Barcelona closed in qualification for the Champions League last 16 after goals from Rafinha and Jordi Alba handed the hosts a 2-0 victory over Inter Milan.
Rafinha gave Barcelona the lead in the 32nd minute, meeting a fine Luis Suarez cross to hand Ernesto Valverde's side the initiative.
Inter did have half-chances to score, with their best opportunities landing to substitute Matteo Politano, but the Serie A side rarely threatened Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the Barca goal, before Alba wrapped the game up eight minutes from time.
Barcelona began quietly and showed some signs of early nerves. Ivan Perisic fired a warning shot from range in the third minute as he tried to capitalise on a poor clearance from Ter Stegen. On the quarter-hour mark, Perisic drilled a dangerous cross into the path of Mauro Icardi, but he couldn't make sufficient contact to turn the ball into the net.
After that, Barcelona steadily grew in confidence and Clement Lenglet was denied a goal when his powerful header from a corner was blocked by the thigh of Samir Handanovic.
As Barcelona continued to move through the gears they took the lead through Rafinha. The Brazilian winger, who was chosen to take Lionel Messi's place on the right flank, received Suarez's perfectly executed pass in the box and side-footed the ball home to the delight of Barcelona's talismanic forward in the stands.
The Argentine's recovery is coming to an end, as he has travelled to Italy, where the Catalans are set to face Inter on Tuesday."Without Leo [Messi] we aren't so strong, but we have shown that we are a great team," he said at his press conference prior the game."He is happy to be with us again and it's good for us that he has travelled. "We were scarred by his absence and it's normal that it affected a team like ours. "Luckily we were able to win the games without him and I don't know if he's going to play, but we're happy to have him here."A comeback against Rayo Vallecano is to be followed with another tough away encounter against the Nerazzurri in Milan."The other day [against Rayo] we started the game very well, but then it was difficult for us to play as we did in the previous matches," he continued."Against Inter in Milan we must follow the line we did against Real Madrid or Inter at home."If we win, we are first in the group and we want to play a good match."In the last few years it has been hard for us to win away from home, but at Wembley [against Tottenham Hotspur] we played a great game and we hope to repeat it."Barcelona have been criticised for the amount of goals they have been conceding and Roberto has acknowledged that this is an area they need improvement."We must improve and be self-critical," he added."We are calm, as we are first in LaLiga Santander and our Champions League group, but we have to improve in defence."All the matches are important, but the tension of matches against Real Madrid or Inter is perhaps different."We know that the points against Rayo are equally relevant in the fight for LaLiga Santander."
Barcelona vs. Inter de Milán se ven las caras (EN VIVO EN DIRECTO ONLINE TV) este martes 6 de noviembre por la cuarta fecha del grupo B de la Champions League , desde el estadio Giuseppe Meazza, a partir de las 3:00 p.m. Sigue la transmisión y narración de Fox Sports; y el minuto a minuto del cotejo en la web de Depor.com.
Para ver fútbol en vivo como este encuentro, tienes distintas alternativas por servicio de streaming y canales de TV que te presentaremos a continuación.
Depor.com te ofrecerá el minuto a minuto más completo de todos con los goles, tarjetas amarillas, rojas y demás incidencias. Engánchate también a la transmisión y narración de los perfiles de Twitter de Barcelona e Inter de Milán.
Barcelona vs. Inter de Milán: horarios en el mundo
14:00 horas en México
15:00 horas en Perú, Colombia, Ecuador, Estados Unidos (Chicago) (Nueva York +1, Washington +1, Florida +1, Nevada -2)
16:00 horas Venezuela, Bolivia
17:00 horas en Argentina, Brasil, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay
21:00 horas en España, Italia, Francia, Alemania
23:00 horas en Catar y Arabia Saudita
04:00 horas del miércoles en China
05:00 horas del miércoles en Japón y Corea del Sur.
Este partido será transmitido por la señal de Fox Sports en Latinoamérica, excepto Brasil que lo verá por Esporte Interativo Plus. En Estados Unidos por Univisión Deportes. En España por Movistar+. En Reino Unido por BT Sport ESPN. En Alemania y Japón por DAZN. Streaming internacional HD por UEFA Champions League App y Radio Barca.
Barcelona ha viajado a la ciudad italiana de Milán con 22 futbolistas y en ella figura el argentino Lionel Messi, quien todavía no ha recibido el alta médica, aunque ha estado entrenando con sus compañeros en los últimos días.
No es segura la presencia de la máxima estrella de Barcelona para el partido contra el Inter. Messi estuvo fuera de las canchas por una fractura del radio en el brazo derecho. Al parecer, esa lesión es cosa del pasado, aunque lo más probable es que Ernesto Valverde lo mantenga en el banco.
El equipo catalán llega a este duelo de Champions League como líder de LaLiga Santander y tras una sufrida victoria contra Rayo Vallecano (2-3), gracias a un doblete de Luis Suárez.
En el Inter de Milán aguardan el duelo contra el Barcelona con sed de revancha, luego de caer el miércoles 24 de octubre en el Camp Nou por 2-0 (tercera fecha del grupo B de Champions League).
Además, el equipo que dirige el italiano Luciano Spalletti quiere asegurar los puntos como local para poner un pie en octavos de final de la Liga de Campeones, ante el mal papel que vienen cumpliendo el Tottenham y el PSV.
Barcelona lidera el grupo B con 9 unidades (puntaje perfecto), Inter es el escolta con 6. Tottenham y PSV cierran con un solo punto.
En la Serie A, el club 'Nerazzurri' marcha segundo en la clasificación con 25 puntos, a 6 del líder Juventus, y la jornada anterior goleó por 5-0 al Genoa.
Barcelona vs. Inter de Milán: alineaciones probables
Barcelona : Marc ter Stegen, Gerard Piqué, Jordi Alba, Sergi Roberto, Clement Lenglet, Ivan Rakitić, Sergio Busquets, Philippe Coutinho, Rafinha, Arthur, Luis Suárez.
Inter de Milán: Samir Handanovič, Stefan de Vrij, Danilo D'Ambrosio, Milan Škriniar, Dalbert Henrique, Ivan Perišić, Marcelo Brozović, João Mário, Roberto Gagliardini, Matteo Politano, Mauro Icardi.