

-----------------------------Fabregas

-----------------------Hazard

--------------------------------Morata/Giroud

Mikel is back!! Hell no on Cahill. He’ll get burned so bad