Stuttgart no longer whipping boys for Barca

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BERLIN - Holders Barcelona visit VfB Stuttgart on Tuesday in a Champions League last-16 tie which may have looked easy when the draw was made but has since taken on a completely different complexion.

When Stuttgart came out of the hat on December 19 they were 15th in the Bundesliga, with two league wins, and only goal difference stood between them and the relegation playoff spot.

Since then the Germans have jumped to ninth in the table after seven wins in eight games under former Tottenham Hotspur coach Christian Gross and they go into the first leg against Barca full of confidence.

"Now we are looking forward to Barcelona. We need to focus our energy for that one then we can cause an upset," said Cacau, who played four matches for Germany last year and is still nurturing hopes of a World Cup call-up.

"Saturday was a first step."

Gross, who took over two days before their final group stage match against Unirea Urziceni which Stuttgart won 3-1, said: "We're happy to be playing against one of the world's best teams. There's a lot of prestige at stake."

"They are doing better," he said. "They are a very dangerous team. If we do not keep our concentration we will find ourselves in trouble."