Wigan end Pep Guardiola and Manchester City's quadruple bid with FA Cup shock

Chelsea host Barcelona in a UEFA Champions League round-of-16 clash that has the makings of a classic at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday with many labelling the tie a season-defining one for both sides.

Despite their contrasting fortunes in domestic competitions, the European powerhouses will know that nothing comes close to the Champions League and it’s not a stretch to say that plenty of jobs are on the line.

Five key players that are likely to play a pivotal role on Tuesday night:

Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea)

Considering Barcelona’s imperious form this season, it won’t be a punt to predict that Thibaut Courtois will be the busier of the two goalkeepers on Tuesday night.

For Chelsea may be playing at home, but Ernesto Valverde’s side will be dominating possession and will pepper Courtois’ goal with shots from kick-off.

While Conte’s men were almost impervious last year, this time around they have found it difficult to keep clean-sheets and Courtois has been left high and dry by his defence on more than one occasion this season.

With all the speculation surrounding a purported move to Real Madrid in the summer, a standout performance against their arch-rivals would do his prospects no harm but would in fact, make his case stronger as the Blues offer him an improved deal.

Courtois faced off plenty of times against Barcelona during his Atletico Madrid days so is no stranger to the La Blaugrana’s attacking prowess, but after Petr Cech’s stupendous displays against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, the Belgian has some big shoes to fill.

So far, Courtois had proven to be an able replacement but European nights such as these make you a household name and the 25-year-old will look to enhance his burgeoning reputation and prove he’s worth the hype with a superlative performance against the Catalan giants.

Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

It may seem incredulous, but Messi is yet to score against Chelsea in their last eight meetings.

Antonio Conte had stressed that the past doesn’t count for much but one can bet the diminutive Argentine will be champing at the bit to set the record straight once and for all.

With Philippe Coutinho ineligible and Ousmane Dembele not settled yet, Messi is likely to lead the line alongside Luis Suarez and so far the duo has been in terrific nick.

Messi’s tally of three goals and an assist in Europe suggests a dip in form, going by his stratospheric standards, but the 30-year-old is so much more what the stats table show.

The ability to take out three players with one mind-bending dribble before registering a ‘pre-assist’ is what the statistics don’t tell you and there can be no denying that Messi is the creative fulcrum of Ernesto Valverde’s side.

Juventus managed to shut him down last season enroute to a famous win and Conte will have to take a leaf out of his former side’s book as he prepares for Messi’s visit.

However, even if one manages to keep Barcelona’s No.10 quiet, Barcelona have a plethora of attacking talents and Messi’s strike-partner, one who will feel the ire of the home support, can win games on his own.

Alvaro Morata (Chelsea)

Morata, after lifting ‘Big Ears’ twice during his two stints with Real Madrid, knows what it takes to win in the continental competition, but the pressure is mounting on the lanky Spaniard, who’s on the verge of being labelled an expensive flop.

After a bright start, niggling injuries and a lack of form have curtailed his progress in West London but the Spaniard could endear himself to the Blues faithful should he regain his scoring touch against a side he no

With their Premier League title defence in tatters, Europe is the way to go for Morata and Co.

Easier said than done for in front of them are a team that conceded just once in the group-stages.

While all the acclaim falls at their forwards, Barcelona’s defence had done a remarkably top-class job in keeping things tidy at the back but can Morata hurt them?

Excellent in the air, able to score with both feet, the 25-year-old Spaniard possess all the tools required for a top class centre-forward, but why hasn’t he found the back of the net in the past eight games?

At £60 million, he certainly didn’t come on the cheap and questions will continue to be asked the longer his barren run continues but should he return to form against the Catalans, all will be forgiven.

The travelling supporters are likely to boo his every touch due to his Madrid past, which will spur him on, but will he be able to best the likes of Gerard Pique at Stamford Bridge?

Luis Suarez (Barcelona)

One man bound to get a hostile reception on Tuesday is Luis Suarez.

For the Uruguayan, perhaps the finest No.9 in world football, etched his name into the infamous list after biting Blues defender Branislav Ivanovic on the shoulder during an fiery Premier League clash at Anfield during his Liverpool days.

Chelsea fans will certainly not have forgotten but they will be wishing the 31-year-old has an off day and Suarez’s poor record in Europe this season (no goals and just one assist) will give them hope.

However, the South American hitman has been on fire in the La Liga of late and he will give the Chelsea back-line a tough time with his directness.

