Pep Guardiola will tell his Barcelona players they must not hold back when they look to overturn a 3-1 deficit in the Champions League semi-finals against Internazionale on Wednesday (2/5 Barcelona 18/5 draw 13/2 Internazionale – match betting).
The holders require at least a repeat of the 2-0 victory they inflicted on the Nerazzurri in the group stages in November if they are to reach the home of bitter rivals Real Madrid, the Santiago Bernabeu, for the final of Europe’s premier club competition on May 22 (11/10 Barcelona – To Qualify).
There, they will meet the winners of the other semi-final second-leg clash between Lyon and Bayern Munich.
The decider comes in the middle of a potentially-pivotal week for Barca, culminating in an awkward away trip to Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday.
The Spanish champions got the result they needed on Saturday when they defeated nine-man Xerez 3-1 and remain one point clear of nearest-challengers Real.
Guardiola was able to name a makeshift side, with Lionel Messi and Pedro both starting on the bench, and goals from Jeffren Suarez, Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic did the damage.
He must now focus his efforts on recovering from his heaviest defeat in Europe since taking charge at the Nou Camp to deny Jose Mourinho his second final appearance having guided FC Porto to victory in 2004.
Goals from Wesley Sneijder, Maicon and Diego Milito secured the Serie A title-chasers a deserved win in Milan last week and Mourinho is convinced Inter have finally arrived on the big stage.
A five-game winning streak in the knockout stage would back up that theory and the Portuguese coach has spoken of his “dream” of securing Inter a place in the final of Europe’s marquee club competition for the first time in 38 years.
Guardiola recognises that Barca must get on the front foot if they are to end the journey for Inter and has demanded his players go for the jugular.
“We need to settle it as quickly as possible,” said Guardiola.
He added: “The game needs that. We can’t sit back and see what happens while the minutes are ticking by. We have lots of goals to cancel out.”
Barca will once again be without midfielder Andres Iniesta, who has a torn right thigh muscle, as well as the banned Carles Puyol.
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