Four wins from their opening five matches is enough for Barcelona to head into their final Champions League group game with an unassailable advantage at the top of the table. Lucky to be a drawn in a group with three utterly erratic performers, Luis Enrique's side has been able to build up an eight-point advantage at the summit. However, while they can afford to take their foot off the gas with a round to spare, their hosts on Wednesday, Bayer Leverkusen, still have it all to do.
Barcelona vs. Bayer Leverkusen 2015 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch Champions League online
Barcelona may have nothing to play for on Wednesday, but their hosts Bayer Leverkusen are still fighting to join the Catalans in the Champions League knockouts.
Heading into this match, Roger Schmidt’s task sounds simple enough: win and hope AS Roma don’t win their match at home to Belarusian side BATE. However, beating Barça -- even when they’ve got room for complacency -- is never an easy task. The good news is that they’ve got home advantage on their side, but even that may not be enough against the reigning Champions League winners, and perhaps the best team on the planet at the moment.
Key factor: Will Barcelona ease up?
Bayer Leverkusen will be hoping for Barcelona to ease up just a little. The Catalan side's slip-up against Valencia last weekend showed that they're certainly not infallible, and an injury sustained by Neymar in training on Tuesday means he's unlikely to be risked. What's more, key first-teamers Gerard Piqué and Andrés Iniesta are both reportedly going to be rested, with Marc Bartra and Javier Mascherano likely to come into the starting lineup. It'll still be a very strong team, but all of these factors slightly play into Bayer's hands. They could well be decisive.
When they last met: Barcelona 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen, Sept. 29, 2015
Bayer gave Barça a surprisingly good run for their money when they met in the reverse fixture. They opened the scoring through defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos midway through the first half, and looked set to hang on for an unlikely three points. However, they agonisingly conceded twice in the final 10 minutes, with goals from Sergi Roberto and Luis Suárez helping the Catalans come from behind and win.
Bayer Leverkusen injuries and suspensions
Out: Tin Jedvaj (thigh); Lars Bender (ankle); Charles Aránguiz (Achilles). In doubt: None.
Barcelona injuries and suspensions
Out: Douglas (foot); Rafinha (knee); Dani Alves (suspended); Neymar (abductor). In doubt: Jérémy Mathieu (discomfort); Sergi Roberto (ankle).
Bayer will be without defender Jedvaj and midfielders Bender and Aránguiz, though there are no fresh concerns for coach Roger Schmidt.
The same can’t be said for Barça, with suspended full-back Alves and newly injured striker Neymar forced to joinDouglas and Rafinha on the sidelines. Defender Mathieu and versatile midfielder Roberto both face late fitness tests.
Match date/time: Wednesday, 2:45 p.m. ET, 8:45 p.m. local
Venue: BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany
TV: FOX Sports 1 (US - English); FOX Deportes (US - Spanish); beIN Sports (Canada); BT Sport Extra (UK)
Online: FOX Sports GO, FOX Soccer 2GO (US); beIN Sports Connect (Canada); BT Sport Live Streaming (UK)
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