Lyon stand firm to deny Barcelona away goal in first-leg stalemate

Lyon, collectively, unclenches. Barcelona, despite all their efforts, will fly home without an away goal. Messi meandered, Suarez stumbled, Dembele darted and Coutinho curled, but still Lyon stood firm. 

As for the hosts, their best hopes of a first-leg lead lived and died in the first 45 minutes, during which Terrier's shot was tipped on to the bar by Ter Stegen. After that, they retreated into their shell, with only the erratic final product of Memphis Depay at the other end.

Three added minutes, which fly by. Barcelona continue to press, but it looks like being Nicely Poised for the second leg at the Nou Camp.

Mazy messi run, relentless. He's fouled by the third set of Lyon legs that tried to stop him and he now has a set-piece on the edge of the box. It's about 24 yards out, just right of centre....and he hits the wall. Twice.

Chance! Messi trying to do it all himself, recycling the ball inside the Lyon box and cutting it back for Vidal, whose shot is easily tipped over by Lopes! From the corner, Messi eventually hammers a shot, which us heading wide, before it smacks off Suarez's forehead and over. 20 shots now.

Barcelona's frustration summed up by Sergio Roberto getting booked for volleying the ball into the crowd after giving away a cheap free-kick. He instantly makes way for Arturo Vidal.

Coutinho forces Lopes into a slightly unnecessarily flamboyant save with a left-foot shot from 25 yards. Barcelona still probing, still poking, still prodding...

Another overhit Depay cross brings a Lyon attack to an underwhelming close. Moments later, Alba feeds Suarez at the near post but - despite his stretch - he can't beat Lopes to the ball.

Chance!Barcelona excavate an opening from the mass of white in front of them, Alba cuts the ball back...but Suarez swipes the ball wide from 15 yards!

Barca sub: Dembele off, Coutinho on. That's an expensive substitution.

Chance!Luis Suarez, awkward lump that he is these days, twists and turns 10 yards out, but can only poke a shot against a Lyon leg with Messi screaming for a square pass instead! Corner, which Lyon clear.

Here comes Depay, after all: he speeds past Nelson Semedo, and fires in a cross that Ter Stegen needs two attempts to gather, but Lyon didn't have enough bodies in the box there.

Depay bends a free-kick, from a promising position out on the left, into another French postcode. He's made very little impact tonight, and certainly not enough for a player with socks at half-mast.

Ousmane Dembele gets into a footrace with four Lyon players, which doesn't end productively. Too many players trying to go it alone tonight, Dembele chief among them.

Close!Some neat approach play from Lyon sees the ball pop out to Depay, on the edge of the box, and he curls the ball just wide of the far, left-hand post!

After 15 minutes' reflection on that first half, the second period has begun in a rather more cagey fashion. 

We go again.

Immense fun in Lyon, and Lionel Messi has only been a small part of it. Barcelona ended the half on the attack, with Sergio Busquets having a scuffed shot deflected wide. 11 shots for the visitors, just two of them on target. The second half could do with less haste, more speed.

Lyon's turn. Terrier combines with Moussa Dembele before slapping a left-foot shot waaaaay over the bar to undo his good approach work. Time for a break.

Ousmane Dembele nearly catches out Lopes with a minimal-backlift attempt from 30 yards that whistles past the post with the keeper stranded! HOW HAVE WE NOT HAD A GOAL

End to end stuff! Barca threaten, Lyon smother, Lyon counter, Barca backtrack, Lyon squander. Repeat.

52% possession for Barcelona, which feels rather more balanced than it's looked, but Lyon have had just as much a glimpse of Ter Stegen's goal. How it's still 0-0, I'm not entirely sure.

Messi tries to dribble the ball, mid-air, through the packed Lyon defence after a corner, but even that's beyond him. Moments later, Pique has to slide in to deny Moussa Dembele! It's all (nearly) happening.

Mendy wins a free kick from Sergi Roberto, right in the corner. Depay stands over the ball, before whipping it into the danger area, where Gerard Pique heads away.

It's all Barcelona, who are coiling themselves round the Fekir-less Lyon like a fluorescent yellow boa constrictor. Messi takes a corner from the right, but Ferland Mendy clears at the near post, and the hosts take a breath.

