Barcelona vs Manchester City Predictions & Betting Tips, Match Previews

Barcelona are looking forward to facing their ex-manager on Wednesday, with a number of key Barcelona players owing the start of their first team career to Pep Guardiola. Most notable of these is Lionel Messi, who was given increased game time under Guardiola once he took over.

The little Argentine has since flourished into the best player on the planet, and he made his comeback from injury on Saturday, scoring the last goal in Barcelona’s 4-0 thrashing of Deportivo after being out injured since the middle of September. This will not be good news for Manchester City fans, who now face the tough task of stopping Messi, Suarez, and Neymar.

Barcelona’s lethal front three have 23 goals and 15 assists between them this season, including a combined six goals in their two Champions League outings. The majority of these came in their 7-0 hammering of Celtic in their first group match, but they showed their 2-1 victory at Borussia Monchengladbach kept them at the top of the pile as we approach the halfway point in the group stages.

Luis Suarez is a ridiculously short 4/9 to score anytime on bet365, but Neymar and Messi are both much more reasonably priced. Considering they have five and eight goals respectively in La Liga and the Champions League this season, I’d say backing either of them to find the net at 8/11 is an excellent choice. Messi especially, who has averaged over a goal per game so far this season, when his injury is taken into account.

Manchester City aren’t the best defensively either. They have kept just four clean sheets in their 13 competitive matches so far this season, and in their last three outings they have conceded six goals.

This includes three against Celtic in the Champions League, which coincidentally ended Guardiola’s winning ten match winning streak at the start of his Manchester City career. They haven’t won a game since, with Spurs swiftly handing them their first defeat of the season and Everton holding them to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

Manchester City have scored an impressive 34 goals in their 13 matches this season though, and considering Barcelona shipped four at Cela Vigo before the international break I’d say they will also have their fair share of opportunities. Barcelona have conceded in six of their last ten matches, a fact that will please Sergio Aguero a lot.

Messi’s compatriot Aguero has been in lethal form in the Champions League, netting two hat tricks in his three appearances. He hasn’t stopped there either, netting five in the Premier League as well, despite missing three games through suspension. Him, along with Messi, isn’t a bad price at all to score anytime at 13/8.

All things considered, I think we’re in for a treat on Wednesday night. Both teams are ridiculously good going forward but have struggled at the back this season. For this reason I expect both teams to be able to find the net, especially with such clinical strikers available to them. Barcelona are catching Manchester City in a poor run of form though, and because of this I think they’re huge favourites for the win. Odds of 13/8 for Barcelona to Win and Both Teams to Score are excellent value for money, so I’m going for that alongside a 3-2 correct score prediction at huge odds of 18/1.