MY ACCOUNT
– Barcelona are on an eight-match winning run
– Manchester United have struggled in away trips to the top teams under Erik ten Hag
– Recommended bet: Barcelona to win and over 2.5 goals
Clubs of the stature of Barcelona and Manchester United would not expect to find themselves in the knockout round play-offs of the Europa League, but one of these giants of the European scene will not make it through to the Round of 16 of UEFA’s secondary competition.
United find themselves in this position despite winning five of their six Europa League Group E matches, trading 1-0 away victories with group winners Real Sociedad but finishing behind them on goal difference.
Barcelona’s drop from the Champions League was altogether more traumatic. Xavi’s side beat only sectional whipping boys Viktoria Plzen in Group C and took only a single point from two meetings with Inter Milan while suffering heavy defeats to Bayern Munich.
Team news
Barcelona will be without key men Ousmane Dembele and Sergio Busquets, with Dembele expected to be out until March with a hamstring tear and Busquets picking up an ankle injury that could rule him out for a fortnight.
Manchester United head to Camp Nou with a number of key men missing.
Christian Eriksen will be unavailable until May with an ankle problem and fellow attacking midfielder Donny van de Beek is out for the season with a knee injury.
Marcel Sabitzer was signed on loan to cover those two absences but the Austrian is suspended after picking up three yellow cards for Bayern Munich in the Champions League group stage.
Casemiro is available as his domestic suspension does not come into play in Europe but fellow defensive midfielder Scott McTominay is an injury doubt.
Centre-back Lisandro Martinez is suspended, striker Anthony Martial is unlikely to feature due to a hip injury and winger Antony is also a doubt with a leg problem.
The stats
Barcelona are 11 points clear at the top of LaLiga, compiling an impressive record of 18 wins and just one defeat — away at second-placed Real Madrid — in 21 league matches.
Xavi’s men are unbeaten in 16 matches in all competitions, winning 14 of those and with one of the two draws in that run seeing Barca progress into the Supercopa de Espana final on penalties.
Manchester United are in excellent form at Old Trafford but their away form has been patchy and five of their six Premier League away wins have come at teams in the bottom eight.
In seven trips to teams placed 12th or higher, Erik ten Hag’s men have a record of just one victory — an injury-time win at Fulham — and two draws, conceding at least three goals in all four defeats to Arsenal, Manchester City, Brentford and Aston Villa.
Ten Hag’s team won all three Europa League Group E away matches but trips to AC Omonia and Sheriff Tiraspol are not comparable to a visit to Camp Nou.
While United picked up a more noteworthy 1-0 win at Real Sociedad, Barcelona thumped the same opponent 4-1 away in LaLiga
Prediction
Given the stark contrast between Manchester United’s form home and away, the two legs of this encounter could look very different.
This first clash could make for tough watching for United fans, however.
Ten Hag’s men are unconvincing on the road, with their two biggest away scalps this term coming against Real Sociedad and Fulham.
Both are solid opponents but neither are close to Barcelona’s level. And, for differing reasons, United were slightly fortunate in both of those victories.
Given their poor away form and lack of creative midfielders, it would be no surprise if Ten Hag set his team up to contain rather than stun Barcelona in this first leg.
And with a return leg at their Old Trafford fortress to come, he will not be tempted to throw caution to the wind late on, so adding under five Manchester United corners to Bet Builder selections looks sensible.
Barcelona’s impressive form points firmly to the home win but that short price can be boosted by adding goals to the bet.
United pose a serious threat on the break through Marcus Rashford but their defensive frailty away at the top teams, added to the absence of the suspended Martinez, suggests they could concede two or more goals.
Back Barcelona to win and over 2.5 goals, available at 31/20 with LiveScore Bet.
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