Barcelona beat Sporting Lisbon 2-0 at Camp Nou to maintain their unbeaten home run in the Champions League, which now stands at 24 matches.
A headed opener from Paco Alcacer got the Catalans up and running, before Jeremy Mathieu turned home Denis Suarez's cross for a second in added time.
Sporting, who had an outside chance of finishing second in Group D, squandered their only real chance of the match at 1-0 when substitute Bas Dost failed to score from close range.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Champions League group-stage tie between Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon at Camp Nou. The Catalan giants are already assured of top spot in Group D, despite being held to successive goalless draws by Olympiacos and Juventus, while the Portuguese visitors are battling it out with Juve for second place.
Despite making an unbeaten start to the campaign, a few doubts are beginning to creep in as far as Barca are concerned so boss Ernesto Valverde will not want a negative result tonight. Sporting are looking to capitalise, with victory needed if they are to have any hope of progressing through to the knockout stages for the first time since 2008-09. Even then, Juve must drop points away at bottom side Olympiacos.
BARCELONA TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Cillessen; Semedo, Vermaelen, Pique, Digne; Rakitic, Gomes, D.Suarez; L.Suarez, Alcacer, Vidal
SUBS: Alba, Paulinho, Busquets, Deulofeu, Messi, Roberto, Ter Stegen
Starting with a look at the home side, Valverde has made a few surprising calls this evening. Many expected Lionel Messi to start this evening, even if Barca are already through as group winners, but the little maestro instead has to settle for a place among the subs as Luis Suarez and Paco Alcacer are instead paired together in the frontline. Alcacer has played a bit-part role this term, though he has netted goals when called upon in recent weeks.
For a squad of Barca's stature, it is pretty incredible that they only have two fit centre-halves right now - Gerard Pique and Thomas Vermaelen. Both men start this evening, likely flanked by Lucas Digne and Nelson Semedo, the latter of whom is one match away from an automatic ban. There is a change between the sticks, meanwhile, as Jasper Cillessen is handed a first Champions League start of the campaign.
Interestingly, the official UEFA teammate has the home side down in a 4-3-3 formation, with Alex Vidal - a right-back by trade - operating alongside Alcacer and Suarez. There is also a first start since October 28 for Andre Gomes, who has been absent for the past month or so with an injury, and he will come up against a manager in Jorge Jesus who used him 41 times during their time together at Benfica.
Sergio Roberto is overlooked at right-back, despite this surely being the perfect chance to build up his match fitness, with Semedo instead preferred. Ivan Rakitic is among those to keep his place in the side from the 2-2 draw against Celta Vigo here a few days back, linking up with Denis Suarez - a second-half sub last time out - and the returning Gomes. Most interesting of all is that forward trio of Alcacer, Luis Suarez and, possibly, Aleix Vidal.
SPORTING LISBON TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Patricio; Piccini, Coates, Mathieu, Bruno Cesar; Battaglia, Carvalho; Ristovski, Fernandes, Acuna; Ruiz
SUBS: Coentrao, Dost, Martins, Palhinha, Pinto, Podence, Salin
Plenty of surprises in the Sporting starting lineup, too, as Fabio Coentrao, Gelson Martins and Bas Dost are all overlooked for selection. The latter is among the most prolific scorers on the continent, netting nine goals in his last eight matches, while Coentrao boasts experience aplenty when it comes to big European fixtures, as well as having the knack of performing against Barca - he won four and drew two of his 10 meetings with them while at Real Madrid.
Alan Ruiz is instead handed his first Champions League start of the campaign through the middle, operating just ahead of Bruno Fernandes in a makeshift 3-4-3 formation. Stefan Ristovski will also be tasked with creating chances high up the pitch as part of that forward line, while Rodrigo Battaglia and William Carvalho - the latter again linked with a move to West Ham United earlier today - will link up in the centre of the park.
Jesus can call upon Sebastian Coates in the heart of defence following the conclusion of his suspension, with Jeremy Mathieu - who made 63 league appearances for tonight's opponents between 2014 and 2017 - alongside him. Cristiano Piccini and Bruno Cesar are the other two players in the backline, tasked with carrying the ball forward when they can, and the experienced Rui Patricio is in goal.
Not for the first time in the Champions League this season, Ernesto Valverde leaves Lionel Messi out of his starting lineup. Not a bad luxury to have, though this is still a pretty strong Barcelona XI and contains a handful of starters from the 2-2 draw against Celta Vigo at the weekend - Gerard Pique, captain for the day, among them.
