Barcelona and Napoli have been far from their best in the 2023/24 season, and both teams have a low chance of defending their respective domestic league titles. Xavi Hernandez announced he would be leaving Barcelona at the end of the season, and he would be dreaming of a grand end to the season with a Champions League win. Napoli has struggled a lot this year, and they would be looking for a morale-boosting win against Barcelona in the Champions League.
| ℹ️ Tournament: | UEFA Champions League 2023/24, Round of 16 (1st leg) |
| 🏟️ Venue: | Estadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples, Italy |
| 🗓️ Date: | 21 February 2024 |
| ⏰ Time: | 8:00 p.m. GMT on Wednesday |
Barcelona plays away from home in the first leg, and they are tagged as slight underdogs, although the odds are very close in this one. The Spanish giants are valued at 2.62 (13/8) to pick up a win, while Napoli’s odds for a victory are worth 2.60 (8/5). Both teams played out a 1-1 draw the last time they met at this venue in the Champions League, and any best live betting site is offering around 3.50 (5/2) odds on a draw repeat.
There have been eight meetings between Barcelona and Napoli in all competitions, and the Catalan team has come out on top with five wins. Napoli’s only win against Barcelona came in a friendly game in 2014. Xavi Hernandez was in charge of the team that beat Napoli 4-2 in their last meeting in the Europa League knockouts.
Napoli’s 2-0 win over Braga in the last round of the Group Stage was enough to book them a place in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. The Partenopei were favorites to reach the knockouts alongside Real Madrid from Group C, but they face an uphill challenge against FC Barcelona.
Napoli has struggled in the domestic league, where they are currently ninth, and they risk losing out on European football next season. Walter Mazzarri hasn’t done much to change Napoli’s fortunes since his appointment, and the hosts have won just three games this season. A win would be crucial for Napoli as their best shot of getting an advantage against Barcelona lies in their home crowd.
Victor Osimhen has returned to full training, and he is a favorite to score on the reliable football bookies. Walter Mazzarri has a full squad to select from, and he is expected to line up in his preferred 3-5-2 formation with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia supporting Victor Osimhen in attack.
Barcelona needed a late penalty to beat Celta Vigo at the Balaidos, but they have been better in the last few games and would be confident heading into this game. Xavi Hernandez’s team sits eight points behind Real Madrid in La Liga, and they have fallen off as favorites in their bid to defend their league title.
Barcelona hasn’t performed well in Europe in the last few years, and last season, they were relegated to the Europa League after the Group Stage. Xavi Hernandez has a lot to prove in his last season with the team, and he has a good record against Napoli. Barcelona is the favorite to go through on the latest UCL odds, and winning this tie would put them in good shape ahead of the second leg in Spain.
The Blaugranas have struggled with injuries all season, and they have some important names on the sidelines. Pablo Gavi, Alejandro Balde, Ferran Torres, and Joao Felix are all ruled out of the trip to Italy. Victor Roque and Robert Lewandowski started in the game against Celta Vigo, and Xavi Hernandez can trust his strikers once again.
2 (67%)
(33%) 1
Barcelona has been quite unlucky at times this season, and they aren’t as bad as the results suggest. The Spanish Champions have created the most chances in the league this season, and they have often struggled to finish off those chances, but they have been very clinical recently. Robert Lewandowski is back with a few scorings in a row, and Barcelona has won their last two away games, although they conceded in both matches.
Napoli has recorded just three wins in eight matches this year, and two of those wins came against Salernitana and Hellas Verona. The home team hasn’t beaten a top side this year, and they are very likely to struggle against a Barca team with very good options. Barcelona is in a good position to win this game, but Napoli is very likely to find the back of the net as well. A bet on Barca to win and both teams to score is a very valuable option in the Napoli vs Barcelona betting tips.
3 (60%)
(40%) 2
Lamine Yamal is having a sensational breakout season with FC Barcelona, and he is a very important player for Xavi Hernandez’s team. The 16-year-old has become a regular starter this year, and he has been efficient in attack. Lamine Yamal has had five goal contributions in his last seven games for FC Barcelona, and he has scored two goals in his last two games. With the main attention being on Lewandowski, backing the youngster to score or assist in this game is a very safe option available on the Napoli vs Barcelona odds.
0
(100%) 3
Napoli has scored in all their home matches this year, but they haven’t scored more than three goals in any of those games. Cyril Ngonge netted the equalizer against Genoa last week, and the hosts can expect an improved attack with Victor Osimhen back in the team. Barcelona’s last clean sheet away from home was in November last year in a 1-0 win against Real Sociedad. The Spaniards aren’t so great at the back, and irrespective of the outcome, Napoli can breach Barcelona’s defense. A bet on the hosts to score in the range of one to three goals is a good bet on the Napoli vs Barcelona predictions.
Barcelona heads to Italy this week looking to extend their unbeaten run against Napoli in the UEFA Champions League. You can make extra cash from this game by using our expert betting tips and predictions.
