Fiorentina should be ahead. Federico Bernardeschi is causing all sorts of problems, and he gets clear on the left before cutting back for Josip Ilicic to blast in from 12 yards. It's a goal all the way - but no! Alex Telles gets across to make a superb clearance on the stretch with his goalkeeper beaten.

Dave Wood: Messi just goes from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Wale ibraheem: Celta Vigo are absolutely fearless at Camp Nou, they are playing a high line, players showing their skills. 

Talleyrand: Messi's Valentine gift to Barca fans. Permit me to ask for more.

Julie U: I love Iniesta! That is all!!

Can't argue you with you there Julie

Inter look rather ropey so far; slack in possession and inviting pressure. Defender Alex Telles is booked for dragging back Fiorentina wide man Cristiano Tello. Then Inter's former Cardiff midfielder Gary Medel is also yellow carded for backchat towards the referee. Roberto Mancini smiles ruefully on the touchline.

Image source, Getty Images

Celta almost take the lead! Moments after a cheeky Lionel Messi free-kick almost bamboozles the visitors, the light-blue shirts swarm forward on the counter. Left-back Planas is the unlikely threat, poking goalwards with a sliding effort to force Claudio Bravo into a smart stop to his left.  

Celta are a shadow of the side that thrashed Barca in September, in terms of personnel and form. They started the season brightly, not losing any of their opening eight matches, but have dropped down to eighth after winning just one in their past seven matches. A host of injuries have not helped. But their makeshift side are holding their own so far against the leaders.

Federico Bernardeschi is looking lively in the early moments for Fiorentina, running at the Inter defence before letting go with a shot that keeper Samir Handanovic does well to push out. Handanovic also blocks a follow-up from Nikola Kalinic, who is offside. Then Miranda gives the ball away, and Inter's keeper is in action again as Josip Ilicic drives in a shot from the left. The home side on top.

Andres Iniesta might as well be wearing a top hat, cape and waving a little stick. This is magic. The Barca skipper flicks the ball from his right foot to his left in a blink of an eye, poking through to Neymar. But the Brazil forward's effort is parried by Celta keeper Sergio Alvarez, who stands tall to block. Fifteen minutes gone, still goalless.

Image source, AP

We're off in Florence.

Image source, Getty Images

Wale ibraheem: It will take a massive capitulation for Barcelona not to win La Liga. UCL is a tougher nut to crack and full of surprises.

Abdul majeed seidu: Come on guys we have to revenge for this match 5:0 a win for Barcelona.

The drum roll starts, increasing in time as Lionel Messi prepares to run up. The Argentine superstar whips his left foot around the ball, flicking it inches past the right-hand post. Celta breathe a sigh of relief.

The last thing an opposing defender wants to do at the Nou Camp is walk an 80-minute disciplinary tightrope. But Celta centre-half Gustavo Cabrel has both arms outstretched and is balancing precariously.

He tugs back Luis Suarez as the Barca striker tries to drive into the Celta box. Free-kick. 20 yards out. Lionel Messi territory...

Fast and furious start in Barcelona. I'm half expecting to see The Rock and Michelle Rodriguez to tear onto the Nou Camp pitch in a Mitsubishi Eclipse.

Celta pressing high, winning the back in the Barca half to present a chance for Josep Sene. The fresh-faced Celta forward sends a vicious 20-yard shot whistling past the left-hand post. Warning for Barca.

But these aren't two teams who are playing with a spring in their step. Inter have only claimed one win in their last six outings. while Fiorentina haven't fared much better. They have taken two wins from their past half dozen games.

"Right now we're lacking the winning consistency we had at the start of the season, but I still believe, despite a few hiccups, we're having an extraordinary season," said former Leicester and Swansea boss Sousa, who also used to play for Inter. 

 "I'm optimistic. We're sitting in a league position that is normally occupied by our rivals. We want to, and we can realistically compete with them." 

Image source, Getty Images

Fans of the English Premier League might recognise a few familiar faces at Stadio Artemio Franchi tonight - particularly the two sharp-suited blokes pacing up and down the touchline.

In the purple corner....Paulo Sousa! In the black-and-blue corner...Roberto Mancini!

Sousa won the first round as Fiorentina thrashed Inter 4-1 at the San Siro in September. And another defeat for Mancini's men could be a knockout blow for their Champions league ambitions.

"Our first game against them was strange, this game will be totally different," says ex-Manchester City manager Mancini.

"We'll try to concede as little as possible, but it will be a tough game - Fiorentina have good, technical players."

Image source, AFP

So the action is under way in Spain, but we are still a few warm-ups and a coin toss away from kick-off over in Italy. Just time for the fans in Florence to grab the Tuscan equivalent of the pre-match pie. 

We asked you, is anyone going to stop the Barca express steaming towards a second successive Liga? And how do you see the race for the Champions League panning out in Italy?  

Max Baggins-Craig: Nope, Atletico Madrid second & Real Madrid third. Champions League: Juventus, Barcelona, Real Madrid (but not for final), or Chelsea - exciting times ahead for definite :) :).

Barca straight on the front foot. A huge roar goes up as Lionel Messi slaloms towards goal, but the away defence scamper back to crowd out the Barca forward before he pulls the trigger.

That cheerful Barca club anthem is booming out of the Nou Camp PA system as home skipper Andres Iniesta shakes hands with his Celta counterpart Hugo Mallo in the centre circle. The hosts will kick us off...