UEFA Champions League - Napoli VS FC Barcelona Prediction

UEFA Champions League - Napoli VS FC Barcelona
Match Time: 22-02-2024 04:00 Thursday GMT+8)
Football Livescore | Match Prediction & Tips
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Team Analysis
At present, Barcelona ranks third in La Liga and has been eliminated from the Copa Del Rey. Therefore, reigning supreme in Europe seems to be their last resort to secure any silverware under Xavi's leadership. Although bookmakers largely doubt this prospect, placing Barcelona's odds to win at 20/1, Napoli's struggles have tipped the scales in Barcelona's favour for advancing to the quarter-finals.

The reigning Italian champions breezed past their competition in the Serie A last season and made a startling impression during the Champions League's group stage, only to fall short against Milan in the quarterfinals. Losing coach Luciano Spalletti following the historic title win sent the team on a downward spiral, leading to the dismissal of successor Rudi Garcia in November after falling behind by 10 points in Serie A. Their performance only worsened under Mazzarri's leadership, positioning them at a shocking ninth place, 27 points behind Inter Milan. Despite the tumultuous reign, Napoli boasts a talented squad under Calzona, capable of troubling Barcelona if they regain their form.

Head-to-Head
These squads have only confronted each other four times in past European matches, all within the last four years. Barcelona remains undefeated with two victories and two draws. They would be hoping to mirror their last visit two years ago to Naples in the Europa League, where they secured a dramatic 4-2 win.

Conclusion
Spectators can anticipate a similar level of excitement as was seen in Napoli's group stage encounters with Barcelona's fierce rivals, Real Madrid, which resulted in a cumulative 11 goals. A high number of corners could be seen in this game as well, with over 10.5 corners paying 6/4.

The odds indicate a high probability of goals being scored by both teams, priced at just 5/8, with over 2.5 goals being slightly higher at 4/5. Combining both these outcomes offers even odds.

Pick: BTTS and over 2.5 goals