Barcelona are already assured of a place in the last 16 as group winners, then, having won three and drawn two of their five Group D fixtures. This group was always likely going to come down to the head-to-head record between Barca and Juventus, which has very much proved the case heading into the final matchday. There is still a chance that the Italian club will finish third, but for that to happen Sporting need to become one of the rare sides to earn victory here.
The Catalans beat Juve 3-0 in their Group D opener and earned a goalless draw in the away fixture, meaning that if they finished level on 11 points with their opponents their superior head-to-head record will keep them top. That big win on matchday one, with Lionel Messi scoring twice and Ivan Rakitic adding another, very much set the tone for what was to come as far as Valverde's men are concerned.
Barca followed up that win with a 1-0 victory over Sporting in the reverse fixture and 3-1 triumph against Olympiacos, before successive goalless draws. The Catalans have stuttered somewhat, then, though it must be factored in that one of those stalemates came away to Juventus - a perfectly acceptable result in what was a repeat of the Champions League final from a couple of years back.
The bad news for Barca is that the likes of Bayern Munich and Roma are on course to finish second - not to mention Juventus and Real Madrid, who they cannot meet in the last 16 - so finishing as group winners is no guarantee for an easy route through. That said, momentum is always important at this time of the year, especially when Barca have drawn three of their last four matches in all competitions to see doubts creep in for the first time.
DID YOU KNOW? Barcelona have won both home matches so far in this season's Champions League, scoring a combined six goals in the process. They are now unbeaten in 23 European home games since September 2013, winning 21 and drawing just two in that time. The Catalans have also won 10 of their 12 home matches against Portuguese opposition, though they were held by Benfica in the most recent of those in the 2012-13 season.
Barca did lose their 100% home record in La Liga at the weekend, though, dropping points for the first time in almost a year when held 2-2 by Celta in an entertaining match. The Catalan giants had won 12 out of 12 since December 3 last year heading into their weekend clash, but the visitors hit back from 2-1 down to earn a point here - a deserved point, it must be said, when taking their brave performance into account.
Valverde's men have now drawn two games in a row in La Liga, but it was not that bad a weekend for them as second-place Valencia lost 1-0 to 10-man Getafe and Real Madrid could only draw against Athletic Bilbao in what is becoming an increasingly frustrating campaign for Zinedine Zidane. Taking all competitions into account it is three draws in four, with the only win in that time coming against Real Murcia in the last 32 of the Copa del Rey.
Momentum starting to slip away from Valverde, then, even if his side do remain unbeaten - outside of the Spanish Super Cup - since he took over from Luis Enrique. With Sporting Lisbon, Villarreal and Deportivo La Coruna to come in their next three outings, there is certainly a chance to get some wins back on the board, before then taking on arch rivals Real Madrid in a potentially huge El Clasico showdown on December 23.
Barcelona boast a good record against teams from Portugal, going unbeaten in 15 matches home and away since a 1-0 loss to Belenenses in the 1987-88 campaign. The Catalans may have drawn three of their last four fixtures in all competitions, but they are clear at the top of La Liga, into the last 16 of the Champions League and through in the Copa del Rey.
Valverde will need no reminding of what happened to one of his predecessors, though, as Gerardo Martino was sacked at the end of a trophyless campaign a few years back, despite starting the season unbeaten in 16 matches. There appears no real sign of Barca going off the rails any time soon, however, with biggest challengers Real well off the pace domestically heading into the winter break.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! These two sides have met on five previous occasions, most recently in September when Sebastian Coates - back in the side today after a one-match ban - put into his own net shortly after half time at the Estadio Jose Alvalde to settle the contest. Prior to that, Barcelona won both group matches in 2008-09, scoring a combined eight goals, while also prevailing in their 1986 UEFA Cup tie.
Sporting make the trip to Camp Nou clearly focused on domestic matters, as they sit second in Primeira Liga and level on points with leaders Porto after 13 games. The Lions have won 10 and drawn three of their matches to remain in contention for the title, and that may well have been in manager Jorge Jesus's thinking tonight as he has left out three of his key men - including star striker Bas Dost.
The Portuguese outfit do still a chance to progress for the first time in eight years, having so far earned back-to-back wins over Olympiacos and drawn at home to Juventus. They lost away to Juve and at home to Barca, meanwhile, with both of those defeats coming by single-goal margins. It suggests that they will be a tough nut to crack this evening, particularly when the hosts may well lack motivation.
