Barcelona: Barcelona goes into a Champions League match against Panathinaikos looking to rebound from a surprising league defeat that has sapped some of its early season optimism.
The Greek champion visits the Camp Nou stadium on Tuesday — three days after promoted club Hercules stunned the 2009 European champion with a 2-0 victory.
Only days after midfielder Xavi Hernandez said "we have a good team — no, we have a great team," Hercules stymied Barcelona's effective passing game while demonstrating that Barcelona's squad of internationals may be feeling the fatigue from a busy summer of matches.
Barcelona, which exited to eventual champion Inter Milan at the semifinal stage last season, features seven internationals from Spain's World Cup winning squad, who returned from South Africa to play friendlies in Mexico and Argentina, as well as a European qualifier against Liechtenstein.
"At this stage of the season, the players simply aren't at their best," coach Pep Guardiola said after defeat.
With Lionel Messi marked out of the match, Barcelona also lacked presence inside the area — something striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic could have provided before being sold to AC Milan.
New addition Javier Mascherano failed to impress in his debut with Sergio Busquets sitting out, and the Argentina midfielder was replaced to start the second half.
"He's got all the qualities necessary to play for Barca," defender Eric Abidal said. "But he still has to adapt to a new league."
Defender Carles Puyol returns from a leg injury and could fill in for fellow centerback Gerard Pique, who played on against Hercules despite needing six stitches to his forehead following a run-in. Striker David Villa also makes his European debut for Barcelona after missing out on Champions League play last season.
"It's not how you start the season but how you finish it," upbeat Brazil defender Daniel Alves said.
Barcelona and Panathinaikos are familiar foes, having met four times since 2002.
Barcelona won both of its games at the Camp Nou by a combined score of 8-1, but will be weary of an opponent which has avoided defeat in its last three away games in the competition — including two wins, with one coming against Inter.
Panathinaikos beat Aris Thessaloniki 1-0 on Saturday to go joint-top of the Greek league after two games.
Barcelona lost only one league match all of last season, and Saturday's defeat was only the Catalan club's seventh league loss under Guardiola.
"The players have to lift their heads up and carry on," Guardiola said.
Rubin Kazan plays FC Copenhagen in the other Group D matchup.
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