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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Tom Kershaw, Jack Rathborn

Barcelona vs Inter Milan prediction: How will Champions League clash play out?

Barcelona host Inter Milan in this evening’s glamour Champions League fixture. You can follow live coverage of the match below.

Barcelona have endured a tough start to their La Liga campaign and were held in their opener at Dortmund, leaving all four sides with one point after a game.

Inter Milan meanwhile drew with Slavia Prague, meaning that it’s all to play for. Follow the latest updates from Spain here.

Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of this today's Champions League fixtures.
Liverpool vs RB Salzburg
 
This match may not be as straightforward for Liverpool as they may have hoped it could be.
 
Losing the first game of the group, 2-0 vs Napoli, has put Liverpool in a situation where they could ill-afford a second defeat.
 
Team news
 
Alisson remains short of fitness and is joined tonight on the sideline by Joel Matip, opening the door for Joe Gomez to partner Virgil Van Dijk at the back.
 
Jurgen Klopp
 
"The way Salzburg plays is made to surprise bigger teams. But if there's anybody in the world who knows more about the way they play, how they do what they do, then it's probably me.

"I've followed that way for a long, long time. I had a similar idea when I started as a manager, so I know where the difficulties are."

Lille vs Chelsea
 
In a tricky group, Chelsea could really do without losing this evening. Defeat against Valencia at home means they are already playing catch-up, despite Frank Lampard's insistence that the latter games of the group are more important.
 
Cesar Azpilicueta: "Lille may have less experience than us but they are at home.

"They have great supporters, the team will obviously rely on the supporters to put a lot of pressure on us. There will be a lot of pressure. This is a special competition.

"Lille have been fighting hard to get into this competition. They have a lot of talent. They move well, pass and create opportunities. Also they have experienced players like Loic Remy, who I have played with before.

"But regardless we are here to take three points home."

 
Barcelona vs Inter Milan
 
Elsewhere in Europe, there is a titanic clash taking place at the Nou Camp this evening: Barcelona vs Inter Milan.
 
The Catalan giants drew at Borussia Dortmund in their first match and can take control of the group with a win tonight.
 
This fixture produced one of the most memorable Champions League ties in the competition's history when Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan side executed a brilliant plan over two legs en route to winning the final in 2010.
 
Miguel Delaney looks back at the compelling clash...
 
Liverpool vs RB Salzburg team news
 
As expected, Joe Gomez replaces the injured Joel Matip in defence as the only change to Liverpool's strongest team.

Liverpool: Adrian, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

Subs: Kelleher, Lovren, Milner, Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lallana, Origi.

RB Salzburg: Stankovic, Kristensen, Onguene, Wober, Ulmer, Mepu, Junuzovic, Minamino, Szoboszlai, Daka, Hwang

Subs: Coronel, Ashimeru, Koita, Ramalho, Farkas, Haaland, Okugawa

Early matches
 
There are two early matches taking place in the competition tonight and just the one goal after 45 minutes.
 
Genk 0-0 Napoli
 
Slavia Prague 0-1 Borussia Dortmund (Achraf Hakimi)
 
Barcelona vs Inter Milan Team news
 
Lionel Messi is fit to start just his second game of the season after an injury-hit start to the campaign.
 
Romelu Lukaku is not fit and there is a Nou Camp return for Alexis Sanchez.
 
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen, N. Semedo, Piqué, Lenglet, S. Roberto, Sergio Busquets, Arthur, F. De Jong, Suárez, Messi, Griezmann
 
Subs: Neto , Rakitic, Todibo, Dembele, Wague, Vidal, Carles Perez
 
Inter Milan XI: Handanovic, Godin, De Vrij, Skriniar, Candreva, Sensi, Barella, Brozovic, Asamoah, Lautaro Martinez, Alexis Sanchez
 
Subs: Padelli, Gagliardini, Vecino, Politano, Esposito, D'Ambrosio, Biraghi
 
Lille vs Chelsea team news
 
Kante starts for Chelsea as Willian makes his 300th appearance for the club. Loic Remy is on the bench for the hosts.
 
Lille XI: Maignan; Çelik, Gabriel, José Fonte, Reinildo; Soumaré, André; Araujo, Ikoné, Bamba; Osimhen
 
Subs: Leo Cesar, Soumaoro, Xeka, Remy, Yusuf Yazıcı, Sanches, Bradaric
 
Chelsea XI: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Tomori, Zouma; James, Kante, Jorginho, Alonso; Willian, Abraham, Mount.
 
