Barcelona vs Lyon preview: Hosts firm favourites to progress

In-form Barcelona host Lyon in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at the Nou Camp as firm favourites to progress to the quarter-finals.

The tie is finely poised after a 0-0 draw in the first leg in France, but the task for Lyon looks a rather daunting one.

Since their first-leg stalemate, Barcelona have won all four games they have played in all competitions, including two wins over Real Madrid, and have opened up a seven-point lead at the top of La Liga.

Since losing 3-0 to Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp in 2013, Barcelona have won 26 of their 29 home games in the Champions League, drawing three, while Lyon have lost seven of their last nine Champions League knockout games away from home, including each of the last four without scoring a single goal.

• When is the QF/SF draw?

Lyon have won two of their four matches since the Barcelona draw, but were held by Strasbourg at the weekend, meaning they are 21 points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain in third.

Guess the correct score of this game in the Sky Bet Super 6

Team news

Ousmane Dembele (hamstring) and Thomas Vermaelen (thigh) are both doubts for Barcelona. Defender Nelson Semedo will miss the first leg of a potential quarter-final if he picks up a booking.

The game at the Nou Camp may come too soon for Lyon striker Amine Gouiri, who is nearing recovery from an ACL injury, while defender Marcelo is doubtful with a hamstring strain.

Opta stats

• Barcelona have won all three of their home matches against Lyon in the Champions League, scoring 10 goals and conceding only two.
• Metz are the only French side to beat Barcelona at Camp Nou in European competition, in the first round of the Cup Winners' Cup in October 1984 (4-1). In the Champions League, no French club has ever kept a clean sheet at Camp Nou (9 games), with Paris SG being the only side to avoid defeat (1-1 in March 1995, April 2013).
• Barcelona and Lyon are unbeaten in this season's Champions League. In fact, Lyon have drawn each of their last six games, equalling the record for most consecutive draws in a single UCL season held by AEK Athens (2002/03) and Glasgow Rangers (2005/06).
• Barcelona will attempt to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the 12th consecutive season - a record, last failing at the round of 16 stage in 2006/07 against Liverpool. Meanwhile, Lyon last made the final eight in 2009/10.

Charlie's prediction

Barcelona are flying at the minute. People are saying they are not as good as what they were but I would debate that. Coutinho has found it difficult as well as Dembele. That is the reality, they have missed Neymar.

In midfield they have Rakitic, Busquets, Malcom and Arturo Vidal, who has similar attributes to Xavi, quick passing and possession. Messi can be quiet and then blow you away. Defensively, they have improved so much under Valverde. On top of this, Ter Stegen is challenging Neuer and De Gea I think.

Dembele is in and out of the squad and has scored at Camp Nou before, same with Depay and the way he can change games, but Barcelona let them off the hook at Lyon and should have scored, so this tie should be straightforward for them.

CHARLIE PREDICTS: 3-1, Messi with a double (16/1 with Sky Bet)

Play Super 6

Predict 6 correct scores for your chance to win £250K.