Barcelona vs BATE Borisov - Enrique challenges Barca to seal place in last 16

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has demanded a home win against BATE Borisov on Wednesday in the hope that the club can book a place in the last 16 of the Champions League at the first opportunity.

The Blaugrana host the Belarusian champions at the Nou Camp in Group E knowing that a victory, coupled with a Roma failure to beat Bayer Leverkusen in the other pool game, would see Barca progress to the next round.

"Our first aim is to qualify and as we are the defending champions, we want to do so as first of our group," Luis Enrique said on his club's official website. "Especially because we want to send a message to the other teams that we are ready.

"But before we send that message, we need to achieve those points and we will face adversity. "

Barca have collected seven points of a possible nine and are three points clear of Bayer Leverkusen at the top of the standings.

BATE are third in the standings, one point adrift of Leverkusen while Roma are fourth with two points from their opening three games.

"We started the competition well and we hope to continue in the same way," Luis Enrique said. "We will try to play a good game and improve certain aspects of the game.

"Our main aim is to win this game in order to remain at the top of the pool."

Barca have won four of their last five games in all competitions and Saturday's 2-0 win at Getafe lifted them to second in La Liga, level on 24 points with league leaders Real Madrid.

"We have been improving for some time and that is giving us immediate results," Luis Enrique said. "We hope we can continue to hand in good performances and continue to win. "

Barca are still without striker Lionel Messi, who is out with a knee problem, while Douglas and Rafinha are also sidelined through injury.

Luis Suarez and Neymar, who both scored at the weekend, will lead Barca's attack.

BATE are looking for their first win on the road in the competition this season.

The Belarusian outfit have lost all five of their previous matches in Spain and have won just one of their 13 previous away games in the Champions League group stages.

BATE, who beat Roma 3-2 last month for their only win in the competition, will need to show a drastic improvement if they are to surprise Barca.

"Barca gave us a football masterclass in our first game," BATE coach Aleksandr Yermakovich said to the Spanish press. "They showed us how to attack and how to play once you lose the ball. We have to learn more, much more."

Yermakovich's men have given away eight goals in their opening three games.

BATE, who claimed their 10th successive Belarusian championship last month, won 1-0 at Dinamo Brest on Saturday.

The visitors are without defender Maksim Zhavnerchik, former Barcelona winger Aleksandr Hleb and striker Vitali Rodionov, who are all out injured.