Barcelona vs Inter Milan Predictions

• Barcelona won the Copa del Rey at the weekend.
• Inter Milan have lost their last three games.
• Barca are unbeaten in 14 at home across all competitions (W11, D3).

Barca can strike first in last four tie

Barcelona should head into the first leg of their Champions League semi-final showdown with Inter Milan in buoyant mood after overcoming bitter rivals Real Madrid in extra time to land the Copa del Rey trophy at the weekend.

In contrast, the visitors are in the middle of a rough patch and they head to the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys after a run of three straight defeats in which they have failed to score.

The Nerazzurri looked on course for an incredible campaign at one stage but their run of losses has seen them knocked off the top in Serie A and eliminated from the Coppa Italia.

The Champions League is now arguably Inter’s most likely chance to land some silverware this season, but they are the underdogs in this tie.

Barcelona haven’t lost a home game in any competition since December, a run stretching 14 games. The Catalan giants have won 11 of those fixtures and they can make home advantage count against this out-of-sorts Inter side, who are winless in four.

Damage limitation could be key for Nerazzurri

Barcelona are a fairly short price to win the match but even as clear odds-on favourites a straightforward win for the hosts looks the best betting angle.

Inter’s lack of goals of late does make a home win to nil tempting, however, and that is reflected in a 1-0 correct score prediction in Barca’s favour.

The visitors will look to keep this game tight and even if they do go a goal down they won’t take too many risks going forward, as they would still fancy their chances of progressing with a one-goal deficit to recover as they will have home advantage in the second leg.

Inter have lost just eight games this season and they have failed to score themselves in six of those defeats, while four of Barca’s last five wins have been accompanied by clean sheets and they’ve also managed two shut-outs in their last four Champions League games.

Barca did crush Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in their last home European game and prior to that they downed Benfica 3-1. The La Liga club may look to pick up a big win here rather than sit back on any lead, but Inter’s defence is capable of holding out and keeping the tie close so a narrow win for the Catalans looks the better play.

Robert Lewandowski is missing for Barca due to a hamstring issue so Ferran Torres should lead the line and he looks a decent candidate for an anytime goal. Torres has two goals in his last three games, including the equaliser in the Copa del Rey final to take that contest into additional time, and going back further he has seven goals in his last 11 games for his club.