Barcelona are quite rightly clear favourites in the Champions League outright market but they are way too short to win in Russia on Wednesday and I’ll be laying them versus Rubin Kazan.
The talent on display at the Nou Camp is quite frightening and no other coach in world football has the options currently available to Pep Guardiola. The 2009 winners came unstuck at the semi final stage last season however and will be keen to make up for that disappointment next May at Wembley.
Barca started their latest assault on Europe’s biggest prize with a 5-1 thrashing of Panathinaikos but they did fall behind early on against the Greek club, before Lionel Messi took over, and Pep’s boys do sometimes look susceptible at the back.
It is very hard to pick holes in this particular Barcelona side but Hercules managed to cause a massive shock in Catalonia three weeks ago, triumphing 2-0, and it might surprise many that Wednesday’s visitors have managed just one away win in their previous nine Champions league matches.
It was Inter Milan that stopped the La Liga champions in their tracks in this competition last season but Barca had huffed and puffed previously on occasions during the campaign and perhaps it shouldn’t have been a shock that they ultimately came up short.
Just a solitary victory on their travels last term, a 2-1 triumph in Kyiv, hints that perhaps Barca are there for the taking when on the road and even the summer arrival of David Villa to add increased firepower may not turn around their fortunes.
Barca were held by Rubin Kazan here last season in a forgettable goalless draw but that came after the Russian champions had sensationally won at the home of the three-time winners and maybe Kurban Berdyev’s men have something of a psychological edge over their opponents, too.
Midway through their current domestic campaign which started in mid-March, Rubin currently trail leaders Zenit St. Petersburg by four points but they enter them match in terrific form and rarely concede many goals.
Last season’s stalemate with Barcelona was the host’s second of three draws on home soil in this competition, the others coming against champions Inter Milan and Dynamo Kyiv, and Rubin are clearly a force to be reckoned with in front of their own fans.
It’s now just one defeat in 21 matches on home soil and Barcelona will need to be at their best to triumph. They’ve won just 11 of their previous 23 Champions League matches however, home or away, and the lay is a strong one at such cramped odds.
4pts Lay Barcelona (vs. Rubin Kazan) @ 1.67 (Betfair)