Premier League champions Chelsea host La Liga leaders Barcelona in what promises to be an entertaining UEFA Champions League round-of-16 clash at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night and both sides have revealed their lineups for the encounter in the English capital.

Team to face Barcelona: Courtois; Azpilicueta (c), Christensen, Rudiger; Moses, Kante, Fabregas, Alonso; Willian, Hazard, Pedro.

Subs: Caballero, Cahill, Zappacosta, Drinkwater, Hudson-Odoi, Giroud, Morata. #CHEBAR pic.twitter.com/lzHoGYN626

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— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 20, 2018

Antonio Conte has opted to send out the Blues without a recognised centre-forward, with winger Eden Hazard leading the line in a false-nine role. Hazard will have support from Willian and ex-Blaugrana wideman Pedro while N’Golo Kante partners former Barcelona man Cesc Fabregas in the heart of the midfield.

Chelsea are trotting out in a 3-4-3 system, with Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses reprising their wing-back roles while Cesar Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen start at the back in front of custodian Thibaut Courtois.

Alvaro Morata, the club’s record signing, warms the bench alongside new recruit Olivier Giroud and Conte is likely to call upon the forwards in the second-half.

⚽️ Starting XI
🔵🔴 #ChelseaBarça pic.twitter.com/XaBBne5N3s

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 20, 2018

The visitors are lining up in a 4-4-2 formation, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen retaining his place between the sticks behind a back-four of Jordi Alba, Samuel Umtiti, Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto.

Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic anchor the midfield while the likes of Andre Iniesta and Paulinho also feature behind strikers Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi. Club-record signing Ousmane Dembele is on the bench while Barcelona new-boy Philippe Coutinho misses out due to him being cup-tied.

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After trailing in Manchester City’s wake in the Premier League, the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League are Chelsea’s only realistic hopes of winning any silverware this season, but they have the onerous task of keeping Lionel Messi and co quiet.

Their defence has been shambolic at times this season, but the West Londoners will take heart that Messi has a long-running drought when it comes to facing Chelsea as they look to Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata to fire them to a first-leg advantage.

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For Barcelona, the treble is very much on, but Europe is the real deal for the Catalans and after two disappointing seasons, La Blaugrana will look to make a statement of intent as they seek to take back an edge to the Nou Camp.

With Luis Suarez returning to England against the team he committed an unpardonable sin, there are plenty of sub-plots but the main question is whether the Blues can keep the likes of Messi and Suarez under wraps for 90 minutes.

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Anything less than a home win will effectively mean the advantage is with Ernesto Valverde’s men, but can Antonio Conte’s side spring a surprise as the underdogs?

Chelsea: Courtois; Azpilicueta (c), Christensen, Rudiger; Moses, Kante, Fabregas, Alonso; Willian, Hazard and Pedro.


Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Pique, Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta (c), Suarez, Messi, Paulinho, Roberto and Umtiti.

Match kicks-off at 01.15 IST.