Lyon vs Barcelona
Barcelona have been unconvincing this February, and that poor run of form could spell trouble for them when they play Lyon in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16.
The Catalans managed to pull off a 1-0 victory over Real Valladolid in their latest game, ending a stretch of three matches without a win. However, their performance did little to raise hopes up that they are ready to take on the other giants of Europe.
Lyon may be that kind of team that doesn’t strike fear in anyone’s heart; but make no mistake, they are a difficult club to beat and are undoubtedly capable of pulling off upsets just like they did against Manchester City back in September.
Talking Points
Barcelona showing signs of jitters
Barcelona, always the model of consistency in Europe and Spain, are beginning to show cracks and signs of nerves.
Three straight draws with Valencia, Real Madrid and Athletic Club aren’t good for the squad’s overall morale, and their subpar triumph over Valladolid only amplified the concerns of the club and the players.
In fact, after the win, Gerard Pique admitted that they are in a slump and that the players’ body language on the field was awful.
“The only good news is the win, we have not played well. It’s important to keep picking up the three points, but we have not played well and the feelings on the pitch were not positive,” Pique said, via BBC.
“We struggled against them, we were not moving the ball quick enough and if not we suffer.”
Ernesto Valverde opted to have Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic as substitutes in the match with Valladolid. While that obviously limited the team’s attacking opportunities, their one-goal victory is still not a good result for a Starting XI that has Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembele, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Arturo Vidal.
Barca are clearly missing the production of Arthur Melo in the midfield and Samuel Umtiti on the back. Unfortunately, Arthur is far from being available while Umtiti is still doubtful due to the knee injury he suffered last November.
The Camp Nou outfit could really use a confidence booster right now, but that’s up for Valverde to find a way. Although they are the reigning Spanish champions, they might have forgotten how to succeed at this stage—having last won the Champions League title in 2015.
Lyon: No ordinary European dreamers
When talking about French football and Ligue 1, the first and perhaps the only team that comes to mind is Paris Saint-Germain. Unarguably the most successful club in France since the turn of the century, PSG have no equal in domestic competition.
Nonetheless, Lyon is making a case as another European powerhouse from France.
Fans and pundits don’t need to look for further proof than their results in the group stage of the Champions League. In Group F composed of Manchester City, Shakhtar Donetsk and Hoffenheim, Lyon went unbeaten—albeit with only one win and five draws.
The fact that they held their ground against the reigning Premier League champions, however, is something remarkable. Pep Guardiola’s Sky Blues failed to beat Lyon in two meetings, even losing their first fight 1-2 at the Etihad.
Bruno Genesio’s charges have shown they can step up when it matters most, and it should help them that they are on a hot streak with six wins in their last seven games in all competitions (including a 2-1 victory over PSG, which was the French champs’ first defeat in the top flight).
Over that period, Moussa Dembele and Nabil Fekir have scored a combined seven goals. The two were also both on target in their demolition of the Parisians.
Unlike Barcelona, Lyon are full of confidence right now, and they prepared themselves well for this encounter with their recent masterful showing against Guingamp.
History
Despite their ugly form, Barcelona will look at history to find some hope and reinvigorate the belief that they can produce the Champions League 2019 results they need.
Barca are unbeaten against Lyon, winning four times out of their six meetings with the French club—all in the UCL. The two other matches ended up in a draw.
Interestingly, the two powerhouses have not played against each other since 2010. They last met in 2009 when Barcelona slapped Lyon with a 5-2 embarrassment. Messi scored one goal in that game.
Betting Tip
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Lyon vs Barcelona | Correct Score Draw 0-0 @ 18.00 |
| February 20, 04:00 (GMT+8) |
As expected, with Barcelona being the more popular team, the Champions League 2019 odds at SBOBET lean on their favour.
It’s difficult to bet on a guaranteed Barca win though, especially when one considers their recent performances and results.
Of course, Barca won’t lose that easily, but it might be enticing to put the money on a draw. Besides, Les Gones will be playing at home, against a slumping side that has only won twice in their last five away games.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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