Overview
The Knockout Stage of the Europa League gets underway on Thursday with the Knockout Playoffs to get to the Round of 16. The schedule is undoubtedly highlighted by the showdown between Spanish giants Barcelona and Italian side Napoli. Barcelona was shockingly bounced from Champions League in the Group Stage while Napoli only finished second in its Europa League group, leading to this highly anticipated matchup.
Last Game Records
Barcelona and Napoli last crossed paths in the Champions League Round of 16 in 2020. The teams played to a 1-1 draw in February right before the competition was stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic. When play resumed in August, Barcelona won the second leg 3-1 to advance.
In more recent action, Napoli played to a 1-1 draw with Inter Milan last weekend but is unbeaten in four straight matches. Likewise, Barcelona settled for a draw in its last match, finishing 2-2 with rival Espanyol, although the Catalonian side did win its two previous La Liga matches.
Matchup Information
- 12:45 pm EST on Thursday, February 17, 2022
- Barcelona, Spain
- Camp Nou
Barcelona vs Napoli Betting Analysis
Barcelona Betting Analysis
In addition to getting bounced out of the Champions League, Barcelona hasn’t been in the best form domestically either. Under new manager and longtime player Xavi, the club is just fourth in La Liga, a distant 15 points out of first place. Barca also has just two wins over its last six matches across all competitions.
Not only is Barcelona struggling without Lionel Messi to carry the team but they are also lacking a traditional striker who has proven himself at this level. Memphis Depay is the closest thing they have to a striker, as he leads the team with eight goals during La Liga matches, but he is currently sidelined with an injury. Including Memphis, Barcelona only has four players with at least three goals in La Liga this season and scored just two goals in six matches during the Group Stage of the Champions League.
Defensively, Barcelona has been solid but by no means one of the top teams in Spain. They’ve conceded 27 times in 23 league matches, which is acceptable but not enough to balance out a team with so many unproven attacking players. Plus, Barca has allowed at least two goals in four of its last five matches across all competitions.
Napoli Batting Analysis
With the European season starting again, Napoli also finds itself in the midst of a three-team race for the Serie A title. The Blues are currently third but just two points behind leader AC Milan. As mentioned, they are fresh off a hard-fought draw with second-place Inter Milan last weekend, extending their unbeaten streak to four matches.
A strong defense has been the catalyst for Napoli’s success this season. They have the best defensive record in Serie A, conceding just 17 times in 25 league matches. However, Napoli didn’t showcase much defensive prowess last fall during the Group Stage of Europa League, giving up 10 goals in six matches.
On the bright side, Napoli has a balanced attack, despite only ranking fifth in Serie A in goals scored. The Blues have five players with at least five goals in league play, highlighted by the seven goals from Dries Mertens. In fact, Napoli has scored 11 goals in its last five matches across all competitions, so their attack is in good form.
Team Updates
As mentioned, Memphis Depay is currently sidelined with an Achilles problem. He highlights a rather lengthy injury report for Barcelona. The Barca back-line is particularly hurting with Samuel Umtiti, Clement Lenglet, and Ronald Araujo all among the injured players. The likes of Sergi Roberto and Ansu Fati also remain unavailable. On the other side, Napoli attacking players Hirving Lozano and Matteo Politano are both hurt, as is midfielder Stanislav Lobotka.
- Barcelona has allowed a minimum of two goals in four of its last five matches.
- Napoli has scored 11 goals over its last five matches in all competitions.
- Barcelona has two wins in its last six matches across all competitions.
- Napoli has just one loss in its last seven matches across all competitions.
Barcelona vs Napoli Betting Preview
This will be a stern test for both sides and a match that will show how much each team wants to win this competition. For Barcelona, Europa League is usually a little below their standards. Meanwhile, Napoli may not want to put too much focus on a European competition when the Blues are in a fight for the Serie A title.
Motivation aside, Napoli is surely the team in better form coming into this game. Outside of a few games during the Group Stage, the Blues have been strong defensively all season. They are also facing a Barcelona side that’s missing its leading scorer and lacking proven goal-scoring options.
Of course, Napoli is lacking that one bonafide talisman that they know will step up in a big game. On the bright side, they do have half a dozen players who can be a potential match-winner, including some players who will likely start this game on the bench. Plus, Barca remains short-handed defensively and has been solid if unspectacular in that department this season.
Barcelona vs Napoli Betting Prediction
The latest betting trends for this match have Barcelona favored at home with a moneyline of -105 compared to Napoli’s moneyline of +270. Meanwhile, the moneyline for a draw is set at +255.
Outside of Barcelona being the bigger name and playing at home, there’s not a lot that points to the Spanish giants as being the obvious favorite in this match. They are coming off a disappointing result in a heated rivalry game and have struggled to get results against some of the better teams in La Liga this season. As long as Napoli puts out a squad that’s close to full strength, the Blues have a good chance to be the better side and get a positive result. Betting on a draw might be the safest option in this match, although there is plenty of value to picking Napoli to win.
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