UEFA Champions League: Barcelona v Liverpool

Written by Diego Valderrama

Tuesday, 20 February 2007

Camp Nou is home to the Barcelona FC ‘Barca’ . This Wednesday February 21st they will play host to English Premiere’s Liverpool FC when they play for the first leg of their fixture for the UEFA Champions League knock out stage. Game kicks off at 2:45 pm EST.

These two are the last two clubs to raise the trophy of the UEFA Champions League as winners. Their encounter at Camp Nou is the undisputed pick of the first knockout round fixture as current holders FC Barcelona take on Liverpool FC, the 2005 champions.

This contest between titans holds added appeal due to Liverpool's Spanish group, led by manager Rafael Benítez who will intend to preserve his team's unbeaten record at Barcelona . Frank Rijkaard has a fond memory of English opponents after conceiving the 2-1 defeat of Arsenal FC in last season's showpiece.

Barcelona reached this stage after winning second place in Group A behind Chelsea FC. They required a 2-0 home victory over Werder Bremen in their final fixture on Matchday 6 to assure moving forward. Ronaldinho and Eidur Gudjohnsen scored for Barca. Frank Rijkaard's players had earlier registered wins over PFC Levski Sofia (5-0 and 2-0) and a 1-1 draw in Bremen . However, they stumbled against Chelsea , losing 1-0 away and drawing 2-2 at Camp Nou.
On Matchday 4 Liverpool qualified for their most recent knock out stage and were already established as Group C winners by the time Robbie Fowler's two goals failed to prevent a 3-2 loss at Galatasaray SK on December 5th. After opening their campaign with a 0-0 draw at PSV Eindhoven, Liverpool collected four straight wins against Galatasaray (3-2), FC Girondins de Bordeaux (1-0 and 3-0) and PSV (2-0).

Barcelona has a striking home record against English contenders though, winning 13, drawing 8 and losing just 1 of 22 previous meetings. That singular rout came against Liverpool in the 1975/76 UEFA Cup semi-finals. A 1-0 first leg conquest at Camp Nou prepared a 2-1 aggregate success for the Reds, who later went on to win the trophy.

History repeated itself when Liverpool beat Barcelona on course to securing the UEFA Cup for a third time in 2000/01, a scoreless draw in Spain laying the foundations for a 1-0 aggregate win. That UEFA Cup success saw Deportivo Alavés beaten 5-4 in Dortmund . Even so it was not Liverpool 's only European trophy gained at a Spanish side's expense. They won the 1980/81 European Champion Clubs' Cup with a 1-0 defeat of Real Madrid CF in Paris .

Barca at least got the better of Liverpool in the 2001/02 UEFA Champions League second group stage. Barcelona finished top of the section with Liverpool second following a 3-1 win at Anfield and drawing 0-0 at Camp Nou .

Since they’ve lost the sides' two previous two legged encounters, Barcelona wants to make it third time lucky use home as their advantage although Liverpool aims to end Barcelona's 13-match unbeaten run at home in the UEFA Champions League. The return fixture will be played at Anfield on 6 March.

In ten earlier visits to Spain , Liverpool has won five times and lost just twice. Benítez, in the meantime, was undefetead in trips to Barcelona with former club Valencia CF, recording two wins (4-2 in 2002/03 and 1-0 in 2003/04) and a draw (2-2 in 2001/02). His overall scorecard against Barcelona with Real Valladolid CF, CF Extremadura and Valencia is three wins, one draw and six defeats.

Sportbet.com has Barcelona at -185 with Liverpool a heavy dog of +400 . The draw at +230 and Liverpool are good picks. Eto’o and Messi will be back but I am leery of teams with rehab players. Besides its +400! The under 2½-150 is a no bet, I do like the over 2½ +110 . Asian line says Barca -1+110 , please that has to be at least a push. +1 -150 for Liverpool is risky money but plus the goal looks good.