Can Liverpool retain their Champions League crown?
#5 Napoli vs. Barcelona
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Barcelona will head into their tie against Napoli as big favourites
Perennial contenders for the Champions League crown, Barcelona have almost flown under the radar in this season’s edition of the competition, despite being ranked as third-favourites to win behind Manchester City and Liverpool prior to the round of 16 draw.
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Ernesto Valverde’s side cruised through the group stages, going unbeaten and defeating Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan along the way, and they currently lead the table in La Liga. Forwards Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez have both been in fantastic form, scoring 5 of Barca’s 9 Champions League goals in the group games.
They’ve been handed a relatively favourable draw in the round of 16 against Italy’s Napoli, who recently fired manager Carlo Ancelotti despite qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League – beating holders Liverpool along the way.
Their domestic form hasn’t been great, however – losing as many matches as they’ve won thus far – meaning La Blaugrana should come into this tie with confidence. Napoli do have dangerous attackers like Dries Mertens and Arkadiusz Milik though, and as always, anything can happen in the Champions League.
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About the author
Scott Newman
Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.
Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.
Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.
His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.
Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.
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