Manchester C vs Barcelona 1/11 – Champions League Betting Tips
Barca Injuries Give City a Chance
LEAGUE: Champions League
GAME: Manchester City vs Barcelona
LOCATION: Etihad Stadium
DATE: Tuesday 01/11
TIME: 20:45
The teams have met on 5 previous occasions in the Champions League, with Barcelona winning each of them.
Barcelona travel to Manchester in complete control of Champions League Group C. Luis Enrique’s team have won all three of their matches, scoring 13 goals and conceding only 1, giving them a much superior goal difference to anyone else in the group. In fact, no other team in the group has a plus goal difference. Sitting on 9 points, if Barcelona pick up a point from this match, it should be enough to see them through.
As for Manchester City, they could really do with winning this match. Currently just a point ahead of Borussia Monchengladbach in the group and with the German’s playing Celtic at home, Pep Guardiola needs to pick up maximum points, to avoid slipping down into third place. With a trip to Monchengladbach coming up next, Manchester City must take something from this game.
Tips
We have looked closely at the following aspects of this match, which offer good betting value:
- Winner
- Correct Score
- Time of First Goal
Barca Injury Crisis
If Barcelona were arriving at the Etihad Stadium with their first choice XI, they would have to be favourites to win the match. However, with Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, Jeremy Mathieu and Jordi Alba all out injured, plus Arda Turan and Rafinha rated as doubtful, Barcelona are struggling, especially in defence. This should give Manchester City some hope but with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar up-front, a point is the best they can hope for.
Game Tip: Draw is 3.5 at Ladbrokes
Expect Goals
With Barcelona’s defence, missing Gerard Pique plus several other players, surely Guardiola will opt for Sergio Aguero up-front and have a go at winning this game. Attacking Barcelona is one thing but keeping them out at the other end is something else and the way Manchester City have been conceding goals this season, a clean sheet here seems like an impossible task.
Game Tip: Correct Score 2-2 is 11 at 888sport
Early Goals
In the five matches featuring Manchester City and Barcelona in Group C of the Champions League, there have been 4 goals scored inside the first 15 minutes of the game. With Messi’s opening goal for Barcelona in the reverse fixture between these teams coming on 17 minutes, early goals have been a key aspect of matches involving both teams this in Europe this season.
Game Tip: Time of First Goal 0-15 Minutes is 2.6 at Bet365
