They may be "the best club side in the world" but VfB Stuttgart coach Christian Gross believes a "very brave" and "very clever" performance from his team could upset FC Barcelona on Tuesday.

VfB Stuttgart coach Christian Gross regards first knockout round opponents FC Barcelona as "the best club side in the world", but he has warned the European champions his team will have "absolutely nothing to lose" in Tuesday's opening leg. That message seems to have got through too, with Barça's Josep Guardiola approaching the encounter praising the home side's "German qualities".

Christian Gross, Stuttgart coach
We're looking forward to these two games. We know that we're up against the best club side in the world and the utmost will be asked of us. It's well known that teams rise to the occasion and that's exactly what we have to do to get a good result ahead of the return match. We have to be highly focused, especially when we have possession, as there's no other side as strong as they are when it comes to switching between attack and defence.

We have absolutely nothing to lose. We'll have to be very brave but very clever as well. That is the big difficulty here: the key will be a passionate but also a calm performance; everyone will be asked to put in a performance like he's never put in before. Aleksandr [Hleb] is of course highly motivated and looking forward to this encounter. Naturally, I have spoken with him about Barcelona's strengths and weaknesses.

Pep Guardiola, Barcelona coach
Just scraping through against [Olympique Lyonnais] in the round of 16 last season should be warning enough for us. Many big clubs have made life difficult for themselves by not coping with their status as favourites in the round of 16. After all, we're playing a German team with German qualities, and one enjoying an excellent run in the league. Christian Gross has achieved a lot here and he has quality in his squad. I saw some remarkable things in the video analysis. This is why we'll have to find our rhythm quickly if we want to get a good result for the return leg.

We're happy to return to the European stage after such a long break. Given the way I know my players, I don't need to worry about them taking Stuttgart too lightly. It's a round of 16 match: Arsenal are almost out, Real are having problems with Lyon and Manchester [United] and Bayern are not in for an easy ride either.

Team news
Stuttgart
Out: Martin Lanig (cruciate knee ligament), Arthur Boka (dislocated shoulder)
Doubtful: none
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: none

• Boka dislocated his shoulder in training and is not expected to return for a month.

• Sami Khedira had been suffering with a thigh injury, but Gross confirmed that he is "100% fit and will play".

Barcelona
Out: Seydou Keita (right hamstring tear), Eric Abidal (groin strain)
Doubtful: Zlatan Ibrahimović (ankle), Xavi Hernández (right thigh), Daniel Alves (right calf)
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: Carles Puyol

• Yaya Touré played on Saturday following a fortnight out with a left thigh tear.

• Guardiola will wait until the day of the match before making a final decision on Ibrahimović, Xavi and Alves.
UEFA

We will miss xavi but hopefully Alves should be on the starting line up tonite.Ibra could remain on the bench for all i care,we can win matches with or without him.i pray Henry wont start running about like a he goat in his heat period,he has never been himself since he uses his hand to send france to the world cup.with messi and inesta all things are possible and we are winning 3-1/3-0.
forza barca!we are the best.

4 sure the game is ours
FCB with my Families 4 Ever

cristal, gues the poll can be taken off
efryone knows this belongs to BARCA
lets go get it boiz

Stuttgart scores!!!!!!!!! Cacau

Cacau is absolutely r.a.p.i.n.g barca

Hleb wan kill farca!!!

Is this Barca I am seeing? The almighty Barca vs Stuttgart 9th in Bundesliga

Yes 9th in Bundesliga can handle Barca but the useless biggest team in Germany gets spanked 4-0

And the GAYYners have remained trophyless for half a decade.

Abeg shey Ibra dey dis match?
Cuz I nefa see am ooo or as he done his usual champions league disappearing act?

Watch for the offside calls you would surely see Ibraca dabra

The dual pivot of Yaya and Busquet is not working for Barca, as Stuttgart are bypassing the middle and going down the flanks. Also Barca's having only Xavi as the only attacking midfielder is making it more difficult for them to sustain their usual pressure, while the high defensive line has resulted in them being caught on the break on more than one occasion.

Marquez got away with a missed penalty call.

Barca should be grateful it is still only 1-0 as they could have been 3-0 down.

48' Ibrahimovic is dispossessed on the edge of the box, he looks really off the pace this evening.

http://eurosport.yahoo.com/football/champions-league/2009-2010/vfb-stuttgart-fc-barcelona-342073.html

Dont you get it? Its the CL knockout stage and not made for Zlatan

dayokanu:

http://eurosport.yahoo.com/football/champions-league/2009-2010/vfb-stuttgart-fc-barcelona-342073.html

Dont you get it? Its the CL knockout stage and not made for Zlatan

Ibra scores oooooooooooooo

How e take happen? Yeepa Ibra scores his first CL knockout goal

All my streams just went dead,

Iraqgoals to the rescue

Ibra breaks his jinx nothin dey happen  forza barca

See as lehman wan kill Puyol!!!

Up Barca

shickenchimp . . be like say man utd don comot una for setting what next? copa italia?

Another poorly officiated game

biina, dead guy, poor officiation is the
best you can come up with. Abegeeeeee

When your mediocre team lost to Lyon
no1 showed up on ur thread.

Krayola:

Up Barca

shickenchimp . . be like say man utd don comot una for setting what next? copa italia?

No shakings. Besides, the tie is not yet over.
Also the league is by no means over. Still in the race for the Scudetto

eyoniggar:

biina, dead guy, poor officiation is the
best you can come up with. Abegeeeeee

When your mediocre team lost to Lyon
no1 showed up on your thread.

There is a difference between poor and biased officiating
Typical Farca fan, paranoid totally

notin dey hapen Barca 4 live

barca got a draw by the skin of their teeth. . . . but i bet u its not over - there's an upset in this 1; Gross is a mastermind & he'll conjure up something in the nou camp, just watch!

@Ruudie,
Don't bet on any shocks.
If Barca didn't capitulate in Germany,I don't see how Schalke will get anything at the Camp Nou at this stage.