Stuttgart gear-up for ‘game of our lives’

STUTTGART director of sport, Horst Heldt, admits his team must play “the game of our lives” if they are to knock holders Barcelona out of the Champions League tonight.

The Swabians were unfortunate to take only a 1-1 draw into the second leg at the Nou Camp (7.45pm), but their inspired performance at the Mercedes-Benz Arena a few weeks ago will only make the task of defeating the Spaniards even harder.

Barcelona are not going to underestimate them now, which is why Heldt insists only the perfect game will be enough.

“If we want to achieve the impossible, we have got to play the game of our lives,” he admitted. “But we are not going there just for fun. We do have a mini chance.”

Coach Christian Gross welcomes Matthieu Delpierre back into his defence after a recent suspension while Christian Trasch could move into a more defensive midfield instead of Timo Gebhart.

Cacau, who scored his first goal in the competition during the first leg, will lead the attack and he will be aiming to find the back of the net again after drawing a blank in the last two Bundesliga matches, of which Stuttgart have failed to win either.

Stuttgart will look to join Bayern Munich as the second Bundesliga representatives in the last eight, while Barca need to restore some Spanish pride and establish bragging rights over Real Madrid, eliminated last week.

Barca will be favourites to progress but Brazil full-back Dani Alves has warned his team against overconfidence.

“If you’re not at 200%, you’re out,” he said. “We have to charge our batteries and be prepared.

“We have a magnificent opportunity in front of our own fans and in our own stadium. We mustn’t waste it.

“We know how important and difficult the competition is. The slightest slip and they can send you home. It’s a really difficult match and we have to go flat out.”

Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick in the weekend’s 3-0 defeat of Valencia to take his tally to 22 league goals for the season.

And Dani Alves is fully aware of just how important the FIFA World Player of the Year is to the team. “He’s in excellent form. He’s saving us a lot,” said the defender. “We’ve got the best player in the world.

“He pulls the team forward, takes charge and we are the keys that help operate the command. I hope the attack keeps working right to the end.”

Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes believes that Messi could become even better.

“He’s the best in the world,” said Valdes. “He could become the best player in history.”

Captain Carles Puyol hopes to recover from a back injury to feature tonight.