Leverkusen eye more away misery for Barca
Reuters - Monday 13 February 2012, 14:12
Bayer
Leverkusen hope to do enough against mighty Barcelona on Tuesday
to keep alive their Champions League hopes at least until the
second leg of their round-of-16 clash.
"This is a classic David versus Goliath duel which has
nothing to do with the league. But I am sure we will put in a
very good performance," Leverkusen captain Simon Rolfes told
reporters on Monday ahead of the first leg in Germany.
Champions League holders Barcelona stumbled to a 3-2 defeat
at Osasuna on Saturday that left them 10 points adrift of
leaders Real Madrid in La Liga but Leverkusen coach Robin Dutt
warned that meant little.
"Barcelona play a spectacular offensive game but also
outstanding pressing game," Dutt said. "It would be nice to go
into the second leg with the tie still open."
"I would also be satisfied with a 5-0 straight win but that
is not realistic," he said with a grin.
"But we are a team that does not give up. We can cause real
problems for top teams and we have shown that," he said.
Leverkusen won all their home games in the group stage to
advance but have been disappointing in the Bundesliga, in sixth
place 15 points off the top.
They will take on the Spaniards, who rested many of their
starting players on the weekend, without out-of-favour
midfielder Michael Ballack, injured in training on Sunday.
"He will be out for three to four weeks but even if he was
not injured we would likely not play differently [against
Barcelona]," said Dutt of the former Germany captain, who is set
to leave at the end of the season.