'I want to say I was convinced even before (the defeat by Chelsea in February's FA) Cup match that controlling the two players that play behind Diego (Costa) and controlling the full-backs, because they go really deep with two wide men, would create lots of problems and I repeat the same'
Catalans will have to cope without their inspirational captain Andres Iniesta, the man who has pedigree when it comes to beating the Blues.
A round-up of Saturday's matches in the English Premier League.
Premier League leaders Chelsea suffered their biggest home defeat for nearly nine years when they were humbled 3-0 by Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
IMAGES from the EPL match played between Chelsea and West Brom at Stamford Bridge in London on Monday
Liverpool's dream run was demolished in the most unlikely fashion by strugglers Watford on Saturday in what must be considered the most extraordinary reverse of the entire Premier League season. On the evening when the European champions were expected to complete the best sequence in the history of English football's top-flight with a 19th straight league victory, they were instead hammered 3-0 by the team lying one from bottom. Images from the EPL matches played on Saturday.
Two penalties by captain Ryan Giggs led Manchester United to a 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur that took them two points clear of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League despite being without Wayne Rooney on Saturday.
While Lyon rallied to hold Leipzig 2-2 after a Memphis Depay strike, it was the English clubs who made a mark on the night. Liverpool and Chelsea moved into the last 16 with contrasting wins and now all four English clubs, including Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, are in the Champions League knockouts this season.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Chelsea may still take their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as other clubs have done in the past.
A flash of attacking brilliance from Olivier Giroud and an emphatic header from substitute Alvaro Morata earned Chelsea a 2-0 win over struggling Southampton
Valencia earned a valuable 1-1 draw at Chelsea on Wednesday in a combative first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Manchester United's Jose Mourinho, humbled for the second time this season in front of the Chelsea fans who once idolised him, did not go quietly on Monday as he declared that he remains the London club's number one manager.
Manchester City can put a lid on what manager Mark Hughes describes as hysteria over their poor form when they host Premier League leaders Chelsea on Saturday.
Chelsea may have restored some breathing space over Manchester City with a 2-0 win over Newcastle United on Saturday but they have not regained the form that made them runaway title favourites earlier in the season.
Reaction to Arrizabalaga's refusal to be substituted
The 23-year-old Portugal midfielder is Chelsea's fourth recruit under new manager Jose Mourinho.
Four Chelsea fans who refused to allow a black man onto the Paris Metro were banned on Wednesday from attending football matches for between three and five years.
Former England international Rio Ferdinand feels Everton's John Stones should pick Manchester United over Chelsea if the defender prefers more playing time.
IMAGES from English Premier League matches played on Sunday.
Jose Mourinho felt ashamed by racist fans who pushed a black passenger off a metro train in Paris and he hopes the victim will accept an invitation to watch a game at Stamford Bridge to prove such behaviour was not a reflection of the real Chelsea.
Group C leaders Barcelona should make it four wins from four matches against pointless Basel on Tuesday in the Champions League, while holders Manchester United can book their last 16 place with victory at Celtic.
However, one goal proved enough for City who picked up their sixth successive league win to move four points clear of Liverpool, who host Aston Villa later on Saturday, at the top of the standings.
Striker Wayne Rooney made his long-awaited return for Manchester United on Saturday when they took advantage of defeats for title rivals Chelsea and Arsenal with a 2-0 home victory over nine-man Wigan Athletic.
Manchester City took another step toward the Premier League title when they brushed aside Blackburn Rovers 3-0 for their 18th successive home league win to move five points clear of Manchester United at the top of the table on Saturday.
Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool raised the spirits with a rip-roaring 2-2 draw in a pre-Christmas Premier League classic on Sunday after a weekend marred by COVID-19 related postponements.
Chelsea captain John Terry recovered from a fractured foot and is included in the squad for Saturday's FA Cup fifth round tie.
Arsenal host EPL leaders Manchester United on Sunday.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola is in danger of tarnishing his reputation as the man with the Midas touch when the holders seek to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Chelsea in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg at the Nou Camp.
Britain's sporting weekend was decimated by heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures with Sunday's Premier League showdown between Chelsea and Manchester United among the hundreds of fixtures to be called off.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has no plans to let any of his English Premier League title-winning squad depart Stamford Bridge in the close season.
Fans are openly speculating that owner Roman Abramovich, a man who places notoriously high demands on his managers, could call time on Jose Mourinho's second spell at Stamford Bridge if Liverpool can inflict another defeat on the champions.
The German captain was officially presented with his number 13 Chelsea shirt on Tuesday.
Until last season, Manchester United had never lost in the Premier League at Upton Park but the Londoners, who also triumphed at Old Trafford in May, made it two in two seasons with late goals by defenders Anton Ferdinand and Matthew Upson.
Fernando Torres scored his first goal since October to help Chelsea crush Leicester City 5-2 and Liverpool beat Stoke City 2-1 to reach the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday.
Images from Sunday's English Premier League matches.
Manchester United stormed to the top of the Premier League on Saturday with a 4-1 thumping of Middlesbrough as Chelsea stole the limelight with a 6-0 hammering of third-placed Manchester City.
Images from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Tuesday night.
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