Barcelona will find things complicated, says Jurado

Spartak Moscow midfielder Jose Manuel Jurado is enjoying a new chapter of his career in Russia, but is wary of Barcelona ahead of their clash in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Schalke loanee has admitted that Spartak manager Unai Emery was a large factor in his switch across Europe, and is focused on the task at hand ahead of their opening group stage fixture.

"I had a minor knee problem, but I've overcome it. I was able to recover upon arrival to Moscow, so the coach can deem me ready to play. He is the main reason I'm in this new adventure," explained the 26-year-old, speaking to AS.com.

"He requested my transfer, placed trust in me and Schalke ended up transferring me for one year."

Jurado is under no illusions with regard to the task that faces Spartak tomorrow, insisting that Thiago is a worthy replacement for Andres Iniesta, if as expected he misses out.

"It will be very difficult, but we are not giving up anything. We know we must work to complicate their life to the fullest, although we certainly want to have a big game against them." he said.

"Their way of playing is to sit and enjoy it. They play one or two touches. In the middle Xavi and Iniesta work as one. Although Andres is a loss, Thiago can replace him well, he was very successful at the Coliseum."

Barcelona host Spartak at Camp Nou tomorrow, with Jurado likely to feature a major part in the Russian side's plans.

Vilanova: Players are not thinking of Champions League final

Barcelona boss Tito Vilanova has claimed the team are focused on beating Spartak Moscow on Wednesday, despite talk of them already being favourites to lift the Champions League trophy in May.

The 44-year-old was in bullish mood when asked about the game at Camp Nou against Unai Emery's side, calling the Russian Premier League team 'difficult and dynamic'.

It is too early to be thinking about the final at Wembley, he told a press conference today. In the Champions League, any team can beat any other. There are no easy games.

The Champions League is basically the most important competition, besides our league. The first game of the tournament is a very important one you have to give it your all because of its importance.

It will be a tough game. Spartak will not be easy, they are a dynamic team that want to succeed. Unai Emery always makes it difficult for us, he's always brave with his selections. I'm sure they will put us under pressure.

Vilanova then commented on the pressure he feels under being the number one at the Blaugrana, and also fitness updates on some of the squad.

The pressure I feel is from myself, he said. Not from anyone on the outside.

[Carles] Puyol will be out. But it's clear that [Javier] Mascherano and [Gerard] Pique can't play every game for us. We'll also see how Jordi Alba and Alexis [Sanchez] are tomorrow at training.

He concluded by remarking on the mood inside the camp, following their successful start to the season.

I don't think the players are euphoric, they're accustomed to winning four games in a row.

Midfielder Thiago Alcantara also confirmed his fitness ahead of the game, telling reporters: "Yes, my recovery [from injury] has gone well. I am ready to play 90 minutes."

The 21-year-old also weighed in on the Cesc Fabregas issue, following the former Arsenal man's comments that he is unhappy sitting on the bench for the club.

He said: "I think the Cesc debate is unfair. As we saw the other day [against Getafe], when he plays he makes the difference."

Emery hopes Spartak can beat Barcelona 'without divine intervention'

Spartak Moscow coach Unai Emery insists his side do not need "divine intervention" to beat Barcelona in the Champions League.

Even though the trainer understands the difficulty of the task at hand, he believes there are ways to defeat the Catalans, and is determined to leave the Camp Nou victorious this week.

"When you take on Barcelona, you have to call on divine intervention or luck to beat them. But there are teams that have managed to defeat them," Emery told Marca.

"So there are certainly ways to win against Barca. We all try to achieve it, but only the few chosen ones indeed beat them. We are working to become one of them."

Emery then went on to praise Lionel Messi, and stressed that the Argentine always seems to be in fine form.

"Whenever Messi is on top of his game, which always appears to be the case, he makes the difference and can decide a game all by himself."

Messi has already nett ed 61 goals in 2012, and will be looking to add to his tally against Spartak.

Iniesta targets Champions League glory with Barcelona

Barcelona midfieler Andres Iniesta has set his sights on Champions League glory this season as the Blaugrana prepare for their competiton opener against Spartak Moscow on Wednesday.

The Spanish schemer has been crowned a champion of Europe with his club on three occasions, but suffered semi-final heartbreak last season when his side lost to Chelsea.

"I think we basically did everything well," he said to Uefa.com. "The only thing was that [Chelsea] scored their goals in stoppage-time, both away and at home.

