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Tottenham Hotspur F.C. vs. FC Barcelona Preview, Tips and Odds

Andy Brown — Fri, 28 Sep 2018 14:58:59 +0000

Tottenham is facing Barcelona in one of the most interesting clashes in the Champions League on October 3 at Wembley. There is a big contrast between the moods in the ranks of the two teams after their matches in the first round of the Champions League. Tottenham dramatically lost with an unexpected, last-minute goal. The Spurs were beaten by Inter (2:1) on the San Siro stadium and now, they need a win in the upcoming game.
Barcelona had no problems achieving an impressive 4-0 victory against PSV Eindhoven. The bad news for Barca’s coach is Samuel Umtiti’s red card. The French national will not play against the Spurs and he is going to be replaced by either Clément Lenglet or Thomas Vermaelen.
Tottenham’s manager Mauricio Pochettino is facing some unpleasant issues, too. Both of his first-choice goalkeepers, Hugo Lloris and Michel Vorm, are injured and it is not clear if they will recover on time. The third goalie Paulo Gazzaniga will be the last resort for Pochettino. Vincent Janssen is missing from the manager’s list due to a foot injury but he is not such a key player in the Tottenham’s squad.

Tottenham Hotspur F.C. vs. FC Barcelona Head to Head

Barcelona’s performance since the beginning of the season has not been particularly exceptional, despite the relatively good results. The team lost against Leganes (2:1) in the midweek fixture. Of course, it is too early to speak of a crisis, but the deficiencies in their play are obvious. The Blaugrana is playing much more pragmatically with Ernesto Valverde in charge.
There is no more Johan Cruyff’s idealistic “tiki-taka”, continued by Pep Guardiola’s dream team. Valverde relies on a 4-3-3 scheme, which transforms into a 4-2-3-1 with Luis Suárez as a centre-forward, Messi behind him as a playmaker, while Dembélé and Coutinho are positioned on the wings.

Tottenham Hotspur F.C. vs. FC Barcelona Betting Tips

Tottenham’s manager Mauricio Pochettino will rely on the creativity of his key players – Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen.
According to some analysts, Eriksen was supposed to be transferred in Barcelona this summer, but that never happened.
Dele Alli is another Spurs’ player who can make a difference if Barcelona’s defenders let him make his move.
The two teams have never played against each other in the Champions League. The only duel between them on the European scene was in 1982. They faced each other in the UEFA European Cup Winners Cup semifinals.
The first match ended in a draw (1:1) at White Hart Lane, but Barcelona grabbed the victory in the second one (1:0). The Catalans then defeated Standard Liege in the final and won the cup.

Tottenham Hotspur F.C. vs. FC Barcelona Prediction

According to us, the outcome of this match will be determined by the individual skills of the teams’ top players.
Tottenham Hotspur F.C. vs. FC Barcelona 2 (1.90 @ bet365)

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Manchester United set sights on signing £30m-rated defender

Sri Aswin — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 22:31:57 +0000

Manchester United have reportedly turned their attention towards signing Yerry Mina from Barcelona this month. United boss Jose Mourinho has shown a keen desire to sign a new centre-back this summer but so far, the club have found no success in bolstering the department.
Earlier this month, Leicester City’s Harry Maguire had been earmarked as the prime target to reinforce the heart of the backline but a deal now appears highly unlikely with the Foxes said to have no ambition of offloading their prized asset. Moreover, the Foxes are now planning to reward the Englishman with a new long-term contract (Mirror Sport) after his impressive showing for club and country over the past year.
Amidst this, Sky Sports News reports that United have cooled their interest in Maguire and their focus is now on pursuing Mina from Barcelona before next week’s transfer deadline. Mina only joined the Blaugrana from Palmeiras in January for €11.8m (Barcelona Official) but the Catalan giants are nevertheless prepared to sanction his sale amid the non-EU player regulations in the Spanish La Liga.
Based on the rules, only three non-EU players are permitted to be registered during the course of the campaign and Mina has supposedly been deemed surplus to requirements with Philippe Coutinho and summer signings Arthur and Malcom expected to take up the vacancies covered by the quota.
Mina could not make much of an impression with Barcelona last term as he managed just four league starts (Sky Sports) but the Spanish champions have still placed a £30m price tag on his head after he stood out for Colombia during their recent expedition at the summer World Cup.
The 23-year-old was a surprise exclusion for the opening game defeat at the hands of Japan but he thereafter featured for Colombia until their elimination in the round of 16 to England. Mina managed one headed goal in each of his three World Cup appearances, thereby showcasing his goalscoring ability from set-pieces.

