What: UEFA Champions League – Group G
Who: Barcelona vs Celtic
When: Tuesday 23rd October, 2012, at 19:45 UK Time
Where: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
Close Call
Barcelona come into this one with the recent memory that their defence is liable to being breached at any time, given the fact that they conceded four times against Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday night. With their usual big names at the back also set to miss this clash against Celtic in the Champions League, the Blaugrana may be more cautious than usual.
What should have been an easy win for the current league leaders turned to be a difficult victory at the Riazor, as seventeenth-placed Deportivo proved to be a surprise package for Barcelona. The likes of goalkeeper Victor Vales and left-back Jordi Alba were at fault on the night, and Tito Vilanova’s side will have to polish some rough defensive edges should they want to come out of this one unscathed.
The Catalans will be buoyed by the fact that they are unbeaten in 17 European home games, with their latest loss dating back to October 2009 when they were beaten by Rubin Kazan 2-1. Barcelona have a perfect record so far, having edged out Spartak Moscow and Benfica in Group G, and will be hoping to make it three wins out of three to get the tough work of qualifying for the Round of 16 out of the way quickly.
Lifted Spirits
A 5-0 win away from home over St. Mirren could prove to be the perfect boost for Scottish champions Celtic ahead of their big game at the Camp Nou against Barcelona. The Celts might be leading the Scottish table at the moment – and with a game in hand – but facing Los Cules will surely prove to be their toughest task far in the 2012/13 calendar.
Celtic will not have very fond memories of their meetings with Barcelona in Europe’s blue ribbon competition, as both sides were pitted in the same group in the 2004/05 edition. Back then, Barcelona triumphed 3-1 at the Celtic Park, with the return leg ending 1-1, while they also got the better of them three years later in the Round of 16.
Even more worse for Celtic is that their Champions League record away from home is poor, with their recent win over Spartak Moscow the team’s first in 21 attempts, 19 out of the previous 20 ending in a loss.
Recent form
Barcelona:
Benfica 0-2 Barcelona (02/10; Champions League)
Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid (07/10; La Liga)
Deportivo La Coruna 4-5 Barcelona (20/10; La Liga)
Celtic:
Spartak Moscow 2-3 Celtic (02/10; Champions League)
Celtic 1-0 Hearts (07/10; Scottish Premier League)
St. Mirren 0-5 Celtic (20/10; Scottish Premier League)
Key absences
Barcelona: Daniel Alves; Thiago Alcantara; Carles Puyol; Isaac Cuenca; Marc Muniesa; Eric Abidal; Gerard Pique (doubt); Sergio Busquets (suspended)
Celtic: Dan McGeouch; Lassad Nouioui
Players to watch
Barcelona – Lionel Messi: Messi moved on to 71 goals for 2012 as he fired in a hat-trick against Deportivo La Coruna. On such a note, he continues to improve his chances of retaining the Ballon d’Or accolade, ahead of team-mate Andres Iniesta and adversary Cristiano Ronaldo.
Celtic – Victor Wanyama: The midfielder was on target twice against St. Mirren and he is proving to be a strong presence in Celtic’s midfield. Wanyama will be entrusted with the job of stopping the likes of Xavi from dominating with Barcelona’s “tiki-taka”, and if he is successful it would make Celtic’s task much easier on the night.
Match Prediction
Barcelona are expected to win this one, irrespective of Celtic’s relative good form. The Blaugrana have shown a strong will to fight this season, against Sevilla and Deportivo, where they managed to pull off victories in uneasy situations. However, at the Camp Nou, this should be a straightforward task. Barcelona 3-1 Celtic.
Read free Champions League betting tips!
