Prediction: Barcelona vs FC Porto

Prediction: Barcelona to win 2-1

Best Odds: 13/2

Bookmaker: Zetbet

Barcelona and FC Porto will lock horns with each other in the UEFA Champions League this week. The Group H match between Xavi’s side and Sérgio Conceicao’s team will be held at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys and is scheduled to kick off at 8 pm UK time on Tuesday.

Barcelona

Barcelona are one of the biggest clubs in the world and are a global brand, and under head coach Xavi this season, they are expected to be a force to be reckoned with. Things are doing pretty well for the Blauagrana at the moment, both in Spain and in Europe.

Barca are at the top of UEFA Champions League Group H with nine points from four matches. They are level on points with FC Porto, who are second. Barcelona are also three points ahead of Shakhtar Donetsk in third.

Xavi’s side won the La Liga title last season, and they are very much in contention of winning it again this time. Barcelona are fourth in the league table at the moment with 31 points from 14 matches, four points behind leaders and bitter rivals Real Madrid. They will head into the match against FC Porto on Tuesday evening on the back of a 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano away from home in La Liga.

Team News:

Barcelona are likely to line up in a 4-3-3 formation. Pena will be in goal for the La Liga club. Cancelo, Araujo, Kounde and Balde will be the four defenders. Gundogan, De Jong and Pedri will be in midfield. Raphinha, Lewandowski and Felix are likely to be the three attackers for Barcelona.

FC Porto

FC Porto are one of the biggest clubs in Portugal and tend to qualify for the UEFA Champions League on a regular basis. Although the Portuguese giants do not win Europe’s premier club competition, they get into the knockout rounds, or at least try to.

The Dragons are second in UEFA Champions League Group H at the moment with nine points from four matches. They are level on points with leaders Barcelona and three points ahead of third-placed Shakhtar Donetsk. There is a chance that FC Porto could even win the group. 

Porto are third in the Portuguese Primeira Liga table at the moment with 25 points from 11 matches. They are three points behind leaders Benfica and Sporting Lisbon in third. Porto will head into the UEFA Champions League match against Barcelona on the back of a 4-0 victory over Montalegre at home in Taca de Portugal.

Team News:

FC Porto are likely to line up in a 4-4-3 formation. Costa will be in goal for the Portuguese giants. Mario, Pepe, Carmo and Sanusi will be the four defenders. Galeno, Varela, Eustaquio and Aquino will be in midfield and will have Evanilson and Taremi ahead of him in attack.

Key Factors to Consider

• Barcelona have scored 8 goals in 4 UEFA Champions League Group H matches.
• Barcelona have conceded 2 goals in 4 UEFA Champions League Group H matches.
• FC Porto have scored 9 goals in 4 UEFA Champions League Group H games.
• FC Porto have conceded 3 goals in 4 UEFA Champions League Group H games.
• Evanilson has scored 4 goals in 3 UEFA Champions League matches for FC Porto.

Conclusion

Barcelona have been very good in the UEFA Champions League so far this season, and so have FC Porto. The two teams have been the best in Group H, and the match in Barcelona this week is going to be massive. Given that Barca are at home and have the better team, it is likely that they will eke out all three points from the match in the end.