Chelsea vs. Barcelona: Predicting Lineups for Champions League Semifinal 2nd Leg

After an embarrassing 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Barcelona will have the opportunity to turn their deficit around in front of their home fans in the second leg of the Champions League semifinal.
With La Liga all but lost, this next match could be the defining fixture of the season for a suddenly beleaguered Pep Guardiola who is amazingly on the verge of ending this campaign without a single piece of silverware with which to fill the Camp Nou cabinets.
Here, the reigning champions of Europe make their final stand—their backs against the wall, the entire season on the line, and potentially bragging rights over their fierce rivals Real Madrid.
This is essentially a cup final for the Catalans; they must give all that they physically can to secure victory, as, for all intents and purposes, the season will be over if this tie is lost. And one of the worst feelings for an athlete is spending the summer ruing missed opportunities.
For their opponents, Chelsea, their trip to Spain will take on almost equal significance. Sitting at sixth place in the Premier League, there is a very good chance that the only way for the Blues to qualify for the Champions League next season will be to win this year's iteration.
Therefore, the pressure will be on in a hostile environment to a degree that Chelsea have not experienced all season. They know that if they can secure at least a draw, they will have achieved the unthinkable and beaten mighty Barcelona in a two-legged Champions League tie.
Both Pep Guardiola and Roberto Di Matteo, therefore, will be forced to make some difficult tactical decisions and take some risks on potentially unfit players to field a lineup as close to their best XI as can be.
First, a look at Guardiola's possible selections.
In front of Victor Valdes, Dani Alves, Carles Puyol and Adriano should retain their places from the Clasico defeat to Madrid on Saturday. The big question is whether Gerard Pique or Javier Mascherano will be Puyol's central defensive partner.
The latter has been preferred in recent games, as Pique gradually returns from an injury sustained against AC Milan some time ago. The Spaniard has not played in five consecutive matches since, and his prolonged absence has triggered rumors of a rift with Pep Guardiola (which the player and his father have strenuously denied).
Surely fit now and still arguably the most complete center-back in the game, I expect Pique to get the nod in favor of the admittedly very effective Mascherano.
The midfield, as we know, picks itself.
Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and Xavi form arguably the best and most consistent midfield triumvirate that the game has ever seen, and Guardiola will have no qualms about selecting those three again.
Up front, expect the returns of Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas on the wings, drifting inward or outward depending on the flow of play. Both were rested for most of the intense Clasico at the weekend, and both should be somewhat fresh for the return leg.
Pedro could possibly be favored over Sanchez, but the latter's form and game-changing ability make him a much easier choice on the wing.
And finally, Barcelona have received a massive boost with the news that Lionel Messi, god of gods, will be fit for this decisive clash, and thus will take up his usual spot at the center of the attack, wreaking havoc on Chelsea's central defensive partnership.
Based on Roberto Di Matteo's team selection against Arsenal last Saturday, his squad for the trip to Catalonia almost picks itself and should be very similar to his first lineup.
In front of Petr Cech, the same incredibly solid, resilient and effective foursome of Branislav Ivanovic, Ashley Cole, Gary Cahill and John Terry will likely be picked to try and complete the Herculean task of keeping Barcelona at bay in their home stadium.
Perhaps in midfield, though, Di Matteo might make a change. Opting for a more defensive shape than last time, he might replace Raul Meireles with Michael Essien, partnering the Ghanian midfielder with Frank Lampard in front of the defensively-minded John Obi Mikel.
In front of them would be the highly effective Ramires and Juan Mata, while goal-scoring hero and apparently extremely injury-prone striker Didier Drogba is certain to retain his place up front, having gotten a full rest over the weekend.
Regardless of who either manager decides to field, this is certain to be an intense and cagey affair that will largely be dominated by the home side, who, as in their previous meeting, will have the bulk of the possession and chances.
Quite simply, Chelsea will not be able to disrupt Barcelona's mind-numbing passing—they can only hope to resist each wave until the final whistle blows.
And Barca will have to be even more wary of the counterattack than in the first leg, as a Chelsea away goal might prove fatal to the Blaugrana's hopes of retaining their European crown for the first time in the Champions League's history.
On the other hand, if the Blues can manage the feat of losing 1-0 after full time, they will have at least given themselves a decent shot at pulling off the unimaginable.
But, of course, this is all pure conjecture. What will truly be entertaining is watching two of the best sides that football has to offer battle it out in a game that will define both of their seasons.