Another chance! Ousmane Dembele feints his way into the Lyon box, on his left peg, and forces Anthony Lopes into a low save. Should have done better with the finish. Barcelona are averaging a shot every 3 minutes or so, which is ominous for the hosts.

Chance!Messi sets Alba free down the left, waits for the inevitable cut-back...and scoops the ball over from 15 yards! Six shots for Barcelona, and not one on target so far.

Close!Sergi Roberto tees up Ivan Rakitic on the edge of the box, and he curls the ball just wide of the left-hand post! Barcelona on top now.

Messi picks the pocket of an oblivious Memphis Depay, before storming forward to the edge of the box, where his shot is blocked by Jason Denayer.

Chance!Ousmane Dembele is scythed down by Tanguy Ndombele and the resultant curled free-kick delivery finds its way back to Dembele, who fakes to shoot before spooning one well over the bar. Lively start.

Woodwork/What a save!Recent Lyon signing Martin Terrier tries his luck from 30 yards and Ter Stegen launches himself towards the top corner to tip the shot against the bar! The ball spins up into the air before the German gets to his feet and gathers.

Chance! Lyon respond, through Bertrand Traore, who slips in Aouar. The 20-year-old enters the box and pokes a shot towards the corner, only for Marc-Andre Ter Stegen to turn it round the post!

Barcelona dominate the ball until Lionel Messi takes charge, barrels towards the box and is hauled down by Houssem Aouar! Booking, and a free-kick right on the edge of the area for Barcelona. The ball is dead centre of goal, Messi weighs it up...and clips one well over the bar. 

Lyon, unbeaten at home, are all in white and Barcelona, in all-fluorescence, get the game started. Within 30 seconds, Ousmane Dembele exploits the left channel and slaps a shot wide of the far post!

...we're ready to go. Yes, I sort of wish I was watching Liverpool vs Bayern too.

Everything you could possibly need from a Messi goal here: velvet control, slaloming between at least two potential career-decimating "tackles", the sort of one-two that no other play could ever be trusted to suggest/complete, and then a nerveless finish. 

Lyon have very important players, there's no doubt about it. Mendy is a very good fullback, Fekir is essential, Depay is very important. But what I like most is that they attack a lot and will put a lot into preventing us from playing. And I love that.

What a charming sign-off. 

Poor old Victor Valdes, not sure he really ever recovered from this. Ended up at Middlesbrough. Huh.

What gentle build-up to Lyon vs Barcelona would be complete without this? Warning: it is absolutely ridiculous.

The hosts line up thus, including former Chelsea youngster Bertrand Traore and ex-Manchester United disappointment Memphis Depay:

 Barcelona have come up with this, and it looks alright to me:

A Dembele apiece tonight, and both are capable of turning the tie one way or another... 

You'd think it would be a bit tired, a bit passé even, to be previewing a Champions League tie in the year 2019 by talking about how good Lionel Messi is. Indeed, there are a few sub-plots floating around this tie between Lyon and Barcelona, but I'm afraid we're going to have to begin proceedings by talking about how good Lionel Messi still is.

First, the basics: Lionel Messi has scored 30 goals this season. In 30 games. It was only Valentine's Day five days ago.

Then, something rather more niche: Barcelona mustered 20 shots against Real Valladolid at the weekend. Messi had 12 of them, and created the opportunity for the other eight. By many accounts, he didn't even play that well. There's being heavily reliant, and then there's having Lionel Messi.

Not that Lyon's owner Jean-Michel Aulas is terribly impressed. He tempted a whole lot of fate before this tie by referencing the little-known debate of Ronaldo vs Messi:

Lionel Messi? Messi has never been inspired against us, unlike Cristiano Ronaldo. I remember Ronaldo with Man United back in 2004. We had a 2-0 half-time lead and then Ronaldo showed up. He is such a great player.

 Lyon's own mercurial talent - Nabil Fekir - is sadly missing through suspension tonight, which will detract from the spectacle somewhat. Thankfully, we still - still - have Lionel Messi.

Team news expected around 7pm...