Prediction: Barcelona vs Juventus



Verdict: Both teams to score

Best Odds: 4/7

Bookmaker: bet365

Once again Barcelona find themselves with a large deficit after the first leg, but they were in even more difficult situation against PSG and still managed to go through. Juventus did make a giant step towards the semi-finals with a 3-0 win in Turin, but they are well aware the job needs to be finished at Camp Nou.

Barcelona

This is proving to be one of the most disappointing seasons in recent years for the Catalans, who just cannot seem to find any sort of consistency. The La Liga trophy is slowly slipping out of grasp and their Champions League campaign could be over within 48 hours as well. Barcelona did produce a remarkable comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the Last 16 stage, winning the second leg 6-1 after the 4-0 loss at Parc des Princes, but the chances of that happening again are not that great. The mere fact the Catalans allowed defence minded Juventus to score three goals in the first match is a major cause for concern, as Luis Enrique’s 3-4-3 formation came back to haunt him. The boss eventually switched back to 4-3-3, but by that time it was too late to salvage anything from the game. Barcelona have since enjoyed a narrow victory over Real Sociedad to keep their slim La Liga title hopes alive, but it is clear that the Juventus game is their main preoccupation at the moment.

Team News

Luis Enrique is sweating over the fitness of Javier Mascherano and Arda Turan, while Rafinha Alcantara and Aleix Vidal are definitely out.



Juventus

It was Barcelona who prevented Juventus from lifting the Champions League trophy two years ago and the Bianconeri are on the road to get perfect revenge for said defeat. With sixth consecutive Serie A trophy already in the bag, it is hardly surprising the Old Lady is craving for European success and this could prove to be their year. Juventus eased off to a place in the quarter-finals with a double win over FC Porto, but it was their excellent performance in the 3-0 triumph over Barcelona a week ago that made all the headlines. Paulo Dybala was the star of the show with two goals, proving his comparisons with Lionel Messi are not unjustified. The Bianconeri now need to finish the job at Camp Nou and avoid the destiny of Paris Saint-Germain, but we believe they are more than capable of defending the three-goal advantage. Juventus are arguably the world’s leading defensive side, and with so much attacking potential at their disposal, we don’t think they will allow any surprises on Wednesday night.

Team News

Argentine hotshot Paulo Dybala seems to have overcome an ankle problem sustained against Pescara, and there are no other worries for boss Max Allegri.

Key Factors to Consider

• Barcelona overturned a four-goal deficit vs PSG
• The Catalans defeated Juventus in 2014/2015 UCL final
• Both teams scored in three of their last four meetings in UCL
• Juventus kept nine clean sheets in last 15 matches
• Barcelona conceded seven goals in last three fixtures

Conclusion

Barcelona are completely out of confidence at the moment and with their back line leaking goals for fun, we have no doubts that Juventus will score the goal that should seal their passage into the semi-final. The Bianconeri may not be able to keep a clean sheet at Camp Nou, but there is no way they will concede more than 2 or 3 goals.

Verdict: Both teams to score

Best Odds: 4/7

Bookmaker: bet365