Willian weaves between two defenders near the centre circle and puts on the after-burners.

Brilliant burst. And it is only brought to an end by Ivan Rakitic's cynical trip.

That is a yellow card and a free-kick 25 yards out and central for the Blues...

Image source, PA

That was more like it from Chelsea.

Dazzling one-touch passing as Willian flicks one round the corner and Eden Hazard's reverse ball is only just cut out.

Pedro was through if a defender hadn't got a touch...

If the first half had a theme...

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Kolo: Barca are not even allowing Chelsea touch the ball in open play. On their turf... Very disrespectful.

Andy: If Wigan can win with 17% possession then there is hope for Chelsea. They need an option up top though such as dare I say it a Torres or Batshuayi.

Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata - each sporting Denis Compton levels of hair grease - chat between themselves on the bench.

Might Antonio Conte need to break glass on one of them to give the Blues a focal point in attack? They have not got a get-out ball just now.

Image source, AFP

Theo HV: This isn’t football... it’s a game of chess. Death by passing.

Barcelona very nearly thread the eye of the needle.

It begins, as ever, with Lionel Messi. He bullets a pass through the thinnest corridor of space to the velcro touch of Andres Iniesta.

The Spaniard squares into the middle, Luis Suarez dummies a touch and the ball very nearly runs back into the path of Messi.

I think Messi was actually thrown by Suarez's little stepover.

Image source, Reuters

Barcelona are suffocating the supply lines to the Chelsea attack, hogging possession like the best kid in the under-nines.

They are up to 78% according to my stats provider of choice.

A big chance for 10-man Besiktas in the Allianz Arena.

Wagner Love - long time of CSKA Moscow - goes clean through, but can only poke his attempted finish clean over Sven Ulreich's crossbar.

They may regret that come 90 minutes.

Kier: That's the Paulinho we all know and love. Must be something about London.

Image source, Reuters

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Stamford Bridge

Barcelona and Chelsea will be looking to their two superstars in the "10" jerseys tonight - and both have already demonstrated their world class.

The pace and darting runs of Chelsea's Eden Hazard have already caused concerns for the visitors while a gliding run at lightning pace from Lionel Messi brought gasps around Stamford Bridge.

Promising signs for both sides and volume already turned up to 11 from the Catalan commentators in the press box.

Andy Townsend
Ex-Republic of Ireland international on BBC Radio 5 live

Paulinho should score. It was brilliant play from Lionel Messi. He picks his head up, clips a fabulous ball to the far post, and Paulinho has to wait for the ball to drop. He can’t generate the power, certainly not the accuracy, but Barcelona should be ahead.

Lionel Messi serves up a delicious cross, digging the ball out from under his feet and looping it over Cesar Azpilicueta for Paulinho.

The former Tottenham man has floated cleverly off his marker, but cannot direct his header on target/

Should have done better.

Things just got even tougher for Besiktas.

Domagoj Vida is the last man and fails to get the ball as he slides in on Robert Lewandowski.

That is a one-way ticket to the sheds and his team are down to 10 as Bayern prepare the free-kick on the edge of the box.

James Rodriguez curls it just wide as Vida departs...

Image source, Getty Images

They billed it as Hazard against Messi. That is not far from the truth so far.

The Chelsea playmaker's turn to shine now as he skins Paulinho and gets to the byeline.

His cross is blocked though.

Lionel Messi scampers through the centre of midfield with N'Golo Kante chasing after him like it is the end credits of a Benny Hill episode.

Paulinho's cross cannot find anyone in the middle after the Argentine's lay-off.

Jason: Hazard looks well up for this. Shop window perhaps?

Rharm: Hopefully Chelsea win today I have got high hopes for them, all depends on holding back Messi and allowing Hazard to run.

Image source, Reuters

And the big lads are up from the back to test Barca in the air.

Antonio Rudiger - one third of the heavy artillery - wins a header high above Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti, but can only direct his effort wide of the post.

The Blues have a gameplan and it is as traditionally English as a roast dinner.

Chelsea are not coming here to tiki-taka Barca at their own game.

A raking crossfield pass from Antonio Rudiger picks out Victor Moses on the opposite flank.

Sergio Busquets blocks the cross but at the expense of a corner...

Image source, AFP

Jordi Alba gives away a free-kick as he bundles over Willian in midfield. The Brazilian has been busy early on.

Chelsea cannot make anything of the set-piece though.