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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Malik Ouzia, David Lynch and Ben Hayward

Liverpool vs Barcelona LIVE: Champions League semi-final 2019 commentary stream, score, TV channel, prediction

Liverpool vs Barcelona LIVE
Uefa Champions League 2018-19 | Semi-final, second leg
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
Date: Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Kick-off: 8pm BST, tonight

Liverpool face a formidable task to qualify for their second successive Champions League final as they host Barcelona tonight.

Jurgen Klopp described the first leg of this semi-final tie at Camp Nou as Liverpool's best European performance in two years, but a Lionel Messi brace and a goal from former Anfield hero Luis Suarez ensured the LaLiga champions take a 3-0 lead to Merseyside.

Barca have been able to rest key players for tonight's trip to Anfield, while Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino are injured as a depleted Liverpool side - still in the hunt for the Premier League title - look for a near-miracle result to save this semi-final.

David Lynch and Ben Hayward will be in attendance to bring you expert reaction and analysis from tonight's clash at Anfield.

Follow Liverpool vs Barcelona LIVE with Standard Sport!

Can't see the blog? Click here for the desktop version.


Liverpool vs Barcelona team news and line-ups

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Milner, Henderson, Mane, Shaqiri, Origi

Subs: Mignolet, Wijnaldum, Lovren, Gomez, Sturridge, Brewster, Woodburn

Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen, Sergi Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba, Busquets, Rakitic, Vidal, Messi, Suarez, Coutinho

Subs: Cillessen, Semedo, Umtiti, Vermaelen, Arthur, Alena, Malcom

Liverpool's joy at their dramatic win over Newcastle on Saturday was tempered by a head injury sustained by top scorer Mo Salah.

The Egyptian international suffered a concussion during that accidental clash with Martin Dubravka, and therefore cannot be considered to face Barcelona.

Roberto Firmino will also miss the second leg with a persistent groin injury that limited him to a second-half cameo in Catalonia, while Naby Keita will miss around two months and the Africa Cup of Nations as the result of a high-grade adductor injury suffered last week.

Adam Lallana has not played since late March due to an unspecified muscle issue, while key defender Virgil van Dijk and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were both absent from training on Monday.

Standard Sport understands both players took part in bespoke sessions on Tuesday, and Van Dijk starts - but Oxlade-Chamberlain is out.

Barcelona welcome back the likes of Messi, Suarez, Gerard Pique, Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba after their defeat to Celta, but Ousmane Dembele will sit out the tie due to a thigh injury sustained in the first minute in Galicia.

That mean Philippe Coutinho - alongside Suarez - starts once again against his former club. Other than long-term absentee Rafinha, young defender Jean-Clair Todibo is the only other Barca player struggling for fitness as things stand.


Score prediction: Liverpool 2-2 Barcelona

Liverpool's lack of an away goal at Camp Nou coupled with the respective absences of Salah and Firmino means they are left needing something special to overturn such a significant deficit on Merseyside.

AS Roma were handily beaten by the Catalans in last year's quarter-final first leg, but finding the net in that away drubbing meant they were able to complete a sensational turnaround on home soil.

That second leg was the only game prolific Barcelona have lost in their last 22 in the Champions League, and it is difficult to see them being kept off the scoresheet at Anfield.

Liverpool will give it their all on Tuesday, but the task just appears too great - especially without two of their leading marksmen.


Head to head (h2h) history and results

The first-leg win for Barcelona in this tie means that there have been three wins for each side and three draws in nine competitive meetings between the two European heavyweights.


TV channel and live stream, and online coverage

The match will be televised live on BT Sport 2, with coverage starting from 7pm. BT Sport subscribers will be able to stream the match online via the video player and the BT Sport app.

You can also all the action on Standard Sport's match blog from Anfield LIVE on the night.

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