It now all comes down to the final round of fixtures, though to stand any hope of ending their last-16 hoodoo they must earn a first victory on Spanish soil in 12 attempts, having lost their last eight in a row, including at the Bernabeu last season en route to finishing bottom of their group. They have won one of their last 11 games against Spanish sides overall, coming against Athletic Bilbao in the 2011-12 Europa League semi-final first leg, though even that was not enough to see them through.
Sporting have also won just one of their last 25 European away matches, and that solitary victory - away to Olympiacos earlier this campaign - was their first in the Champions League since December 2008, losing six and drawing one between then and their Greek triumph. While Barca have competed at this stage for the last 14 campaigns, the Lions are into the group stage for the third time in four years.
Having finished bottom in their group last year, behind Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and, most disappointingly of all, Legia Warsaw, Sporting are at least guaranteed a place in the Europa League this time around. Had a point been required tonight to make certain of third place above a hapless Olympiacos side, Jesus may well have gone with a full-strength XI. As it is, this is a mixed starting lineup with an eye on their next league game.
With kickoff at Camp Nou now less than five minutes away, let us check out some pre-match thoughts from both camps.
Ernesto Valverde: "We're not playing for anything on a qualification level, we are first, which was our intention. We are happy for that, but our opponents have a lot at stake, there's an obligation to win and we're playing in a competition which we like a lot. It's possible I might make a change [to the team] but we have to respect the competition."
Jorge Jesus: "We have only trained [on Monday] and for that reason we had one session to prepare the game. Our idea is not too different to the one we had in Lisbon. We have a Plan A and a Plan B depending on if Barca play with Messi. We are not going to invent anything, because it's going to be a similar game to the one we played in Lisbon."
Valverde has indeed "respected the competition" by naming a fairly-strong XI, even if it does show eight changes from the 2-2 draw against Celta Vigo. Gerard Pique, Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez retain their place in the team down the spine of the side, while the likes of Aleix Vidal, Andre Gomes and Jasper Cillessen are given a chance to stake a claim. Jesus, meanwhile, will have to revert to "Plan B" in the absence of Lionel Messi.
KICKOFF! We are up and running at Camp Nou, where Barcelona are aiming to maintain their unbeaten run of form in this final Group D fixture. More on the line for Sporting Lisbon tonight, as they require all three points to progress.
Just two defeats in 23 matches for Sporting this season, remember, coming against Barcelona and Juventus in the Champions League. Not the easiest of fixtures for Barca tonight, but one that you would still fancy them to win.
A dreadful pass across the Sporting backline allowed Barca to pounce, but the simple through-ball for Luis Suarez was overhit. Had Barca been in full flow the net would undoubtedly have bulged on that occasion - a warning for the visitors.
The ball is worked down the right-hand side through Ivan Rakitic for Aleix Vidal to get on the end of, but he is barged out of possession. Sporting break up the other end but they are unable to get the ball into the opposition box.
Sporting fans making plenty of noise in their little section, in what is an otherwise subdued Camp Nou tonight. Hard to get to excited about this fixture if you are a home fan - they are already through as Group D winners with this game to spare.
Best moment of the match so far as Luis Suarez gets to the byline and cuts the ball back into a dangerous position. The ball went right through the box in the end without any home or away player getting a touch. Good opening for Barca!
SHOT! Vidal, effectively playing in the frontline as expected, pulls the ball back into a dangerous zone. No Barca player there on that occasion, but Luis Suarez did blast the ball over the bar from the next phase of play.
GROUP D UPDATE! Juan Cuadrado has given Juventus an early lead away to Olympiacos, all but killing off Sporting's hopes of progressing. The Italian giants are now on 11 points, one behind Barca who they cannot overtake.
SAVE! Bruno Fernandes with Sporting's first attempt of the evening, sending the ball right down the middle for Jasper Cillessen - making a rare start tonight - to make. A pretty mixed start to the game on the whole in Catalonia.
SHOT! Fair to say that neither side yet to truly find their range, as Ivan Rakitic blasts over the bar after being picked out by Luis Suarez on the edge of the box. Andre Gomes closer from 22 yards, drilling it wide on this occasion.
Rakitic is the player dropping deepest to fill in as a makeshift centre-back in these early stages, though in truth Barca have not had a great deal of defending to do so far. A number of attempts, but still none on Rui Patricio's goal.