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BeIN Sports journalist confirms Manchester United's interest in Barcelona defender

Sri Aswin — Sat, 28 Jul 2018 21:43:13 +0000

BeIN Sports journalist Tancredi Palmeri has revealed that Manchester United have made initial contact with Barcelona to acquire the signature of Yerry Mina.
The Colombian has come off a strong display at the summer World Cup but his future at the Camp Nou remains uncertain amid the Blaugrana exceeding the non-EU player quota.

Manchester United have contacted Barcelona for Yerri Mina

— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) July 28, 2018

Prior to the World Cup, Mina, Philippe Coutinho and Paulinho were the candidates taking up the available non-EU spots for the Spanish champions but things have since shaped differently with the latter sealing his return to Guangzhou Evergrande on a season-long loan deal.
Meanwhile, Ernesto Valverde’s side have gone forward to acquire Brazilian duo Arthur and Malcom from Gremio and Bordeaux respectively and this has put Mina’s position under genuine threat, considering they have also recruited Clement Lenglet from Sevilla to bolster the heart of the backline.
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has shown a keen emphasis on pursuing a central defender before next month’s transfer deadline but so far, the club have not been able to finalise a deal with any of their summer targets.
Of late, United are understood to have approached to sign Harry Maguire from Leicester City after his strong World Cup showing, but their efforts could supposedly go in vain with the Foxes said to have no ambition of offloading their prized asset.
As such, Mina has now surprisingly propped up the United radar and it will be interesting to see how this transfer saga proceeds, given the Colombian has barely adjusted to European football since making his January switch from Palmeiras.
Mina managed to exhibit strong qualities whilst intercepting play during the recent World Cup and this was combined with his impressive aerial ability in the opposition box as he scored three-headed goals.
Despite this, Mina was particularly average in terms of his ball playing potential and this is something which may put him at a disadvantage when compared to Maguire, who has been fluent with the same for club and country.

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Liverpool's £60,000-a-week goalkeeper linked with Barcelona move

Sri Aswin — Tue, 24 Jul 2018 21:40:46 +0000

Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has been associated with a shock switch to Barcelona before next month’s transfer deadline. The Belgium international has recently become the Reds’ third-choice shot-stopper behind Alisson Becker and Loris Karius and this has urged him to pursue a fresh challenge during the ongoing transfer window.
According to Marca, the Belgian could be offered a surprise move to Barcelona this summer with the Catalan giants weighing up a replacement for Jasper Cillessen. The Dutchman has done a credible job over the past two seasons where he has played second fiddle to Marc-Ander Ter Stegen but he is supposedly eyeing a summer departure in order to enhance his prospects of regular first-team football.
Looking at Barcelona’s stature, any shot-stopper would unquestionably find it hard to turn down a move but Mignolet may not be overly excited, considering he would only take up the back-up role. As such, the 30-year-old may evaluate his options in the coming weeks with Besiktas of late emerging as a probable destination for his services.
The Black Eagles have most-recently sanctioned the sale of first-choice goalkeeper Fabri to Premier League newcomers Fulham and The Sun suggests that Mignolet has emerged as their prime target for the number one role, though a transfer fee remains to be struck with the Merseyside giants.
Mignolet has been with Liverpool since the summer of 2013 when he made the switch from Sunderland. He has since enjoyed a mixed reception among the supporters amid his tendency to make occasional mistakes and this appears to have eventually cost him a regular berth between the sticks.
As things stand, Mignolet has three more years left on his £60,000-a-week contract with the Reds and the Belgian’s departure could be delayed until the Reds’ asking price is met. Klopp’s side accepted a £12.5m fee for the recent sale of Danny Ward to Leicester City and they may demand something similar to part ways with the Belgian shot-stopper.

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Barcelona fail with £50m bid for Premier League ace

Daire — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 21:15:10 +0000

Barcelona are understood to have failed with a £50m bid to sign Willian from Chelsea. The Brazil international has been with the west London giants for the past five seasons and he happened to enjoy his best campaign last term, scoring 13 goals across all competitions.
Despite this, his future remains uncertain heading into the crunch phase of the transfer window and The Mail has now dropped a surprise contender in the form of Spanish champions Barcelona.
As per the publication, the Catalan giants had made an offer worth £50m for the Brazilian footballer but the offer was not deemed sufficient to convince the Blues into a probable sale.
Willian has not managed to cement a regular starting role under Antonio Conte over the past couple of seasons but he has still remained committed to the Blues, who have made him a better player.
As such, the departure of the Brazilian would certainly be a surprise, though the Blues may still be tempted to accept a sizeable offer for a player, who will have turned 30 by the start of next season.
Aside from Barcelona, Manchester United are also understood to hold an interest in Willian owing to the presence of former Blues boss Jose Mourinho but the Mancunian giants have yet to make an approach for the summer.
Nonetheless, the transfer of any senior players appear to have been put on hold for the moment with the Blues yet to confirm the signing of a new head coach, who could replace Conte.
Conte has been tipped to leave Stamford Bridge ever since the club’s failure to make the top-four last season but there has so far been little movement in terms of securing a possible successor.
Former Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri has been highlighted as the prime target over the past month but the Blues have yet to negotiate a compensation package to release him from his contract with the Serie A club.

