Two teams obliged to surprise in Europe meet when Barcelona hosts Napoli for a place in the Champions League quarterfinals.
The second leg will be in Catalonia, after a 1-1 draw in Italy. Polish Robert Lewandowski scored for the Culés, and Nigerian Victor Osimhen scored for the Neapolitans in the first leg.
Champions League Round of 16 – Barcelona vs. Napoli
When and Where?
Tuesday, March 12, 3:00 pm ET at the Estadio Olímpico de Montjuic
Moneyline odds:
Barcelona 1.88
Napoli 4.26
Draw Offs:
4.01
Where Can I Watch?
ViX, Univisión, TUDN, and Paramount+
Why Bet on Barcelona?
Barcelona has remote chances of being champion in LaLiga, and, in the Copa del Rey, is already eliminated, which is why the Champions League brings a remarkable opportunity for Xavi Hernandez to close his time as coach with success.
The Culés have just won a close match as locals in LaLiga. It was 1-0 with a goal by winger Lamine Yamal, the great 16-year-old jewel that has come out of La Masia recently.
Since the 1-1 draw in the first leg of the round of 16 of the European tournament, the Blaugrana team beat Getafe 4-0, drew 0-0 with Athletic Club, and beat Mallorca 1-0, so they are third in the championship with 61 points, eight behind Real Madrid.
Leaving behind what is happening in the local tournament, Barcelona in Europe forged its campaign in the group stage by being impregnable in front of its home fans, taking nine points from a possible nine, scoring nine goals, and conceding only two.
Joao Felix is the club’s top scorer in the Champions League with three goals, but the real danger lies at the feet of Lewandowski, one of the world’s sharpest strikers, but who has not scored in three games.
There are several injured players in this team, including Marcos Alonso, Alejandro Balde, Gavi, Pedri, Frenkie De Jong, and Ferrán Torres.
Why Bet on Napoli?
Napoli’s season has been marked by irregularity, which is demonstrated by the fact that, in the local championship, they are in eighth position with 44 points.
In their last match in Serie A, the team drew 1-1 with Torino. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored for the Neapolitans, while Antonio Sanabria scored for the visitors.
Since the arrival of Francesco Calzona as technical director, Napoli has three draws and two wins. That is a slight improvement considering the disastrous tenure of Walter Mazzarri and Rudi Garcia.
Although he has only one goal in European competition, Victor Osimhen is the Neapolitans’ most dangerous player. He recently scored a hat-trick against Sassuolo and has already scored versus Barcelona in the first leg.
Another point is that Kvaratskhelia has been raising his level, as he has scored in his last three matches, including a brace against Sassuolo.
The club’s injured players are in the middle: Jens Cajuste and Cyril Ngonge.
Final Betting Analysis: Barcelona vs. Napoli
The last time these teams played on Spanish soil was a 1-1 draw in 2022 in the Europa League, but Barcelona ended up advancing with a 5-3 aggregate score.
The numbers at Gambyl Exchange have Barcelona as the favorite. The Moneyline for them shows 1.88, while Napoli has 4.26, and the draw is at 4.01.
Barcelona always leaves many doubts as far as the Champions League is concerned since they have Xavi Hernandez as coach, but at home, they should have no problems to eliminate Napoli. We’ll go for a 3-1.
Go for a straight win for Barcelona in the Moneyline. If you bet $100 at 1.88, you will gain $88 for a total payout of $188.
Barcelona vs. Napoli Betting Pick: Barcelona
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Gambyl Nation Editorial Team: Author
The Gambyl Nation Editorial team are made up of industry betting professionals and sports fans from across North America, Latin America and South America.
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