Having won their opening two Champions League fixtures, Barcelona can take a giant step towards qualifying for the knock-out stages with another three points against Olympiakos on Wednesday evening. The Greek side are without a point in Group D, with many predicting another tough encounter for the visitors.
Champions League – Camp Nou, Barcelona – Wednesday 18th October – 19:45 UK Time
|
Draw Best Odd of: 14 at Ladbrokes |
|
FC Barcelona
Olympiakos PiraeusMatch Preview
Wins over Juventus and Sporting Lisbon have left the Spanish giants in an excellent position in Group D, with the likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez set to pose a significant attacking threat for the home side. However, with Olympiakos needing something from this clash if they are to have any chance of making it through to the next round, the Spanish giants may not have things all their own way in front of their home fans.
Barcelona Team News & Form
Despite record signing Ousmane Dembele being absent through a long-term injury, along with the likes of Arda Turan and Rafinha, Barcelona are still set to name a world-class starting eleven on Wednesday, with manager Ernesto Valverde having some decisions to make in terms of resting his prized assets for future ties. Former Everton man Gerard Deulofeu could well form an attacking trio with Messi and Suarez, with the experience of Gerard Pique, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets also significantly aiding the home side. Having failed to concede a single goal in their opening two Champions League encounters, Barcelona will be hoping to keep another clean sheet.
Olympiakos Team News & Form
Takis Lemonis has few injury concerns ahead of this tie, with Ben Nabouhane perhaps the only doubt as a result of a hip injury. Former Barcelona youngster, and now Olympiakos Captain, Alberto Botia will be hoping to lead his team to a famous victory at the Camp Nou, with the like of Marko Marin, Emmanuel Emenike and Uroš Đurđević likely to provide the biggest attacking threats for the visitors. The Greek side are coming into this match off the back of a battling 4-3 victory away at Panionios, however this was just their third victory of the season to date. The Greek giants have been struggling defensively, with Lemonis likely to play on the counter attack in Barcelona.
Head to Head
The two teams have never previously met in any competitive fixture, with Olympiakos’ trip to Spain this week a completely new venture for the Greek. As a result, there are no conclusions to be made in this area when looking to make predictions surrounding this encounter.
Betting Odds and Predictions
With Barcelona being the overwhelming favourites for victory with the majority of bookmakers, with Ladbrokes offering the Spanish side odds of 1/12, it is worth looking further afield when it comes to wagering on this match. The Greek side can be backed at odds of 25 with the same bookmakers, while betting on their being over 3.5 goals is another attractive market, with odds of 4/7 available at Ladbrokes. Finally, betting on Lionel Messi to score at least two goals during the 90 minutes is available at William Hill, with odds of 20/21 on offer.
Top Betting Tip
Our top betting tip for the match is to bet on Barcelona to keep a clean sheet, which can be found at best odds of 4/7 at 10Bet.