Champions League
2012-10-23 - Barcelona vs Celtic
A Sports Betting Pick by Lamps
Football : Europe : Champions League
Tuesday 23rd October - Kickoff 7:45pm
Barcelona
This season's Champions League favourites are top of Group G with a perfect 6 points from 6 and look odds on to win the group. On Tuesday night they host Celtic at the Nou Camp and once again are heavy odds on favourites to win.
Vilanova's side have gained their 6 points with wins over Spartak Moscow (3-2) and at Benfica (0-2). Against the Russians Barca struggled and defensively looked very poor. However in one of the hardest grounds to visit in European football they completely controlled Benfica and looked the Barca of old.
At home in recent years Barca have been unplayable. It's 18 games unbeaten now since Rubin Kazan beat them in 2009 and of those 18, 15 have been wins.
It's 8 straight now that this team has scored at least 2 goals and it's almost impossible for visiting sides to keep up with this scoring power. However, interestingly they haven't kept a home clean sheet in 4 games now so if there is a weakness it's definitely in their defence.
Celtic
Scottish Champions Celtic occupy second in the group with 4 points from 6 and they like Barca are unbeaten. If they can leave the Nou Camp unbeaten then it will be one of the greatest away performances in the Champions League in recent years.
Lennon's side drew their opener at home to Benfica (0-0) but then won away at Spartak Moscow (2-3) to set them up nicely as we approach the half way point of the group.
Away from home Celtic have always struggled and their win in Moscow was their first ever in a Champions League group game. They have won away at Helsingborg and HJK (both 0-2) in qualifying games but they group games have been a level above them.
In group games they often lose to nil and going back to their last attendance in the group stages. They went on a run of 7 straight losses with 6 to nil.
Betting Verdict
Barcelona are 1.10 to win this game and that's no good to anyone. The win to nil market is equally lacking value with a best price of 1.62. Celtic don't score away from home in group games generally but Barca's defence isn't water tight enough to be trusted at this price.
I think this is a huge miss match but the head to head actually proves otherwise. In 08 Barca won just 1-0 and in 2004 the visitors drew 1-1!
Still those games don't affect Tuesday's game and I'm going to back over 3.50 goals with Barca winning comfortably.
In 7 of the last 8 Barca home games 4 or more goals have been scored. Celtic are playing in a league that's miles behind that of La Liga and they don't even have Rangers to compete with them now.
Celtic in the past have frustrated sides but under Lennon they look more attacking as their recent away games in qualifying and in Moscow have proved. Barca to win this by 3-1 odd seems the most likely to me.
Good Luck
The Statistics :
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Pick :
Barca 3-1 Celtic
