Barcelona looking to finish the job as Atletico face uphill task

BARCELONA WILL have to starve Juninho of dead-ball scoring chances in tonight’s clash with Olympique Lyon, coach Pep Guardiola said yesterday.

The Brazilian stunned Barca early in the first leg of the last 16 tie in France with a trademark strike that sailed over goalkeeper Victor Valdes, before Thierry Henry equalised in the second half.

“It will be important not to give away free kicks around the box,” said Guardiola.

“The best form of defence is attack,” the former Barca and Spain midfielder said. “I think they will wait until we lose the ball and try to hit us on the break.”

The Primera Liga leaders come into the match having stretched their advantage over Real Madrid to six points with a 2-0 home win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

Lyon’s 2-0 defeat at Lille at the weekend chopped their Ligue 1 lead down to one point from six two weeks ago and their woes have been compounded by injuries to key players.

At an earlier news conference, Barca striker Samuel Eto’o said he was unconcerned about his recent lack of goals and hoped his 28th birthday on Tuesday would bring the team luck.

“I have scored a lot already this season and when they don’t go in for a few matches there is no point making a drama out of it,” said an unperturbed Eto’o. “I am calm.”

The striker hasn’t netted in four matches since his league double against Real Betis on February 14th.

ATLETICO MADRID will attempt to transfer their recent impressive domestic form onto the European stage when they make the short hop across to Portugal to take on Porto on Wednesday.

Few would have given Atletico much hope of turning things around after they were outclassed by Porto in the first meeting and fortunate to escape with a 2-2 draw. But since then Atletico have started to build up a head of steam following impressive league performances against top two Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Like Atletico, Porto have also picked up four points from their two league games since the first leg, drawing with Sporting Lisbon and then seeing off Leixoes 4-1 away last weekend.

Atletico Madrid will need the lethal finishing of Diego Forlan and his Argentine strike partner Sergio Aguero if they are to progress. The South American hitmen have scored 30 league goals between them this season, including the last five in a 4-3 home win over Barcelona and the 1-1 draw with Real.