Pique: We can score four

Spanish international defender Gerard Pique believes Barcelona can score four goals if they need to as they bid to overturn a 2-0 deficit to AC Milan to reach the Champions League quarter-finals tonight.

Barca have endured a rough ride over the last couple of weeks, losing their last 16 first leg in Milan, then suffering back-to-back defeats to Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-finals and in La Liga.

These lacklustre displays have prompted suggestions that Barca were in decline, but Pique bit back sharply.

“We are the leaders in La Liga, 13 points ahead of second place. Real knocked us out in the cup, but this can happen as they are a great team.

“The season has been brilliant. Tomorrow we want to win, for ourselves and for the fans. Not for all of you, to silence the critics.”

“If there is one thing this team does not lack, it is goals. We are a team who have always played with our heads. Tomorrow we will do the same. Perhaps in the last few minutes you have to play with the heart. We will go out and attack, but we won’t be going mad.

“We need to be alert the 94 or 95 minutes the referee allows. Look what happened here in the final a few years ago with United and Bayern when they scored twice in the last minute. Anything can happen.”

Meanwhile AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani hopes Barcelona’s “monster” Lionel Messi has an off night.

“We can’t go into the game thinking we’ll be fine just because we’ve got a two-goal advantage.

“We are going up against the strongest team in the world who have a monster like Leo Messi who scores all the time. Let’s hope he takes it easy on Tuesday night.”