Europa League: Newcomers Barcelona Aim to Make a Statement in Catalonia

Barcelona vs Napoli

Barcelona aim to make the most out their 2021/22 campaign by attempting to win their first-ever Europa League crown to add to their big trophy case, and they’re in for a tough first test when they’ll host Napoli this Thursday.

The Blaugrana’s first Europa League tie in 18 years couldn’t have been more difficult since Napoli know this competition inside out and they’re in great form recently.

Following their Coppa Italia Round of 16 defeat against Fiorentina earlier in January, Napoli have been unbeaten in their last four games to move back within the Top 3 of the Serie A table, placing second with 54 points.

But Barcelona are no slouch either as they’ve been making progress in their own domestic league. They’re unbeaten in their last three fixtures and to move up to fourth place with 39 points.

The excitement for this battle between two European giants is palpable. And here at SBOTOP, we’ll examine how they’ll fare this Thursday.

Talking Points

Barcelona slowly coming together under Xavi

There is some excitement returning to Camp Nou given Barcelona’s progress in recent weeks under Xavi. They’ve bolstered their depth during the January transfer window and the new recruits have meshed well with the other tenured players.

Adama Traore’s homecoming has been good as advertised since he has played well up front, and he’s going to be a vital cog for the Blaugrana in this upcoming game since he’s capable of creating Europa League 2022 highlights.

Ferran Torres is also fitting in well alongside Gavi and Pedri. On the other hand, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has yet to make an impact, he doesn’t have much pressure to carry the load here compared to when he was with Arsenal.

They also have Luuk de Jong who scored the crucial equaliser against Espanyol yesterday and Ousmane Dembele, who has been given another chance to prove that he belongs with the team.

With viable options at his disposal, Xavi can turn Barcelona into a prolific attacking side. However, for them to be truly a contender, they must improve on the other side of the pitch.

Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, and Dani Alves are all not getting any younger while Ronald Araujo is currently injured and won’t be available on Thursday. Youngsters Oscar Mingueza and Eric Garcia have an opportunity to start, while Sergino Dest is another strong option at full-back.

Napoli regaining their early-season form

I Partenopei have been hampered by several injuries and absences in these past few months, which is why it’s not a surprise to see them close to hitting top form now that they’re back at full strength.

Lorenzo Insigne and Victor Osimhen are on top of Barcelona’s scouting report since they’ve scored for Napoli lately. Meanwhile, their defence is stronger now that captain Kalidou Koulibaly is back after competing for Senegal in the recently-concluded AFCON. 

Luciano Spalletti’s side is generally solid at the back and dangerous in attack, and they can beat any opponent on any given day.

History

Thursday marks the second-ever meeting between Barcelona and Napoli in major European competition.

These two sides last met in the Last 16 stage of the 2019/20 Champions League where the Blaugrana eliminated I Partenopei with an aggregate tally of 4-2. The first leg finished 1-1 in Naples before Barcelona convincingly won the second leg 3-1 at Camp Nou.

Barcelona last played in the Europa League during the 2003/04 season where they were eventually booted out by Celtic in the Last 16. Current Barcelona manager Xavi was still a player for them at the time.

Napoli have lost each of their last four road matches in the knockout stages of major European competitions. However, they’re undefeated in their last five away matches.

The hosts have only kept one clean sheet in their last seven matches, indicating that we might be in for another goalfest.

Betting Tip

	Barcelona vs Napoli	Barcelona Asian Handicap -0.50 @ 1.96
	February 18, 01:45 (GMT+8)

Barcelona are the favoured side in the Europa League 2022 odds given their recent history over Napoli. The Blaugrana are priced at 1.95 to win, while I Partenopei aren’t far behind at 3.75 and a draw is at 3.35 in the 1×2 market.

While this game can go either way, Napoli’s terrible away record in European competition is something to consider, which is why we’re leaning towards giving Barcelona the slight edge to win the first leg.

The great thing about this competition is that there’s always a chance after the first leg. Whether Barcelona or Napoli win on Thursday, both can recoup when the tie shifts to the Diego Maradona Stadium seven days later.

 

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