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Ever since the draw for the Champions League knockout fixtures were made public, this particular tie has managed to stand-out from the rest in terms of the memorable meetings between the two sides over the years and also the sheer level of intensity with which the two teams have contested in the same.
The last meeting between Chelsea and Barcelona came back in 2012 during the Blues' memorable Champions League winning campaign under the then manager Roberto Di Matteo. However, both teams will be heading into the game on the back of very contrasting fortunes in their respective domestic league championships this term.
Ernesto Valverde's Blaugrana are unbeaten runaway leaders in Spain while Antonio Conte's defending champions have had to play catch-up with the Manchester clubs for the majority of the season while competing with an outside chance in the FA Cup as well.
In this segment, we will be profiling the 5 key personal battles on the pitch that can possibly decide the outcome of the game on its own. Without further delay, let's take a closer look at how things are shaping up ahead of this steaming battle:
#5 Alvaro Morata vs Gerard Pique
Alvaro Morata is expected to come up against his Spanish national teammate Gerard Pique when the two sides lock horns at Stamford Bridge, yet again in this competition. Despite being regular starters for their country, the duo also has previous history of going against each other at club level, courtesy of Morata's rise to prominence at Real Madrid in the past.
Pique was also assigned with the task of keeping his Spanish compatriot at bay during the 2015 UEFA Champions League final held in Berlin, where Morata scored an important equalizer only to end up on the losing side by the end of designated time.
Chelsea struck a club-record fee with Real Madrid for Morata's services in the summer and despite quickly finding his feet in England, the Spaniard has struggled to replicate the same form in the second half of the season.
Pique, on the other hand, continues to grow in stature at the heart of a Catalan defense that has conceded just a solitary goal in the competition all season. The duo will probably find themselves in the thick of an intense aerial battle considering both players' ability in the air.
#2 Luis Suarez vs Andreas Christensen
Given how the teams are expected to line-up against each other, Barcelona's talisman Luis Suarez will have his work cut out against Chelsea's newest and brightest prospect at the back in the form of Andreas Christensen. Suarez's previous spell with Liverpool is also expected to bring back a few memories of Chelsea, including the infamous biting-row with Branislav Ivanovic that put him to shame.
The Uruguayan has been prolific in front of goal for the La Liga leaders this season, having scored 20 times already in all competitions but Suarez has failed to open his account in the Champions League this time around. Despite being one of Barcelona's primary gateways for goals in recent years, Suarez will face a challenging task when he comes up against Christensen who has slowly established himself as one of Chelsea's regular starters ahead of former Champions League winners David Luiz and Gary Cahill.
Recent performances against some of the top teams in England have suggested that Christensen is arguably one of the world's finest young defenders but this could be his biggest test yet and a successful outing would do his confidence a world of good.
#3 N'Golo Kante vs Andres Iniesta
Without the shadow of a doubt, the most intriguing or compelling battle of the game will be won and lost in midfield as some of the most dogged and insightful generals will battle for supremacy in the middle of the park. All of N'Golo Kante and Andres Iniesta will be pitted against each other while other star names including Paulinho and Cesc Fabregas will also light up the midfield with their presence.
Kante has played an instrumental role for Chelsea under the tutelage of Conte and the possibility of him going head to head with one of the greatest midfielders of Spain's golden generation will be too good to resist and sparks are expected to fly when the two meet at club level, for the first time ever.
Iniesta has enjoyed tremendous success over Chelsea and in general while operating through the middle of the park and despite entering the twilight of his career, the former World Cup winner is a world-beater on his day and Stamford Bridge will never forget that thunderous strike which helped the Catalans pip Chelsea on away goals rule in the semi-finals back in 2009.
#2 Eden Hazard vs Sergi Roberto
It almost seems like this fixture is the perfect audition for Eden Hazard to join the prestigious list of Galacticos assembled by Real Madrid over the years to try and assert their dominance domestically as well as in Europe.
The Belgian has been courted by the Los Blancos for quite some time now and after their recent disappointments on all fronts, the need for a squad overhaul beckons and Hazard's departure might even be inevitable in the summer.
His recent form will suggest that Hazard could enjoy his involvement against Roberto on the night, who is expected to be assigned to the role of keeping the Chelsea winger out of the game. This could shape up to becoming a key personal battle down the flanks where Hazard can be quick and clever with his movement on and off the ball.
Despite not being used in his preferred position very often, Roberto has come leaps and bounds in terms of experience and the will to strive for success which is sure to add to the stakes on the night.
#1 Lionel Messi vs Cesar Azpilicueta
Not many people know of this but the duo has the history of going up against each other in La Liga back in 2009 during Cesar Azpilicueta's tenure with Osasuna in Spain. Since then, the players have hardly looked back in terms of progressing through different levels, bettering themselves in the process.
Messi has already established himself as one of the greatest ever footballers to have graced the pitch while Azpilicueta's meteoric rise with Marseille provoked Chelsea to rope in the Spaniard in 2012 and what seemed like a gamble five seasons ago, seems like one of the bargains of the decade already.
Both players have arguably been their club's most consistent performers over the last year or so and the fact that they will be playing with a lot of expectations weighed upon them could only mean that this could shape up to becoming a crucial player battle that can decide the outcome of the match.
