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MADRID. — Defending champions Barcelona could seal their passage into the last 16 of the Champions League soccer with two games to spare in Group E when they host BATE Borisov tonight.

A third consecutive Champions League victory for the Catalans, despite the prolonged absence of the injured Lionel Messi, allied to Roma not beating Bayer Leverkusen at home, will mathematically seal the five-time champions’ place in the knock-out stages.

Luis Suarez and Neymar have carried the goalscoring burden in Messi’s absence, scoring all of Barca’s last 14 league goals.

Both were on target in a comfortable 2-0 win over Getafe on Saturday that created more headlines for the Halloween costumes that the Barca players wore as they burst into a Getafe post-match press conference than the action on the field.

And Suarez said he and Neymar’s contrasting styles help compliment each other.

“Everyone knows their own game. I don’t try to dribble past three or four players, but Neymar has those characteristics. Every player tries to adapt to what the coach asks of them.”

However, the former Liverpool striker laughed off suggestions Barca’s recent form means they aren’t missing Messi.

“Everyone remembers Messi because he is the best player in the world. We all miss him.” — AFP.