Barca wary of Milan at Nou Camp fortress

Barcelona have to find a way to break down AC Milan’s stubborn defence in order to avoid exiting to Italian opposition again and repeating their only Champions League failure under coach Pep Guardiola.

A 0-0 draw in the first leg of their quarter-final has set the scene for a must-win match for Barcelona, who have twice won the competition since Guardiola took charge three seasons ago. The only blip on that record was exiting to Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan two years ago in the semi-finals. Barcelona are hoping the Nou Camp pitch will better cater to their playing style after the club officially protested to Uefa over the San Siro turf. “We may dominate but you can never be sure because in any moment they can strike back,” said Barcelona forward Pedro Rodriguez. “We’re going to have to play a great game.”

Barcelona haven’t lost at the Nou Camp for 51 games, dating back to September 2010, and are aiming for a fifth successive semi-final, which would equal the record set by Real Madrid between 1956-60.