UEFA Champions League
Barcelona vs Tottenham Hotspur Preview
Tottenham Hotspur will travel to the Camp Nou in the final round of group games in a bid to ensure qualification for the knockout stages of this season’s Champions League. They will take on the mighty Barcelona who have not only qualified but have also guaranteed top spot in Group B. Spurs are currently in second spot on 7 points. They are joint with Inter who take on PSV. It is a do-or-die situation for Mauricio Pochettino’s men. They have to beat Barcelona with a margin of victory greater than Inter’s or simply hope that Inter also lose. Failing to win takes matters out of their hands completely. Serbian Milorad Mazic will officiate this crucial game in the grand scheme of group B.
Team News
The hosts Barcelona will be without Samuel Umtiti and Sergi Roberto who suffered injuries last month. Malcom is also unlikely to feature due to a sprained ankle. Ernesto Valverde also confirmed that Luis Suarez will be rested in the presser yesterday. Valverde will have the liberty to rotate and rest many key players since they will finish top of the group no matter what.
Spurs have a relatively lengthy injury list. Kieran Trippier, Juan Foyth, Moussa Dembele, Serge Aurier and Victor Wanyama are all expected to be on the sidelines through minor injuries. Erik Lamela had also suffered a thigh injury but is back in training and available for selection.
Ones To Watch
Barcelona will as always turn to their talismanic superstar Lionel Messi to bring the magic on the pitch. The diminutive Argentine is in scorching form. He put on a clinic against Spurs at Wembley earlier in the season and the fans will be hoping for more of the same. They can also rely on Ousmane Dembele who has been terrific recently with eight goal contributions in his last eight appearances.
The visitors will hope that Harry Kane is at his best. The striker also scored against Barcelona last time around. They need him to deliver the goods once more. The fans will also be delighted to have Christian Eriksen available this time around. Erik Lamela can also make an impact should he feature.
Predictions
Tottenham Hotspur will field a strong lineup since their hopes of qualification rest largely on this game. Barcelona are still the favorites to win but Spurs have an incredible squad who are more than capable of coming away with 3 points. Barcelona may field a weakened lineup and that will only be an added bonus for Pochettino’s side. The game will be a treat to watch and will be very well contested. Another interesting fact playing into Spurs’ hand is that they have never lost on Matchday 6 in the CL (W2,D3). They will not want that streak to break tonight at any cost. Although the quality and desire Barcelona have may end up proving decisive. A draw seems like a highly likely outcome.
Prediction: Barcelona 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Photo credit to soikeo .info via Flickr
