Barcelona take a 1-0 advantage into tonight's Champions League quarter-final clash against Schalke but coach Frank Rijkaard will have make do without several star players.

Ronaldinho, whose future has been the subject of much recent speculation, is sidelined for the rest of the season with a torn leg muscle, while Deco and Lionel Messi will also miss out.

Deco has a hamstring injury while Argentine forward Messi is well on the way to recovering from a thigh problem, but Wednesday's game comes too soon for him to make a return.

Thierry Henry and Samuel Eto'o will partner the less experienced Bojan Krkic up front for Barcelona after the 17-year-old became the Champions League's youngest goalscorer in last week's first leg.

Slight question marks hang over Schalke players Rafinha, Heiko Westermann, Christian Pander and Mladen Krstajic, who are all carrying minor knocks, although all four are expected to be passed fit.

But Gustavo Varela, Zlatan Bajramovic, Ivan Rakitic and Ze Roberto are definitely out through injury for the Bundesliga side while coach Mirko Slomka will have to make a decision on striker Kevin Kuranyi.

Kuranyi was booed in the first leg after bring substituted on the hour mark and dropped to the bench for the weekend's game against Rostock, although with Peter Lovenkrands away with his sick daughter, the Germany international could be in line for a recall.

MATCH FACTS:

Head-to-head record:

Played: 1

Wins: Barcelona 1

Goals: Barcelona 1 Schalke 0

Previous game:

CL: QF 1.04.08 Schalke 0 Barcelona 1

Previous appearances in last four:

Champions League - Barcelona 4, Schalke 0

European Cup - Barcelona 9, Schalke 0

All European competitions - Barcelona 23, Schalke 3

Leading Champions League 07-08 scorers:

Barcelona - Lionel Messi 6

Schalke - Kevin Kuranyi 3

* Barcelona are unbeaten in their last 10 Champions League games of which they have won eight.

* Barcelona are also unbeaten in their last 10 games against German teams, winning nine, and have won their last six at home, scoring at least twice on each occasion.

* Barcelona made their exit from last season's Champions League despite a 1-0 away win over Liverpool in the knockout round. They lost the home leg 2-1 - though, unlike this time, the match in Barcelona was the first leg.

* Schalke have failed to score in their last five games against Spanish opponents.

* Schalke have not conceded a goal on their two previous Champions League away games in Spain, drawing 0-0 with Valencia in this season's group stage and winning 4-0 against Real Mallorca in the 2001-02 campaign.

* Schalke won 3-0 on their only previous visit to Barcelona, beating Espanyol in the UEFA Cup two seasons ago.

Follow LIVE text commentary on the game at the Nou Camp right here on eurosport.yahoo.com from 19:45 BST tonight!

Reuters