A summer of major signings and financial gambles is at risk of blowing up in Barcelona’s face if the Catalan giants crash out of the Champions League group stage – without victory at home to Bayern Munich, they are all but certain to do just that on Wednesday night (20:00 KO).
The Azulgrana have won just one of their four Group C games so far and sit three points off Inter, second, who boast a superior head-to-head record going into the final two rounds of games.
And with the Italians set to face winless Viktoria Plzen with their fate fully in their own hands, it’s do or die for Barcelona against the group-topping Bavarians.
Bayern Munich vs Barcelona Betting Tips
Barcelona Half-Time/Full-Time – 11/2
Robert Lewandowski to score first – 3/1
Team News
Bayern, already through to the last 16, should have Sadio Mane champing at the bit to add to his two goals in the competition this season; the Senegalese forward was rested for the most part in the 2-0 win over Hoffenheim on Saturday, coming off the bench for the final half an hour after being withdrawn before the hour mark in the cup victory over Augsburg last Wednesday.
Thomas Muller could bring added firepower behind Mane, with the German expected to return to Julian Nagelsmann’s matchday squad after injury. However, with a top-two spot already sealed, the 33-year-old could begin proceedings on the bench while Manuel Neuer, Lucas Hernandez and Leroy Sane remain out.
For the visitors, midfielder Gavi remains the primary source of concern on the fitness front. Withdrawn after a mere 33 minutes of action in the win over Athletic Club on Sunday, the 18-year-old talent could join defenders Andreas Christensen, Sergi Roberto and Ronald Araujo on the sidelines.
Robert Lewandowski is in line to feature after drawing a blank last time Barcelona faced his former club: a 2-0 defeat in September.
Barcelona Half-Time/Full-Time – 11/2
The instructions are simple. Barcelona must come out firing. The frenetic 3-3 draw with Inter on matchday three may have kept their slim hopes of surviving the group stage alive, but the fact remains that the Bianconeri will still edge out Barca if the pair are matched on points after six games, thanks to the Milanese team’s 1-0 win at the San Siro in early October.
As such, I expect Xavi’s men to go out guns blazing early on against a Bayern side who, theoretically, should be sparing their best men for Saturdays league clash with Mainz, sixth, as the Bavarians look to leapfrog early leaders Union Berlin, finally showing signs of faltering after a blistering start.
Crucially, Barcelona will already know the result of Inter’s match-up with Plzen, which kicks off at 17:45, and any kind of result for the Czech outfit will act as a further catalyst for the Catalans against a side keen to remain fresh for the weekend.
Robert Lewandowski to score first – 3/1
With 17 goals scored already in just 15 appearances in Barcelona colours, Robert Lewandowski’s stats speak for themselves. Unable to stop his new employer falling to defeat by his former club earlier in the campaign, the Poland international has as great a point to prove as any on Wednesday night.
A drop into the Europa League would constitute a change in fortunes for one of Europe’s most feared and feted attackers, and he will do all in his power to get Barcelona up and running in midweek.
At 3/1 to open the scoring, the frontman is not to be ignored.
