Prediction: Barcelona vs Inter Milan

Prediction: Draw

Best Odds: 19/5

Bookmaker: bet365

The Champions League returns this week with a series of intriguing fixtures, as we approach the half way point of the group stage. Many of the top clubs around Europe have already been able to make their mark in their first two outings, with Barcelona and Inter Milan serving as perfect examples of that. The two juggernauts will now meet in a head to head showdown that will likely decide who wins the group, and even if it doesn’t, it’s going to be a really important game from a psychological point of view.

Barcelona

Barca have been somewhat fortunate that their main rivals Real Madrid have been so poor thus far, as they still find themselves situated at the top of the La Liga table. That has allowed them to also thrive in Europe, and while they may not have stepped out of first gear on too many occasions this season, they’ll still be confident that they can produce a thoroughly successful campaign both domestically and in the Champions League. After all, form is temporary, and class is permanent – with Barca being a shining example of that.

Team News

Lionel Messi is obviously the biggest setback of all for Barca, as the playmaker will miss a handful of games through injury. Coutinho and Dembele are expected to line up alongside Suarez for this one.

Inter Milan

In the early stages of the season it seemed as if Inter Milan would struggle with having to juggle so many different competitions – but boy oh boy were we wrong. The Italian club have been on an absolute tear as of late, with some even suggesting that they could push Juventus in the race for the Serie A title. There are still problems that need to be ironed out but as we look ahead to this game, there’s no reason for Inter to be scared of a team like Barcelona.

Team News

Nainggolan tweaked his ankle at the weekend and will be out of action for this game, although Perisic and Brozovic are expected to be cleared in time.

Factors to Consider

• The game will be played at Barcelona’s Nou Camp.
• Barcelona have won two, drawn three and lost one of their last six games.
• Inter Milan have won their last six games in all competitions.
• Barcelona have scored 13 goals and conceded 10 in their last six games.
• Inter Milan have scored 10 goals and conceded three in their last six games.

Conclusion

Betting against Barcelona at the Nou Camp is always going to be viewed as a foolish mistake, but in this instance, it really does seem like they could be in trouble. Inter have been unbelievably efficient in recent weeks and while Barca have been deadly in front of goal, they’ve also shipped a lot of goals too. We think that this is going to break down into something of a shootout between two teams who still have work to do in order to qualify for the knockout stages, leaving us with a final score of 2-2.

Prediction: Draw

Best Odds: 19/5

Bookmaker: bet365