CL Preview: Wisla - Barcelona

Barcelona are playing the respect card ahead of their second leg encounter against Wisla by talking about the game being the most important of the year and wanting to give everything.

The Polish hosts will no doubt be flattered, but certainly not fooled by the Blaugrana's attempt at not stating the obvious, which is the tie was decided in the first game at Camp Nou two weeks ago.

Pep Guardiola will take his side into the game to use it as a final pre-season warm-up encounter before the serious business of la Primera begins with the trip to Numancia on Sunday.

It is not disrespect to Wisla to state that they are only playing for pride, because even the most ardent supporter would have known that after the opening leg saw Barça win 4-0 that it was not looking good for Maciej Skorza's outfit.

Samuel Eto'o used the first meeting to great effect by scoring twice and winning over the fans that towards the end of last season were keen to cash in on him in favour or a new striker.

The Cameroonian forward netted his brace and enjoyed the renewed adulation of the Barça supporters by proving that when he is on form there are few to match his ability in and around the area.

Xavi Hernández also showed a new side to his play under Guardiola as he took the coach's instructions to look for more goals seriously and hit a spectacular drive from outside the area.

Injury Matters

Thierry Henry was the other scorer and the Frenchman looks set to finally prove that he can become a hero at the Catalan club after being told by the new trainer that he is to lead the team from the front.

All of those players will want to put in another impressive display in Poland, if selected, but of equal importance will be to avoid picking up an unnecessary injury so close to the start of the league.

Barcelona have enjoyed a relatively comfortable pre-season campaign and maintained their 100 per cent record with two injury time goals in the Trofeo Gamper game against Boca Juniors last time out.

Guardiola will be pleased to have the chance to give his side one last run-out with the element of competition about the match, rather than having to see them go through the motions in another friendly.

Wisla were hoping that the attraction of seeing Barcelona would inspire their supporters as it looks set to be their only Champions League home game of the current campaign.

One problem though was that the four-goal deficit was not factored in when trying to gauge the excitement surrounding the visit of the Blaugrana to Krakow.

Ticket prices were lifted to around the €60 and €75 mark which would have been barely justifiable had the tie been evenly balanced, but now look extortionate given that it is not.

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