For 70 minutes, Arsenal did everything that it could to hold off Barcelona at the Emirates in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 battle. However, quality finally ruled the day, as the Catalans picked up two goals from Lionel Messi to win 2-0. The Gunners aren't really expected to erase that deficit on the road at Camp Nou, but they're going to hope to avoid embarrassment.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Barcelona -385
Arsenal +1000
Draw +540
Over/Under 3.5 (under -120)
ODDS ANALYSIS
To say that the Gunners don't have a shot here is an understatement. They're 10 to 1 on the moneyline, and they're going to need to win by two goals. It's a tough to imagine Barcelona, a team which is 14-1-0 this season in La Liga at home, losing by one, let alone two goals to an English side that would certainly finish no better than fourth in La Liga.
Barcelona's offense is second to none this year, and that showed when it went on a rampage on Saturday against Getafe for six goals. That's now 54 in 15 matches at Camp Nou in La Liga, and that's why this total is set at a whopping 3.5 with -120 vig on the over.
The Dragons are also favored by a massive two goals on the moneyline and would need to strike three times to cover this spread.
THE FIRST MEETING
Petr Cech had to run all over the place in his box for the full 90 minutes against Barcelona at home, and for the most part, he did a fantastic job. Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal and Hector Bellerin seemed on point at the back, and little was getting through to Cech.
However, Barca never really stopped going forward in London. Neymar, Messi and Luis Suarez helped generate 15 shots, and though only four of them found the target, two were in the back of the net and a couple others would've gotten there as well if they were on goal. The second goal, a Messi penalty, was the one that probably removed any shred of doubt as to who will be advancing to the UCL quarters.
Barcelona dominated the possession as is usually the case when these big Spanish teams play against the rest of Europe. If that turns out to be the case again, Arsenal won't even get the requisite number of shots on goal in this one, let alone put two or three home.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I think we really played well in the first half, and these matches are decided by efficiency. I think we had to score first. We had the first chance of the first half and we created some opportunities where we weren't able to find the final pass… If we'd lost 4-0 or 5-0, I'd say no, but I think two goals is still doable." – Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech on the loss at home to Barcelona in the first leg of this home-and-home set
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
What's worse here for Arsenal is that Cech is out for the next few weeks injured. His side hasn't looked good without him in net, and that's a bad sign going against arguably the best team in the world. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also won't be in the fold.
Sure, Gerard Pique is going to be suspended for this match for Barca, but it isn't going to matter. It's only going to take one goal to really put the pressure on the Gunners, and they don't have the quality to go forward. We suspect that goal will come in the first 15 minutes or so, especially with their strikers failing to find the back of the net all that often and a goalkeeping situation which has suddenly gotten dire.
Barcelona should put this game away with relative ease.
Barcelona 4, Arsenal 1
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Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet. Click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The fixture between Barcelona and Arsenal is scheduled for Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at 3:45 p.m. ET at Camp Nou. The match will be televised live on FOX Sports 1.
