BARCELONA, Spain (Sporting Alert) — Lionel Messi is only on the bench tonight for Barcelona for the Champions League semi-final second leg clash with Bayern Munich at Camp Nou.
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Messi, who was tipped to start, after his impressive showing off the bench in La Liga over the weekend, is only a sub, but will certainly play a part before the game is concluded.
The Argentine international failed to spark in the first leg 4-0 defeat.
David Villa has been handed a starting place for Barcelona, in the meantime, after sitting on the bench for most of the first leg.
Villa will play alongside Cesc Fabregas and Pedro in the attack with Alexis Sanchez, who was very disappointing in the first leg joining Messi on the bench.
Alex Song also starts for Barcelona, who are without Sergio Busquets, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich made two adjustments from the side which dominated the first leg for tonight’s contest.
Leading striker Mario Mandzukic is back from suspension to lead the attack in place of Mario Gomez, who netted in the first leg, while Daniel van Buyten comes in as a replacement for Dante a the back.
Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Muller and impressive Javi Martinez all start as well.
Barcelona v Bayern Munich
Barcelona: Valdés, Alves, Piqué, Bartra, Adriano, Fàbregas, Xavi, Iniesta, Song, Villa, Pedro
SUBS: Pinto, Montoya, Thiago Alcántara, Dos Santos, Sánchez, Messi, Tello.
Bayern Munich: Neuer, Van Buyten, Boateng, Lahm, Ribéry, Martínez, Robben, Müller, Alaba, Schweinsteiger, Mandžukić
SUBS: Starke, Dante, Rafinha, Shaqiri, Luiz Gustavo, Tymoshchuk, Gomez.