Clearly not ruffled by physical defenders, Suarez blends craft with graft and the tireless Uruguayan will fight tooth and nail to give Blaugrana an away goal or two.

Suarez lives for goals and while he does plenty of other things, notably harrying opposition defenders whenever they have possession, he’ll have to be at his prolific best if La Blaugrana are to go back to the Nou Camp with a definitive advantage.

Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

Another Chelsea player linked with Real Madrid, Eden Hazard will be the cynosure of all eyes when the Barcelona come visiting on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old Belgian is probably the player whose game gets as close to Lionel Messi’s as possible.

Their low centre of gravity enables the two drift past players with ease before utilising their low backlift to find the back of the net or setting up a teammate with a delightful assist.

And while the similarities are plenty, Messi’s sheer consistency sets him apart from the rest and that is something Hazard will look to ‘copy’.

Is this the most important game in Chelsea’s season?

After their travails in the Premier League, it would be hard to disagree and the Blues will look to their talismanic winger to stand tall (pun unintended) when the mighty Catalns come visiting.

 Pep Guardiola's quest to win an unprecedented quadruple with Manchester City came to a stunning and controversial end when they fell to a 1-0 defeat at third-tier Wigan in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Monday.

In an uncanny repeat of the 2013 FA Cup final, in which City had a player sent off before losing to a late Wigan winner, Guardiola's side had Fabian Delph dismissed amid stormy scenes before Will Grigg's 79th-minute goal decided the game.

A famous night was marred, however, by a post-match pitch invasion by Wigan supporters which saw a number of them confront City players, with striker Sergio Aguero required to defend himself.

Earlier the drama had been provided by Northern Ireland international Grigg who capitalised on an error by Kyle Walker – who allowed a pass to run through to the Wigan man – and kept ahead of John Stones before finishing clinically from just inside the area.

It was only City's second defeat to English opposition since losing an FA Cup semi-final to Arsenal last April while their opponents can now look forward to a quarter-final home tie with Southampton.

The pivotal sending-off arrived in first half injury-time when Fabian Delph made a rash challenge on Wigan's Max Power, prompting referee Anthony Taylor to pull a yellow card out of his pocket before changing his mind and producing red.

That infuriated City players, who surrounded the referee, and the dispute spilled into the rival technical areas with Sergio Aguero having to be dragged away by Guardiola as he argued furiously with Wigan coaches.

The scene turned even uglier, with television cameras in the tunnel capturing footage of Guardiola and Wigan manager Paul Cook in a major verbal confrontation and being kept apart by staff.

Wasteful Aguero:

City might have enjoyed a far more comfortable evening had their record goalscorer Aguero not missed a golden opportunity after just two minutes, heading over Bernardo Silva's pinpoint cross from just six yards.

And home keeper Christian Walton needed to be alert a few moments later, diving smartly to parry away a fierce strike from Ilkay Gundogan.

Guardiola had made six changes for the tie, while still fielding a strong line-up, but two of his fringe players -- full-back Danilo and back-up goalkeeper Claudio Bravo -- were guilty of errors which offered the hosts a glimmer of hope.

First Bravo and Danilo dithered in dealing with the ball, almost presenting Gareth Roberts with a chance on the six-yard line.

And then Danilo was robbed of the ball by Roberts, the ball breaking for Grigg who raced half the length of the field before shooting into the side-netting.

City were enjoying the bulk of possession but, without the rested Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling, were struggling to create clear chances.

They came close, from Leroy Sane's 26th-minute corner which Gundogan flicked across the six-yard area, but defender Aymeric Laporte failed to connect with the ball at his feet.

When City next threatened, after Stones headed down Delph's cross, Fernandinho's shot rose over by some distance when he looked certain to score.

Gundogan and Danilo, twice, also threatened the Wigan goal and Walton saved superbly from an Aguero drive, moments before the explosive dismissal of Delph.

Guardiola brought on England right-back Walker as a half-time substitute, moving Danilo over to Delph's vacant left-back spot.

Despite their disadvantage, City still enjoyed the majority of possession although, apart from Chey Dunkley blocking a Danilo shot, there was little to concern Walton as the tie approached the 65-minute mark and Guardiola opted to bring De Bruyne into the fray.

The Belgian's introduction brought a far greater threat from City, particularly from set-pieces.

On 73 minutes, De Bruyne found Aguero at the near-post but his shot was blocked and Danilo maintained the pressure with a low centre across the goalline before Grigg's dramatic intervention.