CHANCE! Barca finally get one of their attempts on target, but Luis Suarez will feel that he should have done better. The Uruguayan got the better of compatriot Coates but could not beat Patricio from the one-on-one position.
To give Patricio credit, it was a good stop down low with his outstretched leg. The angle was slightly against Suarez but when on form he tends to put those away - just eight in 22 games for club and country for him this term, though.
Nearly a third of the match played and Barcelona, unsurprisingly, are the side on control. Sporting not looked all that troubled at the back, though their opponents have managed to get in behind on a couple of occasions so far.
This Group D fixture has gone very quiet at the moment at Camp Nou. Barcelona just happy to continue probing away in search of an opener, as they look to break their run of three draws in their last four matches under Valverde.
YELLOW CARD! Alan Ruiz is the first player to be shown a yellow card by Scottish official Craig Thomson. The Sporting forward was penalised for going right through the back of Pique, giving the referee little choice but to caution him.
Sporting win a corner, which is swung into a pretty decent position. Pique was in the right place, and managed to earn a free kick for his side in the process. This a slow-burner of a match, with just the one real chance so far.
YELLOW CARD! A second yellow of the evening, which is shown to Nelson Semedo for bringing down Bruno Cesar on the charge. A costly caution, too, as he will now sit out the first leg of Barca's last-16 tie. No other home players risk a suspension.
Visiting keeper Rui Patricio appears to be winding up the home side now by stretching - he has barely had anything to do so far! Less than 10 minutes to go until half time and, as things stand, Barca are heading towards another goalless European draw.
Denis Suarez desperately attempts to pick out Vidal with a through-ball at full stretch, but it had too much on it and the wing-back-cum-forward watched it roll out of play. Not quite happening for Barca at the moment, so maybe Valverde will change things at the break.
Barca with five shots in the opening 41 minutes of the match, just one of which tested Rui Patricio in the opposition goal. Suarez squandered that chance, and since then there has been very little to get excited about at either end of the pitch.
Juventus still lead Olympiacos 1-0 in Greece, incidentally, so Sporting not only need a goal here but also require the Italians to crumble in the second half. Still plenty of time to play, but looking as though Juve will go through in second.
HALF TIME: BARCELONA 0-0 SPORTING LISBON
A very quiet first half, certainly in comparison to Barcelona's meeting with Celta Vigo here a few days ago, comes to an end with no added time played. Referee Craig Thomson has clearly seen enough, and who can really blame him?!
Luis Suarez and Aleix Vidal, the latter operating as a makeshift forward this evening, both got in behind early on in what looked to be an ominous sign of what was about to come. Barcelona struggled to make too many chances in the first half, however, with their best opening falling the way of Luis Suarez, who was denied by Rui Patricio from close range.
Suarez was then wasteful with a shot from distance, as was returning midfielder Andre Gomes, while Bruno Fernandes's speculative attempt at the other end of the pitch was easily dealt with by Jasper Cillessen. That, I am afraid, is as good as things have got in the opening 45 minutes. Fingers crossed fore a more lively second half in Catalonia!
BENCH WATCH!
BARCELONA SUBS: Alba, Paulinho, Busquets, Deulofeu, Messi, Roberto, Ter Stegen
SPORTING LISBON SUBS: Coentrao, Dost, Martins, Palhinha, Pinto, Podence, Salin
RESTART! We are back under way at Camp Nou, where visiting boss Jorge Jesus has decided to bring on the big boys - he can sense a big upset here. Bas Dost and Gelson Martins are on for Ruiz and Ristovski for the remaining 45 minutes.
Messi is sent to warm-up and cheers echo around Camp Nou - those in attendance want to see him at some point. Valverde will not want to draw another game, so we could well see the introduction of the little maestro come the hour mark.
Barca just not at the races so far this evening, which is understandable when they have nothing to play for. Suarez is down in a little pain after being caught on the foot, though he looks as though he will be able to run it off.
Vidal should have done better in possession in the final third, only winning a corner for his troubles. Just the one attempt for Barca in the early stages of the second half, which did not trouble Rui Patricio - there is a theme developing here.
Suarez drifts out to the right-hand side and floats in a searching cross for Patricio to pluck the ball out of the air. Valverde may well be tempted to make the first of his changes in the next few moments, with this game going nowhere.
SHOT! The first we have seen of half-time sub Gelson Martins, who ran at the opposition defence and dragged his eventual shot wide of the target. Poor attempt, but that is the first sign of Sporting getting at the home side.
