Tseyi Agharaye
The Champions league continues this week as last week was filled with controversy, surprise results, upset and drama. Today, Lyon travel to Barcelona while Bayern Munich will play host to Liverpool.
Liverpool had played a goalless draw at Anfield last week which keep the tie very much open as they travel to Germany. Lyon also were able to tame Lionel Messi as the first leg ended goalless. Kaftan Post brings a preview of today’s fixture.
Barcelona vs Lyon
Much work must be done to ensure that an upset does not occur at the Camp Nou as Barcelona had played a barren draw in France. A goalless first-leg draw has given Lyon a fighting chance of progression against European heavyweights Barcelona, although they face a home side unbeaten at the Nou Camp since December (W9, D3 – in all competitions) and the one that has not failed to score at home in 13 months.
Formidable at this stage of the Champions League (CL), Barcelona have won their last 11 Round of 16 home matches, and are unbeaten on their home turf in their last 29 CL games (W26, D3) – 21 of those victories were by a two-goal margin or more.
Notably, all three of their CL home games this season saw them leading 1-0 at half-time.
That 0-0 draw in France is Lyon’s only clean sheet recorded in their last nine competitive matches (W5, D2, L2), and was their first in the CL this season. They also travel to Spain without history on their side, having lost every UEFA tie they have played where they drew a home first leg (L8). However, they are unbeaten in their last five CL road trips (W2, D3).
If the visitors’ Ligue 1 (L1) form mirrors itself here, this match could see most of the action at the latter stage of the game. That is because a massive 60.47% of the match goals scored in Lyon’s away league fixtures this season have arrived after the 60th minute.
Players to watch:
Barcelona maestro Lionel Messi has netted an incredible 106 CL goals, including six this season along with 28 domestic goals.Lyon’s top L1 scorer this term is Moussa Dembélé – seven of his 11 goals have come on the road.
Stat attack
Barcelona have conceded exactly one goal in five of their last seven home matches (in all competitions).
Only two of Lyon’s last six competitive away games have featured over 2.5 goals.
Both teams have scored in the first half in two of the previous four Head-to-Head.
Bayern vs LiverpoolThis is definitely going to be a clash of two giants. With nothing to separate them after the first 90 minutes that ended 0-0, Allianz Arena plays host to this encounter. The two titans have both been European champions five times and both fancy their chances of a place in the Champions League (CL) quarter-finals. Bayern may have home advantage, but Liverpool know an away goal could be enough to progress.
Bayern remain undefeated so far in the CL this season (W4, D3). In all competitions, they are undefeated at home in their last ten matches (W8, D2) – which includes five clean sheets, an average of 2.9 goals scored, and 0.7 goals conceded per game.
Liverpool have lost all three of their CL away matches this season, with just one goal scored and five conceded. Overall, however, they are in good shape and remain undefeated in their last ten competitive matches (W5, D5) – which includes six clean sheets, 19 scored and seven conceded.
Surprisingly, the first leg was the first competitive head-to-head meeting since 2001 when Liverpool beat Bayern 3-2 to lift the UEFA Super Cup. From his time at Dortmund, Jurgen Klopp (LIV) knows Bayern well, although his record against them shows he has often struggled to win (W9, D5, L16).
Players to watch:
Manuel Neuer (BAY) will make his 100th CL appearance, and his shot stopping (19 saves in seven CL games) will be key to blunting the visitors’ attack.
Mo Salah (LIV) has three CL goals this season and is the Red’s main playmaker (17 goals and seven assists in the Premier League).
Stat attack:
Bayern have kept two clean sheets in their last two home games (6-0, 1-0), whilst Liverpool have kept two clean sheets in their last two away games (0-0, 0-0).
The first leg saw just two yellow cards (one each), from a total of 23 fouls.
Bayern have scored in their last ten competitive home matches – with six of them (60%) seeing over 2.5 goals.
Today’s Champions League matches promise to be exciting, engaging and, perhaps, come with some element of controversies.
