MX23RW : Thursday, November 7 11:52:17| >> :120:72194:72194:
Nov 5, 2019 at 5.55pm UK at ​Camp Nou
Attendance: 67,023
Barcelona
0-0
Slavia PragueSlavia Prague
FT

Preview: Barcelona vs. Slavia Prague - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Tuesday's Champions League clash between Barcelona and Slavia Prague, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Barcelona will be looking to consolidate their spot at the top of Group F when they welcome Slavia Prague to Camp Nou in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The Spanish champions have collected seven points from their three group matches to sit top of the section, while Slavia have only managed to collect a single point from their three fixtures thus far.


Match preview

Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their fourth goal on October 29, 2019© Reuters

Barca are going well in Group F, picking up seven points from their three matches thus far. As a result, only an incredible collapse would prevent them from reaching the round of 16, although a defeat on Tuesday night would certainly open the door as both Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund have four points.

The Spanish champions still have to go to an impressive Inter on matchday six, and therefore Ernesto Valverde will be keen for his team to tie up qualification in their next two matches.

Barca started Group F with a goalless draw at Dortmund before beating Inter and Slavia 2-1 in their next two matches. The Catalan giants have been in impressive form in recent weeks, but they will enter this match off the back of a 3-1 loss at Levante on Saturday afternoon.

Valverde's team are still top of La Liga with 22 points, but there is no question that all is not well at Camp Nou as the speculation surrounding their manager potentially leaving the club continues to gather pace.

Barca are the overwhelming favourites to triumph on Tuesday night, though, particularly when considering that they have not lost a home game in the Champions League since September 2013. What's more, the Spanish champions have won their last five matches against Czech opposition, scoring 15 times in the process.

Petr Sevcik celebrates after scoring for Slavia Prague against Chelsea in the Europa League on April 18, 2019.© Reuters

It was always going to be difficult for Slavia to challenge for a top-three spot in Group F when they were drawn alongside Barca, Inter and Dortmund. Claiming third - and Europa League spot - would be seen as a huge success, but they will need to pick up some big results for that to happen.

The Czech outfit started their group campaign with an impressive 1-1 draw at Inter but have lost their last two matches at home to Dortmund and Barca, the latter of which was a 2-1 defeat on October 23.

This is just the second time that Slavia have been present in the group stages of the Champions League, with their last appearance coming 12 years ago. They did reach the quarter-finals of last season's Europa League, though, and impressed as they exited the competition to eventual winners Chelsea.

Unlike Barca, meanwhile, Slavia will enter this match off the back of an impressive league win. Indeed, the Red and Whites thumped Banik Ostrava 4-0 on Saturday to move 11 points clear at the top of the Czech Liga.

What's more, the Prague outfit have drawn their last three matches in Spain and have been beaten on only two of their last six visits, the last of which was a 2-2 draw at Sevilla in the Europa League last season.

Barcelona form: DWW

Slavia Prague form: DLL


Team News

Luis Suarez celebrates scoring for Barcelona on October 2, 2019© Reuters

Barca will again be without the services of Samuel Umtiti due to an ongoing knee problem, while Luis Suarez will miss out with a calf problem that he picked up against Levante at the weekend.

There is a chance that Ousmane Dembele could be recalled having been left out of the squad at the weekend, with the France international perhaps joining Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann in attack.

That said, Carles Perez and Ansu Fati are both viable options for Valverde, who is expected to recall both Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba after the pair were named on the bench against Levante.

As for Slavia, central defender David Hovorka remains a long-term absentee due to a knee injury, but Ibrahim Traore could feature for the first time in the Champions League since the clash with Inter after recovering from an ankle problem.

Peter Olayinka is again expected to feature in the final third alongside Lukas Masopust, with Tomas Soucek, who scored twice in the win over Banik Ostrava, lining up in a deeper position.

Barcelona possible starting lineup: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Arthur, Busquets, De Jong; Dembele, Messi, Griezmann

Slavia Prague possible starting lineup: Kolar; Coufal, Kudela, Frydrych, Boril; Zeleny, Soucek, Sevcik; Stanciu; Masopust, Olayinka


Sports Mole Logo

We say: Barcelona 3-0 Slavia Prague

Barca will be determined to return to winning ways after the disappointment of Saturday's loss at Levante, and we are expecting the Spanish champions to record a comfortable victory in front of their own supporters.


body check tags ::

Who will win Tuesday's Champions League clash between Barcelona and Slavia Prague?

Barcelona
Draw
Slavia Prague
Barcelona
0.0%
Draw
0.0%
Slavia Prague
0.0%
Share this article now:
Instagram - Follow Sports Mole
Neymar in action for PSG on September 28, 2019
Read Next:
Iniesta doubts Neymar will return to Barcelona
>

Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1110102591631
2Manchester CityMan City1181234102425
3Leicester CityLeicester117222781923
4Chelsea117222517823
5Arsenal114521615117
6Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd11443128416
7Bournemouth114431413116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton114341414015
9Crystal Palace114341014-415
10Manchester UnitedMan Utd113441311213
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs113441716113
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves112721414013
13West Ham UnitedWest Ham113441417-313
14Burnley113351418-412
15Newcastle UnitedNewcastle11335917-812
16Aston Villa113261618-211
17Everton113261117-611
18Southampton112271027-178
19Norwich CityNorwich112181126-157
20Watford11056623-175

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!