"But we were close to making it to the final, just that bit of luck was missing. It just wasn't going to happen. Chelsea did an exceptional job and took advantage of their chances. If nothing else, we can learn from this."

London's Wembley Stadium has played host to two of the four finals that the Catalans have won in their history, and Iniesta revealed that he was looking forward to another shot at glory in the English capital.

"It is a place, a stadium that is important to Barcelona, in this case because of the Champions League trophies we won there. So we have our minds focused on that, but there is still a very long road ahead of us.

"Football today is so balanced out that it's pretty difficult to make it into the final and to achieve things, but we take it with anticipation. We had a lot of joy to make it to the final and we will fight to the end."

When asked about the differences between new coach Tito Vilanova and former boss Pep Guardiola, the reigning Uefa Player of the Year said that the duo had completely different approaches.

"Everybody's different. It's not just Tito Vilanova and Guardiola, but everybody's different. Everybody has their own way of expressing themselves and saying things and working.

"The philosophy and the method of working are basically pretty s imilar. But we have a new coach, a new form of doing things.

"We're very happy about him being with us, he knows us very well and I'm confident that things will go well."

Malaga - Zenit Preview: Spanish club prepare for group stage debut

Having led his team to an impressive 3-1 victory over Levante at the weekend, Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini must decide whether to stick with the same players who have delivered 10 points in the opening four rounds of La Liga or rest weary legs. Argentine striker Javier Saviola netted for his new club on Saturday, and will vie with Roque Santa Cruz for a place in the starting line-up.

Brazil international Hulk appeared in the second half of Zenit's 2-0 capitulation at home to Terek, and the powerful forward will be hopeful of gaining the nod to start in attack as the Russians attempt to start their Champions League campaign on a positive note.

• Malagaare making their first ever appearance in the Champions League group stages. The Andalusian club earned the ir passage with a 2-0 aggregate victory over Panathinaikos.

• The club's last taste of European football came in 2002-03, with a run to the Uefa Cup quarter-finals that ended with defeat to Boavista.

• If Javier Saviola makes an appearance on Tuesday he will have achieved the distinction of playing in the Champions League with five different clubs, having previously done so with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Monaco and Benfica.

• Zenit currently lie top of the Russian Premier League, having won five of their seven games to date with just one reverse, to Terek.

• The club lifted the Premier title in 2011-12 for the fourth success in their history; three of those having come after the takeover by energy giant Gazprom.

• New Zenit idol Hulk (pictured) completed a 40 million move from Porto at the start of September. The Brazilian netted four goals in six Champions League appearances during 2011-12, as the Dragao side exited at the group stage.

Capello warns AC Milan against Zenit threat

Russia boss Fabio Capello has warned AC Milan that a difficult test awaits against Zenit St Petersburg in the Champions League.

The former England manager has urged the Rossoneri to be cautious when they travel to the Russian champions as he believes Zenit have the quality to shock Milan.

"It's hard to say anything about Milan. They have lost their two best players, so they'll have suffered. They desperately need to get off to a good start in the Champions League in the home game versus Anderlecht," Capello stated to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"The Brussels side are no longer the team they were before, plus Milan travel to St. Petersburg for their next match. They will have to be very cautious versus Zenit.

"They have seven Russian internationals and just added true champions like Hulk and [Axel] Witsel. Plus they are tactically very strong under [Luciano] Spalletti.

"They might play with only one striker, but always have four or five players arriving in the area at the right moment."

Milan host Anderlecht on September 18, before taking on Zenit on October 3, and Malaga three weeks later.

Capello: Only Falcao has impressed me as much as Messi

Russia coach Fabio Capello has taken the time to praise Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao, saying that the Colombia international has impressed him as much as Lionel Messi when he saw him for the first time.

The 26-year-old has been in sublime form in the opening weeks of the 2012-13 campaign, netting hat-tricks against Athletic Bilbao and Chelsea, and his good performances have earned him positive words from the former England boss.

"Throughout my entire career, there has been only one player who impressed me as much as Messi when I first saw him against my Juventus at the Joan Gamper trophy, and that is Radamel Falcao," Capello was quoted as saying by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"He is a fantastic striker, without a doubt the best around at the moment."

Falcao has been linked with clubs such as Real Madrid and Manchester City in recent weeks, but is under contract with Atletico until June 2016.