UEFA Champions League
Barcelona vs PSV Eindhoven Preview
The UCL (UEFA Champions League) kicks off once again amid tremendous excitement and enthusiasm for a brand new campaign. The duties of getting the most prestigious competition in club football lie with FC Barcelona and PSV Eindhoven. Group B, also labelled as the group of death this time around, has all four teams playing the first two games of the 2018-19 campaign. These two sides will be meeting for the first time in European competition since the group stages of the 1997/98 season. Barcelona will host the current Dutch champions in what promises to be a unpredictable yet enjoyable game.
Barcelona have been underwhelming in the UCL recently and have not made it past the quarter finals in their last three outings. They will be looking to break that duck this season. PSV however make their return to Europe’s top flight after making an appearance in the Europa League last season. On paper they are the weakest side in Group B but they are more than potent enough to pull off upsets.
Squad Updates And Form
Both teams are relatively injury free. According to recent reports Denis Suarez and Malcom have both received medical clearance and are training with the rest of the Barcelona team. As for PSV, they have majority of their key names fit and available. Dante Rigo and Maximiliano Romero however, join Ryan Thomas on the list of injured players. Ryan Thomas will not be available till early 2019.
PSV and Barça are both in fine form domestically so far having won all of their opening league fixtures so far. (5 wins out of 5 for PSV and 4 out of 4 for Barcelona)
Both teams are expected to field their full strength sides for the inaugural fixture of this season’s Champions League.
Ones To Watch
The visitors PSV have Gaston Pereiro, the club’s top scorer so far(4 goals) and Spaniard Angelino to look to. Additionally Barça have to be wary of the attacking danger man for the Dutch side in Hirving Lozano.
Barcelona will look to their talismanic captain and superstar Leo Messi to bring the magic as usual. There will also be plenty of eyes on the explosive youngster Ousmane Dembele who is in great form. He’s scored 3 goals in 4 matches already and so has another Barça star Luis Suarez. He will also be hoping to bag a goal or two.
Interesting Facts and Prediction
- The last 2 games between these two teams in the 1997-98 CL campaign both ended in 2-2 draws.
- This will be only the seventh overall meeting between the Blaugrana and PSV Eindhoven.
- PSV have never won an away game against Barcelona in European competition
- Barcelona haven’t lost at home in the Champions League since May 2013. A spectacular unbeaten run of 26 (24W,2D) games and counting.
- PSV have not won any of their last 8 games in the Champions League (4D,4L).
Though a tricky fixture, Barcelona are indeed favorites for this game and their attacking firepower might prove too much for Mark van Bommel’s side.
Prediction: FC Barcelona 3-1 PSV Eindhoven
Photo credit to Haber ihbar Hattı via Flickr
