CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: BARCA CAN ADVANCE WITH A LOSS

PARIS: Holders Barcelona can secure a place in the Champions League knockout stage even if they lose at Dynamo Kiev today, but Inter Milan face a winner-takes-all home encounter with Rubin Kazan.

All four teams in Group F will go into their final group games with hopes of going through, but it is pool leaders Barcelona who hold the strongest hand.

Pep Guardiola’s side have slipped into top gear in recent weeks, defeating Inter 2-0 in their last Champions League assignment and edging domestic rivals Real in the first ‘Clasico’ of the season.

“This is the biggest game of our season so far and it will define the rest of our season,” said Guardiola after his side’s 3-1 win at Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday evening.

“I’m confident that we will preform well. We cannot go out of Europe and we have to finish top of our group.”

Barca can afford to lose by any two-goal scoreline other than 2-0 in Kiev, due to their 2-0 victory over the Ukrainians in the reverse fixture, while a 0-0 or 1-1 draw will be enough for Inter at home to freshly crowned Russian champions Kazan as long as Dynamo do not win.