Subs: Caballero, Christensen, Pedro, Kovacic, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Batshuayi
 
What next for Christian Pulisic?
The European Champions are in the house
 
Lille vs Chelsea
 
This is an interesting one from Frank Lampard...
 
Olivier Giroud replaces Christian Pulisic on the bench and there's no place in the squad for Ross Barkley, who is presumably in London somewhere looking for the rest of his chips...
 
Is this a discipline move from Lampard? He's under a bit of pressure for results given that consistent wins this season haven't exactly been flowing his way.
 
Victory tonight would go a long way to securing qualification from the group and the former Blues midfielder has stuck with the players he can trust the most.
Barcelona vs Inter Milan
 
Antoine Griezmann has been explaining in the build-up to this game that he has found it difficult to communicate with Lionel Messi.
 
The French forward, who arrived from Atletico Madrid in the summer, said neither him or Messi are great talkers and that he has not had the chance to play with Barcelona's talisman a great deal since joining due to Messi's injury problems.
 
Tonight is just the first real chance that we may get a glimpse of the trio, Suarez included, playing together for 90 minutes.
 
Lille vs Chelsea
 
What a night for 19-year-old Reece James, making his Champions League debut for Chelsea.
 
His only previous appearance for Chelsea this season was in the 7-1 win against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup, this is some jump.
 
Cesar Azpilicueta, a veteran in this side by comparison, said is willing ready to help the next generation of Chelsea players fulfil their potential.
 
"Reece is a player I have followed and he had an amazing spell at Wigan," he said. "He showed his quality, he is a very strong boy with a good attitude. I will try to help him with whatever he needs.

"I am here to help the team and even if he is a right-back and I can play right-back, we are players who can play in different positions. I am here to help as I am with all the young lads and hopefully he can be an important player for this big team."
 
What is Pulisic?
 
Christian Pulisic's chances at Chelsea are increasinly few and far between.
 
Frank Lampard said he "will get ample opportunities" and urged the American to be patient.
 
To not even be in the squad tonight, assuming he is fully fit, will be a real test of his temperment.
 
Liverpool vs RB Salzburg
 
There's a couple of faces that will be familiar to the lads from Austria tonight.
 
Sadio Mane and Naby Keita both had very successful spells with RB Salzburg before moving to the Premier League.
 
Mane scored 31 goals in 63 games for the Austrian side and Keita spent two seasons there before moving to RB Leipzig ahead of his near-£50m move to Anfield.
 
 
Home comforts
 
Liverpool have certainly made Anfield a tough place for opposition teams to come in the Champions League. Those famous European nights are well and truly back.
 
Jurgen Klopp has never lost at Anfield in a European match as Liverpool manager.
 
Birthdays!
 
Roberto Firmino, Michy Batshuayi and Tammy Abraham are all celebrating their birthday today, a goal would be a real present - it's also Kepa Arrizabalaga's tomorrow.
Goals?
 
It should be lively in most games this evening, especially in north-west France.
 
Griezmann and Godin set for 'family' reunion
 
Antoine Griezmann said Barca's first home Champions League match of the season will be extra special as he could go head to head with former Atletico Madrid team-mate Diego Godin.

Uruguay defender Godin signed a three-year deal with Inter in July after his Atletico contract had expired.

"We played against each other in the World Cup and I grew as a player a lot alongside him and it is always nice to see someone like him," Griezmann added.

"Godin is a great friend, an example for me and we have a family relationship because he is godfather to my daughter."

GOAL!
Slavia Prague 0-2 Borussia Dortmund
 
Ashraf Hakimi grabs his and Dortmund's second of the night.

Match preview

When is it?

Kick-off at the Camp Nou is at 8pm (BST) on Wednesday 2 October.

How can I watch it?

The match will be broadcast live on BT Sport ESPN and can be streamed live online via the BT app and website.

Team News

Lionel Messi is expected to miss out with an adductor problem, however, the Argentinian may be able to make the bench. Ousmane Dembele is also returning from injury and has only recently returned to training meaning he is unlikely to feature.

Inter boast an injury-free squad with Alexis Sanchez expected to make the starting line-up after scoring twice before being sent off against Sampdoria last week.

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