Puyol wary of Stuttgart threat

BARCELONA captain Carles Puyol admits his side could be in for a bad night if they underestimate the threat posed by in-form Stuttgart in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie tonight.

Barça make the trip to Germany having bounced back from their first league defeat of the season eight days ago against Atletico Madrid by thumping Racing Santander 4-0 on Saturday night. That was the Catalan giants’ sixth victory in seven league games, but tonight they will come up against a Stuttgart who are in just as good form.

Stuttgart may still be struggling down in ninth place in the Bundesliga but they too have won six of their last seven and at the weekend thrashed Cologne 5-1 away from home with Cacau netting four of his side’s goals.