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Who will prevail?
If one thinks of a European contest that could be called a quintessential UEFA Champions League classic, Chelsea v Barcelona immediately comes to mind. Games between the 2 teams have been nothing short of sensational during the 21st century.
The unlikely 2-2 draw at the Camp Not by Roberto Di Matteo's scrappy battlers against Pep Guardiola's side in 2012; the infamous 1-0 defeat of Chelsea by Andres Iniesta's stunning late strike in 2009. They've met at important parts of the knockout stages and the games have delivered immense entertainment every time.
Fans of the clubs and neutrals alike will eagerly be anticipating the next meeting between them which takes place this week. Chelsea have suffered a noticeable decline since winning the league last year but Antonio Conte has steadied the ship in recent weeks.
Barcelona have had no such problems and are cantering to the La Liga title. Both come into the tie after wins over the weekend and both should reasonably expect to have a good chance of triumphing and progressing to the last-8 of the Champions League.
With world-class talent across the pitch, individual battles may just decide who wins, so this slideshow will look at 3 of the most vital match-ups that will play a big part in the overall outcome:
#3 Alvaro Morata v Marc-Andre ter Stegen
David de Gea has been roundly praised for his performances this season, but ter Stegen may be the only goalkeeper in Europe to offer a serious challenge to his position as the world's best in their position.
He has been imperious for Barcelona this season and is still only 25, meaning he could dominate at the Camp Nou for another decade at least. His ability with the ball at his feet is astounding and his reflexes amongst the best in the world.
In many a game this season, the rangy German has kept his team in games with his shot-stopping and this won't change at Stamford Bridge.
He'll most likely face a striker out of confidence but one familiar to him. Alvaro Morata has become a bit of a scapegoat for Chelsea's ailments recently, similar to Romelu Lukaku's troubles at Manchester United, without doing anything too terribly.
He missed big chances in the loss to Arsenal, certainly, and hasn't continued the scoring run he had at the start of the season, but strikers should be allowed to go through a drought. He'll remember playing against Ter-Stegen from his time at Real Madrid over the previous 2 seasons and this familiarity may be of use to him if he finds himself one-on-one with him this week.
Morata also has a good record in the competition, stretching back to his time at Juventus, and a player with 3 UEFA Champions League final appearances cannot be underestimated.
#2 N'Golo Kante v Lionel Messi
How Chelsea have missed the little Frenchman this season. Kante was the rock on which Leicester City's incredible league win was built on before he duly joined Chelsea and acted as the catalyst for them to triumph the following season. He's one of the transfer discoveries of the last decade and Chelsea just haven't been the same side without him.
Kante has struggled with niggling injuries in the campaign so far and his replacement Tiemoue Bakayoko hasn't stepped up to the plate. He is injured for this tie while Kante has returned in recent weeks, a fact which should give hope to the Blues' devout fans. He'll have his work cut out, though given he'll be facing the greatest player of all time in Lionel Messi.
The Argentine has been in sensational form again this season, as usual, and is La Liga's top scorer and assist maker. Kante covers a vast area of the pitch due to his endless energy and effort so Conte will likely task him with trailing Messi when possible.
Barcelona's main man has floated around the pitch in games this season, acting as the primary playmaker after the departure of Neymar, and will be expected to drop deep into the midfield to spray passes around and connect with his teammates.
Given his amazing passing range, this is often where Messi is most dangerous, so it will be up to Kante to close down his space and ensure that he can't play his customary through balls; it isn't hyperbolic to say that Chelsea's chances may just rest on Kante's success in hunting Messi down and inhibiting his natural play.
#1 Eden Hazard v Gerard Pique
There has been talk that Conte will set up his side in a 3-5-1-1 formation, similar to how he did away to Atletico Madrid earlier in the season, and if he does, Eden Hazard will probably play in this hole behind Morata.
Depending on how aggressive Chelsea are in taking the game to their opponents, Hazard may find himself quite isolated in the game, especially if Barcelona are on form with their possession and passing. His dribbling skills and ability of regularly beating his marker will be of vital importance to Chelsea's fortunes on the attack.
On the other hand, Gerard Pique has been one of the world's best centre-backs for years now, but doesn't have the pace to match Hazard if a break is on, so he'll have to be attentive throughout the game.
With right-back Sergi Roberto suspect defensively, given his tendency to make runs forward in support of Barcelona's attack, Hazard may look to exploit this side of the pitch, so it will be up to Pique to watch this area carefully.
He won't want to get involved in a foot race with the Belgian playmaker, so Pique will look to stick close to Hazard and suffocate him from playing his football. It will be a game of tight margins, with no room for error, meaning Pique's concentration will have to be at its strongest if Hazard is to be kept quiet.
