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Months ago, Barcelona travelled to Anfield, looking to put their away ghosts to bed. After all, they went into that game with a three-goal cushion and a place in the Champions League final seemed more than just a possibility.
Yet, they somehow contrived to reopen the wounds that many believed they’d sutured since another infamous night in Rome in 2018.
Consequently, the Blaugrana’s season lost the head of steam it generated and Ernesto Valverde’s men also missed out on a potential Copa Del Rey triumph, courtesy a loss to Valencia in the title clash.
Hence, as the 2019-20 season dawned, the Barcelona faithful hoped that the side would put aside the aberration at the end of last term and conjure a strong start to the current season, thereby ensuring that the positivity didn’t dwindle.
Unfortunately, though, that has hardly been the case as the Blaugrana have stuttered and stumbled their way to eighth on the La Liga table, after having played five games.
Through the course of that run, Barcelona’s deficiencies on the road have been laid bare for everyone to witness as the defending champions remain winless in four away games this season.
However, luckily for them, they return to the comforts of the Camp Nou on Tuesday and that, could just ease their problems a touch, albeit only for a short span.
More importantly though, they might be able to welcome Lionel Messi into the starting eleven against Villarreal.
The Argentine has missed a major chunk of the opening fixtures and one reckons that the above has contributed enormously to Barcelona starting off sluggishly.
Yet, despite the Blaugrana’s formidability at home, one can’t write Villarreal off, especially considering the Yellow Submarine’s bright start to the season.
In five league games, the visitors have accumulated eight points, meaning that they sit above their hosts in the points table, having notched up a similar tally of 12 goals scored.
Thus, the match at the Camp Nou, promises to be an engaging affair with two teams intent on attacking, battling each other.
And, though each has its own flaws to iron out, both teams certainly possess the requisite offensive quality to serve up a delectable feast to the footballing fraternity.
Kick-off Information
Date: 24th September, 2019
Time: 09:00pm (Local Time); 12:30am IST on the 25th of September, 2019
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona
Form Guide (Last five competitive matches; Most recent first)
Barcelona: L-D-W-D-W
Villarreal: W-W-D-L-D
Head to Head Record
Total Matches Played: 42 matches
Barcelona: 24 wins
Villarreal: 8 wins
Draw: 10 wins
Player to watch out for
Lionel Messi
Messi has played a bit-part role so far this season, owing to a recurring leg injury and that has thrown a spanner in Barcelona’s works. Without their talisman, the defending champions have lacked a cutting edge at times and that has enabled opposition defences to blunt them a touch easily.
However, the Argentine is expected to start against Villarreal, meaning that the visitors could become the first side to face the maestro from the start.
Thus, the match could represent the game where Messi finally makes his mark on the 2019-20 term.
And, if he does so, it wouldn’t have come at a better time for Barcelona, especially considering the strife they are under.
Match Prediction
Both teams have locked their defensive ideas in the closet in the La Liga and have rather concentrated on outscoring the opposition.
Hence, a goal-fest could be on the cards where each outfit throws caution to the wind, hoping for an early foothold in the game and consequently, a smoother path to victory.
And, if the match indeed traverses such a route, the hosts boast a tad more firepower than Villarreal and that could prove to be the defining factor in an end to end contest.
Score Prediction: Barcelona 3-1 Villarreal
Betting Tips
Barcelona win: 1.30
Villarreal win: 9.00
Draw: 5.50
Bookmaker: Sportsbet
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