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With top spot in Group E already guaranteed, Barça were only playing for honour on Wednesday night. And they managed to achieve just that by holding on for a 1-1 draw against a Bayer side that threw everything they could at the visitors in search of a winner that would mean they would join the Catalans in the last sixteen. Luis Enrique opted to rest several of his heavyweights, but did field Messi in attack alongside Munir and Sandro, and Ivan Rakitic started in midfield in the company of Samper and Champions League debutant Kaptoum of Barça B. The Germans took the initiative in the early exchanges but the optimism in the BayArena was silenced after 20 minutes when Leo Messi read a run to perfection and scored Barça's first and only goal. Three minutes later, Chicharito slammed the ball with his left foot past a helpless Ter Stegen to score his fifth goal of the tournament and gets things back square again.

Luis Enrique’s Barça side are looking for their first win in this season’s Champions League following their 1-1 draw against AS Roma in the opening fixture in Group E. Standing in their way are a Bayer 04 Leverkusen side who won their first game 4-1 at home to BATE Borisov. Tuesday’s game at Camp Nou will be their first without the services of Leo Messi following the knee ligament injury he suffered in the 2-1 win at home in the league against Las Palmas. Bayer 04 coach Roger Schmidt has injury worries of his own as his side will be without defenders Jedvaj and Ömer Toprak due to injury. The teams will be meeting for the ninth time in the European competition where up until know Barça has managed to keep the upper hand recording five wins against the German team.

Five goals from a stratospheric Messi and two more from Tello crushed Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the Camp Nou, to qualify FC Barcelona for the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The 5 goals from Messi are an absolute record in the Champions League. Messi put Barça 2-0 up in the first half and completed his full-house in the closing stages, six minutes before Bayer Leverkusen scored their consolation goal in injury time. Two goals from the young Tello in the second half completed Barça’s score.

The Barça manager will not instruct his team to play defensively to protect the 1-3 lead they have over the Bayer Leverkusen. Guardiola admits that the Champions League “is a beautiful competition that allows us to take a break from the Spanish League”. On Piqué’s controversy related to the referees’ actions, Guardiola completely agrees with the FC Barcelona’s stance.

FC Barcelona have given their fans the perfect Valentine’s Day gift – a convincing win away to Bayer Leverkusen at the Champions League that puts them well on course for a place in the quarter finals. Alexis (2) and Messi scored the goals for Barça.

The Champions League returns at a good time for Barça following the weekend’s slip up in Pamplona, which left them 10 points adrift of the Spanish League leaders, Real Madrid, leaving no time for regrets, as they pick up the title they won at Wembley last season. Barça take up the defence of their Champions League title in Germany on Tuesday evening (20.45 CET), taking on Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16.

The away leg of the UEFA Champions League will be played in Germany on February 14th and the return leg will be played at the Camp Nou on March 7th. Ballack is the marquee player for Bayer Leverkusen, the team that finished second to Chelsea in Group E, beating out Valencia and Genk.