A Barcelona side on a notable rise meets an Eintracht Frankfurt side that hasn’t heard that defence is also part of the game. Expectations are set for a goal fiesta as Champions League football returns to Camp Nou.
UEFA gave the green light to Barcelona to host this upcoming UCL clash at the renovated Camp Nou, but with a limited number of spectators. Will this be enough to motivate them for a better performance remains to be seen, but the Blaugrana need to win nine out of nine points in the remaining three rounds in order to finish in the Top 8.
Barcelona have surprisingly conceded the second-most goals among the Top 24, averaging 2.0 conceded goals per match. But the team has looked much more organized and motivated in recent weeks, recording three consecutive impressive victories with at least three goals scored in each.
Opposite them, Eintracht Frankfurt suffered another shocking defeat during the weekend after RB Leipzig scored six unanswered goals. To make it easier to understand, here are some statistics: Eintracht have played 20 matches so far in all competitions, conceding 44 goals, or an average of 2.2 per game.
The Eagles already played another La Liga team, Atletico Madrid, and lost 5-1 away from home, which will be a worrying thought knowing that Barcelona are in much better form than the Rojiblancos.
How the bookies view it: Only one possible outcome and it is not Eintracht
Bookmakers ruled out Eintracht Frankfurt long before the match, giving them sky-high odds to beat Barcelona at their temple. You can currently back the hosts at 1/5, the draw at 15/2, or Eintracht Frankfurt at 12/1.
Recent head-to-head: The Eagles eliminated Barca 3 years ago
Eintracht Frankfurt and Barcelona have not had many chances to see who’s stronger, with their only encounters being in the 2021/22 Europa League. Back then, the teams met in the quarter-finals and the Eagles eliminated the Blaugrana after two legs, then went on to win the whole competition.
Players to watch: Lewandowski will be well-rested
Every single player in this Barcelona side is capable of turning a match around, but we don’t anticipate it will be necessary in this case. In fact, we may see goals from multiple players in this clash and you won’t be wrong if you pick either of their attacking players – Lewandowski, Yamal, or Raphinha.
If we had to pick one, we’d back Robert Lewandowski. While this season's start has been slower than usual for him, Hansi Flick gave him the day off against Real Betis, while the others played the full 90 minutes. Lewandowski will be fresh and ready for action.
Backed a player to find the net? Check our Goalscorer Betting guide to see how the markets work and where to find value.
Probable line-ups
Barcelona: Garcia, Balde, Martin, Cubarsi, Kounde, Garcia, Casado, Raphinha, Pedri, Yamal, Lewandowski
Eintracht Frankfurt: Zetterer, Theate, Koch, Collins, Doan, Dahoud, Chaibi, Brown, Gotze, Knauff, Batshuayi
Anything else catch the eye?
It is impossible to expect anything but a goal-packed affair. Both sides have had wild season starts, whether it was due to their strong attacks or horrible defences. Only one of Barcelona’s 21 fixtures this season featured less than three goals. And 14 of Eintracht’s 20 fixtures covered the three-goal target too.
The Blaugrana have been exceptional at home, winning nine out of 10 matches as hosts this season. Their only misstep was the 2-1 defeat to PSG, but Eintracht and the Parisians cannot be compared.
In fact, here are some shocking stats – the Eagles conceded 3+ goals in five out of their 10 away games this season. If Barcelona play anything like the last couple of weeks, Eintracht will travel home with three, four, or more goals in their bag.
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