Examine predictions, team news and betting tips for the Champions League semi-final first leg between Barcelona and Inter Milan on Wednesday 30th April (8pm BST).
Tip 1
Barca are still on course for a quadruple this season after last weekend’s triumph and their favouritism in this first leg is certainly well-founded.
Inter enter without a win in four and three consecutive defeats since beating Bayern at the Allianz Arena in the pair’s quarter-final first leg, making the task at hand even more difficult to overcome.
Simone Inzaghi’s men can, however, get themselves on the scoresheet. Only three teams – Liverpool, Barcelona and Arsenal – finished above them in this campaign’s inaugural league phase, where they netted on six of eight occasions, scoring at least once in their four subsequent knockout games after progressing.
In Barca’s case, they’ve shipped 17 in the competition’s current renewal, failing to keep a clean sheet in eight of their 12 outings, and conceding at least once in five of the last seven UCL fixtures.
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Tip 2
The Brazilian has 30 goals and 53 total involvements for the season, most recently bagging a brace in the victory over Celta Vigo on the 19th of this month.
A first leg goal not only provided Barca with the opener of the quarter-final tie but also means that he’s now scored in three of his last four Champions League games.
With Inzaghi sweating over the fitness of Marcus Thuram, there will be extra onus on Lautaro Martinez in front of goal for the visitors.
He’s netted 21 times in 46 appearances this term, scoring eight in 11 inside the UCL, including in both legs against Bayern Munich and in each of his last five competition starts.
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Hansi Flick has put together three straight victories since losing the UCL quarter-final second leg to Dortmund; first beating Celta Vigo and then Mallorca in La Liga before a dramatic 3-2 victory over rivals Real Madrid in the Copa Del Rey Final on Saturday.
Barca remain without the services of Marc Bernal and Marc Casado through ligament injuries, while Robert Lewandowski could also miss out with a muscle problem.
Barcelona Predicted XI: Szczesny; Kounde, Araujo, Martinez, Martin; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Torres.
A 1-0 home defeat to Roma on Sunday in Serie A has cut Internazionale three points adrift of Napoli and threatened to see the Scudetto change hands this season.
Valentin Carboni appears to be the only casualty for Inter’s trip to the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium on Wednesday.
Inter Milan Predicted XI: Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Augusto; Darmian, Frattesi, Calhanoglu, Barella, Dimarco; Martinez, Arnautovic.
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