Jorge Jesus will likely stick if the score remains level heading into the final quarter of the match, regardless of how Juventus are getting on in Greece against Olympiacos. A win at Camp Nou is not bad to put on the managerial CV!
Barca win a free kick in a good shooting position, 22 yards or so from goal and with a slight angle to work with. Luis Suarez, without a goal in this competition since March, hit the ball right into the jumping opposition wall.
GOAL! BARCELONA 1-0 SPORTING LISBON (PACO ALCACER)
The breakthrough goal arrives at Camp Nou via the head of Paco Alcacer - he is desperate to take his chance to impress. The corner was swing towards the near post, where the back-up striker was waiting to brilliantly glance past Rui Patricio.
BARCELONA SUB! Lionel Messi is introduced in place of Aleix Vidal with plenty of time to make an impact. Now that Barca have a goal, which has not exactly been coming, they will surely push on and search for a quick-fire second.
SAVE! What. A. Chance! Bas Dost, with eight goals in his last nine, somehow failed to convert unmarked from six yards out. Not sure whether to say great save from Cillessen, or poor miss from Bas Dost, as it was hit right at the keeper.
SUBS! Fabio Coentrao is on for Bruno Cesar, so all three of the star men left out at the start are now on the field for Sporting. Sergio Busquets is also introduced in place of Gerard Pique for the final quarter of the contest in Catalonia.
Suarez gets in behind once again, but his cutback was flicked on by Patricio and went straight through the box. Barca sitting on a slender lead here, with Sporting creating a huge chance to level up through Bas Dost a short while ago.
We are into the final 18 minutes at Camp Nou and this Champions League tie is still not over just yet. A second Barca goal will surely kill it off and, with Messi joining Suarez up top, you would not bet against the home side finding it.
The Catalans certainly knocking on the door for a second, without creating too much in front of goal. Sporting need to get the ball to top scorer Bas Dost and hope that he can do much better than what we saw 10 minutes or so ago.
SHOT! All very tight on the edge of the Sporting box, but Messi did manage to get a shot away. Wayward in the end, flying into the stands. Luis Suarez has now been replaced by Paulinho in the final change of the night.
Still 1-0 to Juventus in the other Group D fixture, courtesy of Juan Cuadrado's 15th-minute goal. That means Barcelona will go through as group winners and Juve in second, while Sporting are in third and winless Olympiacos bottom.
The Lions' turn to enjoy some possession, getting the ball into the box through a left-sided Coentrao cross. The home side boasting more than 60% possession at the moment, as they look to see this one through for three more points.
Time fast running out for Sporting to snatch a point now. The visitors not really done enough to warrant anything from this game, although the best chance since Barca edged ahead did fall their way - Bas Dost missing from very close range.
SAVE! Just a third attempt on target all evening for La Liga leaders Barcelona. Messi took on the shot from distance, looking to pick out the bottom corner with his curler but meeting his match in Rui Patricio - good save.
CHANCE! Another chance for Bas Dost, who tends to tuck these away most games. Tougher than his opportunity a little early, as he this time volleyed wide of the target when picked out by a left-sided cross into the middle.
Sporting remaining strong at the back to keep the score at 1-0. It has been a positive Champions League campaign for the Portuguese side, winning two and drawing one of their six matches, while losing twice to Barca and once away to Juventus.
CLOSE! Messi gets in behind and feeds the ball to Alcacer, whose shot took a deflection and dropped fractionally wide of the goal. Barca looking good value for a second at the moment, but they have just a few more minutes to find it.
GOAL! BARCELONA 2-0 SPORTING LISBON (JEREMY MATHIEU)
A cruel moment for Jeremy Mathieu on his return to Camp Nou, as he turns Denis Suarez's cross into his own net. Alcacer would have tapped it home had the centre-back not dived in, but still a bit of a horror moment for him!
FULL TIME: BARCELONA 2-0 SPORTING LISBON
Barcelona beat Sporting Lisbon 2-0 at Camp Nou to maintain their unbeaten home run in the Champions League, which now stands at 24 matches. A headed opener from Paco Alcacer got the Catalans up and running, before Jeremy Mathieu turned home Denis Suarez's cross for a second in added time. Sporting, who had an outside chance of finishing second in Group D, squandered their only real chance of the match at 1-0 when substitute Bas Dost failed to score from close range.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events at Camp Nou. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, while a recap of all the night's other European scores can be found right here. Thanks for joining!
