Five-time European champions Barcelona take on Olympiakos in Greece next week, with the Spanish giants hoping to secure their position in the knockout stage of the Champions League with a fourth consecutive win in the competition. With the home side being without a point from their opening matches, it is Lionel Messi and Co who are the firm favourites.
Champions League – Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus – Tuesday 31st October – 19:45 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 6 at Ladbrokes |
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Olympiakos Piraeus
FC BarcelonaMatch Preview
Three wins from three in Group D have left Barcelona with one foot in the knockout stage of the Champions League, with manager Ernesto Valverde undoubtedly hoping to finish the job in Greece next week, in order to give some of his star names a rest in their final two fixtures. However, with a place in the Europa League still up for grabs, the Greek giants are unlikely to roll over without a fight in front of their home fans, making this an intriguing encounter. Let’s take a closer look at the two teams, starting with the home side.
Olympiakos Team News & Form
Manager Takis Lemonis will have been happy with the way in which his team performed at the Camp Nou last week, despite eventually being beaten 3-1. Ben Nabouhane missed that game due to injury, however forward could well return to the starting line-up in Greece next week. Meanwhile, former Barcelona youngster, Alberto Botia, will have been disappointed not to cause an upset on his return to Spain last time around, with the defender undoubtedly one of Olympiakos’ key men at the back. The Greek side claimed a narrow victory over PAOK in the SuperLeague at the weekend, however they will have to raise their game yet further if they are to see off the Spanish giants.
Barcelona Team News & Form
Barcelona will be without defender Gerard Pique for this clash following his red card in the reverse fixture, with Javier Mascherano a likely option to replace him. Meanwhile, having seen off Malaga with ease over the weekend in domestic action, Barca will be confident of maintaining their 100% winning start to their European campaign, especially given the fact that Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are likely to continue in their attacking roles from the off, despite the latter still having to manage a knee injury.
Head to Head
Last week’s meeting was the first ever competitive clash between the two sides, meaning that there is little to go on when looking to make predictions off such information. Barcelona’s trip to Greece next week is a completely new venture for the Spanish club. However, the relative ease of Barca’s win over Olympiakos last week should give a good indication of their chances of victory this time around.
Betting Odds and Predictions
With Barcelona being the overwhelming favourites for victory with the majority of bookmakers despite their status as the away team, with Skybet offering the Spanish side odds of 2/9, it is worth looking further afield when it comes to wagering on this match. The Greek side can be backed at odds of 11 at Skybet, while betting on Barcelona to score more than 3.5 goals is perhaps worth considering, with odds of 9/4 on offer from Ladbrokes.
Top Betting Tip
Our top betting tip for the match is to bet on the second half being the one with the most goals, which can be found at best odds of 1/1 at Ladbrokes.