Barcelona is set to kick off their Champions League Group H campaign with a home match against Royal Antwerp at Camp Nou on Tuesday night.
Match Preview
The Spanish giants are aiming for a winning start in the competition, following their impressive 5-0 victory over Real Betis in La Liga.
Barcelona’s La Liga title defense got off to a slow start with a goalless draw against Getafe on August 13.
However, they quickly rebounded and secured four consecutive victories, placing them at the top of the league standings.
Prior to the international break, Barcelona triumphed over Cadiz, Villarreal, and Osasuna.
Their momentum continued with an outstanding 5-0 win over Real Betis, featuring debut goals from Joao Felix, Joao Cancelo, Robert Lewandowski, Ferran Torres, and Raphinha.
Although Barcelona has been dominant in domestic competitions, they have struggled to advance past the group stage in the Champions League in their most recent attempts.
Last season, they were eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16, but they reached the semi-finals in the 2019-20 edition, eventually losing to Liverpool.
Under the management of Xavi, Barcelona is heavily favored to top Group H, which includes Shakhtar Donetsk and Porto. They are eager to make a strong start against Royal Antwerp.
This will be a significant moment for Royal Antwerp, as they compete in the group stage of the Champions League for the first time in their history.
The Belgian outfit secured their spot after winning their fifth Belgian First Division title last season, qualifying them for the Champions League playoff round.
Mark van Bommel’s side overcame AEK Athens in the playoff round with a 3-1 aggregate victory.
Despite currently ranking fifth in their domestic division, they enter the match against Barcelona with confidence following a 3-0 win over Westerlo in the league.
Team News
Barcelona’s key absentees due to injury are Ronald Araujo and Pedri.
However, there is positive news as Ilkay Gundogan was able to feature in their recent match against Real Betis despite concerns about his back problem. Fermin Lopez, who served a league suspension, will also be available for selection.
For Royal Antwerp, Ortwin De Wolf, Davino Verhulst, Bjorn Engels, Sam Vines, and Kobe Corbanie will be sidelined due to injury.
Vincent Janssen, the team’s leading goalscorer, will spearhead the attack alongside Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Arbnor Muja.
Predicted Starting Lineups:
Barcelona:
Ter Stegen;
Cancelo, Kounde, Christensen, Balde;
Gavi, De Jong, Gundogan;
Yamal, Lewandowski, Felix
Royal Antwerp:
Butez;
Bataille, Van den Bosch, Coulibaly, De Laet;
Keita, Ekkelenkamp, Vermeeren;
Balikwisha, Janssen, Muja
Prediction:
Barcelona is expected to dominate the match and secure a comfortable 3-0 victory against Royal Antwerp.
Although it is their toughest challenge on paper, this result will not determine Antwerp’s performance in the group stage.