Champions League Group H preview: Milan, Barca nearly there

AC Milan and Barcelona can wrap up qualification for the Champions League knockout stages should both sides win on Tuesday.

Italian champions Milan visit Belarusian side BATE Borisov, while Barca are in Prague to meet Czech outfit Viktoria Plzen.

Milan and Barca are top of the Group G standings with seven points each, while BATE and Plzen have just one point apiece meaning in all likelihood they will be fighting among themselves for third place in the group and the resulting Europa League place.

Massimiliano Allegri’s men made an indifferent start to their league campaign, but four wins in succession in Serie A have seen them climb to fourth in the league, just two points behind leaders Juventus.

In their most recent match, a brace from Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic lifted them to a 3-2 win over Roma, while Kevin-Prince Boateng is another in sensational form after a hat-trick in 14 minutes helped inspire Milan to come from 3-0 down to defeat Lecce 4-3 on October 23.

Allegri will be sweating on the midfielder’s fitness, however, after he picked up a knee knock in the Roma clash, while striker Antonio Cassano has been kept in hospital with a mystery illness.

Milan cruised to a 2-0 win over BATE on October 19 in their last Champions League match, with the goals coming from Ibrahimovic and Boateng.

Barcelona will be confident of victory from their trip to Prague, after strolling to a 5-0 thumping of Real Mallorca in La Liga on Saturday.

Argentine maestro Lionel Messi cracked a hat-trick in half-an-hour against Mallorca, and in their last meeting with Plzen goals from Andres Iniesta and David Villa earned them a 2-0 triumph at the Nou Camp.