Zlatan Ibrahimovic secured the team

Stuttgart 1
- Cacau 25

Barcelona 1
- Ibrahimovic 52

Barcelona remain on course to retain the Champions League trophy they won nine months ago when they came from behind to draw 1-1 with last season's Bundesliga champions Stuttgart in their last-16 fist leg clash in Germany.

For 45 minutes Tuesday night, and much to its surprise, soccer's reigning Spanish, European and world champion was pinned back on its heels.

The hosts were dominant in the first half and lead through Cacau's header before a defensive lapse after the break allowed Zlatan Ibrahimovic to net a vital away goal for the visitors.

Cacau should have been a known quantity to Barcelona. He scored four goals as recently as Saturday, when Stuttgart beat Cologne, 5-1, in a Bundesliga game.

Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored Barca's equaliser at the start of the second half after his first shot had been brilliantly saved by Stuttgart's veteran former Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.

Team Lineup:

Stuttgart: Lehmann, Celozzi, Tasci, Delpierre, Molinaro; Gebhart (Rudy 84'), Trösch (Kuzmanovic 58'), Khedira, Hleb, and Pogrebnyak Cacau (Marica 63').

Barcelona: Valdés; Puyol, Márquez (Milito 58'), Piqué, Maxwell; Touré (Henry 53'), Busquets, Xavi; Messi, Ibrahimovic, Iniesta.