Barcelona prepare to entertain Rubin with their homework done
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FC Barcelona' s star players will probably enjoy a well-earned rest when their side entertains Russian side Rubin Kazan in the Champions League this Tuesday night.
Barcelona has already qualified for the last 16 of the competition as the winners of their qualifying group and coach Pep Guardiola will take the opportunity to give match time to some of his fringe players.
That will see players such as Javier Mascherano, Bojan Krkic, Seydou Keita and possibly Jeffren all getting their chance to shine, while Guardiola will also take the chance to bring some members of the Barcelona 'B' team into the squad.
However, it would be unfair to say that Barcelona are going to give the game away: there is a cash incentive for every point and every goal and the Catalans are also aware that they have failed to beat the Russians in three previous meetings.
Last season saw Ruben beat Barcelona home and away at the same stage of the competition, while the teams could only draw in their first game this campaign.
The Russians need to win and hope that Copenhagen fail to win in Greece to have a chance of making the knockout stage and have spent a week preparing for the match in Spain.
That meant they avoided the air-traffic controllers' strike which caused chaos in the country over the weekend and which saw Barca make their overland dash to Pamplona ahead of their win over Osasuna.
That game showed Leo Messi at his best once again with two goals and while the late kick off of the game captured the headlines, the fact is that Barcelona are in their best form of the campaign as 2010 draws to an end.
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