Barcelona and AC Milan are a couple of the biggest clubs in Europe, but when it comes to the two facing off in the last 16 of the Champions League, there will be one clear favorite.
Barcelona have unfinished business after the manner in which they crashed out of the Champions League last season, with Lionel Messi of all people missing the crucial penalty.
Milan are in rebuilding mode, and will not even have the services of Mario Balotelli, who is cup-tied.
This Barca team is arguably the greatest ever in the club game, and many will say the dynasty needs at least another European title to be certain.
The first leg at the San Siro will in many ways decide which way the tie will be headed. If Barcelona dominate -- not just in possession because they will do than anyway - and score a couple of goals, the tie might just be over before the second leg at the Camp Nou.
Italian teams are known for their defending and the Milan rearguard will need to be at their best to stand any chance of keeping the tie interesting.
Milan, though, have shown signs of improvement after a slow start to their campaign in the Serie A as well as the Champions League, where they could only finish second in their group behind Malaga, which eventually led to them drawing Barca.
They have climbed their way to third in the table, after initially looking like they would struggle to finish anywhere near the top four.
And a former Barca player, who was tipped for great things, but could never quite make his mark at the Camp Nou, believes that form bodes well for his side.
"We are going through a positive patch at the moment, we have to believe in ourselves," Bojan Krkic said. "We have to try and work hard and go into the match knowing that we are playing in the knockout stages of the Champions League, against Barcelona, in one of the biggest matches in the world.
"This isn't a three point match, this is a game over 180 minutes where goals are all-important. We have to score and also not concede. We have to remain focused for the entire 180 minutes."
It will be a special occasion for Krkic, on loan from Roma, when he takes on his former side. "It is a different game, a special game for me but I don't want to think too much about what feelings I have inside, I just want to concentrate on the game and on the 90 minutes of football that awaits us," he added.
"I have never played against Barcelona before and for that very reason this is more than just a game for me but all I want to do is help the team."
Milan could well have done with the dynamism of Balotelli, who has been in brilliant form since signing for the club he supported as a boy. However, in Stephan El Shaarawy they have a player capable of cutting through any defense and pouncing on even the slightest of chances.
El Shaarawy, who missed the game against Parma, is expected to be fit and he will be crucial to Milan hurting Barca on the counter.
Everyone now knows the style that Barcelona will play and all eyes will be on that little man again - Lionel Messi.
Messi has been irresistible this season and has already notched up a staggering 37 goals in La Liga, while reaching a landmark 300 goals for Barca in their victory over Granada at the weekend.
Superlatives will not suffice to describe the talent of the man, and while the likes of Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez, who is expected to shake off an injury problem and reprise his chief orchestrating role, will also make a major impact, it will be Messi who will be key.
Barcelona will be without David Villa and Adriano, however, with the former yet to recover from an illness, while the latter has a right hamstring injury.
The last time these two teams met, it was in the quarterfinals of the previous season. Milan came away with a commendable 0-0 draw at the San Siro, before going down 3-1 in the second leg thanks to two penalties from Messi.
If given a chance, Milan will definitely take that 0-0 draw from the first leg yet again, but stopping Messi and co. for 180 minutes is easier said than done.
Expected lineups: AC Milan: Abbiati; Abate, Zapata, Mexes, Constant; Muntari, Nocerino, Montolivo; Niang, Prince-Boateng, El Shaarawy.
Barcelona: Valdes; Alves, Pique, Puyol, Alba; Busquets, Xavi, Fabregas; Pedro, Messi, Iniesta.
Prediction: 1-1