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Barcelona weighing up move for Manchester United forward

Omer — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 20:08:28 +0000

Spanish giants Barcelona have reportedly joined the pursuit of out-of-favour Manchester United forward Anthony Martial. The Frenchman has made just two Premier League starts since the winter arrival of Alexis Sanchez and this has generated doubts over his United future.
According to The Mail, the Catalonia-based club are prepared to revive their interest in Martial after having missed out on his signature last summer, where they opted to sign Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund instead.
Martial has enjoyed his best campaign in the United shirt this term, but his future has still come under question with Jose Mourinho reluctant to offer him a regular starting role since January.
The Frenchman made a strong start to the year with goals in three consecutive Premier League games, but he has since failed to contribute in any form with the manager having confined him to a regular bench role.
As per The Mail, the Catalan giants are prepared to part with a £60m sum for the former Monaco man, and this could tempt United into a sale, considering the winger has just 14 months left on his current contract.
Despite this, the Blaugrana are unlikely to have an easy route towards the attacker with Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur all said to have an interest in acquiring his signature during the summer.
Martial has attained just 32 minutes of Premier League action since the start of March, but he could find himself back in the starting lineup on Wednesday night following United’s lacklustre performance against West Bromwich Albion last weekend.
The Old Trafford outfit suffered a shock 1-0 loss to the Baggies in their home turf on Sunday, and this has surely opened up a few starting berths – with Mourinho likely to reward valuable game time to fringe players against Bournemouth.

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Three things we learned: Barcelona 3-0 Chelsea

Marek — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 23:03:21 +0000

Barcelona progressed to the quarter-final stage of the Champions League after they beat Chelsea by a 4-1 aggregate scoreline.
The Catalan giants backed their 1-1 stalemate at Stamford Bridge with a 3-0 triumph at the Camp Nou on Wednesday night, and this ensured their place in the last eight of the elite competition.
Three Things We Learned:
Lionel Messi proves his mettle: Prior to the double-legged tie, there had been lot of talk about Lionel Messi’s eight-match goalless streak against Chelsea. The Argentine put this unwanted record to bed during the first-leg, where he equalised from a defensive lapse from the Blues. He continued in the same vein of form at the Camp Nou, where he was the star of the show with a goal in either half, in addition to his assist for Ousmane Dembele’s strike (whoscored).
Chelsea lacked the cutting edge: Chelsea’s brand of attacking football on Wednesday night had some similarities with Sevilla, who were wasteful in front of goal, barring Ben Yedder, whose brace ensured a shock triumph over Manchester United in the competition. Unfortunately, the Blues did not have a saviour in the form of Ben Yedder in their ranks, and Olivier Giroud had a Champions League night to forget as he failed to find the scoresheet. Giroud did manage one layoff for Marcos Alonso, but the attempt was blocked by some last-ditch defending from Gerard Pique.
A defeat with plenty of positives: Despite going down to Barcelona, the Blues’ faithful at the Camp Nou were pleased with the overall efforts of the team. Antonio Conte’s side were slammed for opting for an ultra-defensive approach against Manchester City earlier in the month, but they have no reason to regret their performance in Catalonia where they managed to keep Barcelona in their own half for the vast part of the second period. In-form winger Willian was the driving force once more, but could not find the final delivery to pick-up either Hazard or Giroud.

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Champions League [Preview]: Barcelona vs Chelsea

Marek — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 21:51:14 +0000

Barcelona entertain Chelsea in the second-leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie on Wednesday night.
The Catalan giants go into the game on the back of an impressive run, which saw them come up triumphs against Atletico Madrid by a 1-0 scoreline. As a result, they hold an eight-point lead over Diego Simeone’s side at the top of the table, and remain favourites to reclaim the La Liga title. The Blaugrana are unbeaten in their league campaign to date.
On the contrary, things have not been rosy for the Blues, who are in a tussle to finish in the Champions League positions. The west London outfit ended a two-match losing streak in the Premier League with a nervous 2-1 triumph over Crystal Palace, but they still remain four points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool.
What happened in the first-leg?
Chelsea entered the first-leg as potential outsiders owing to their average league form which included defeats to Watford and Bournemouth. However, Willian’s standout showing on the night allowed them secure a well-deserved 1-0 lead in the 62nd minute, after the Brazilian hit the woodwork with two previous attempts.
But, this was not the final outcome of the fixture with Lionel Messi capitalising on a defensive mistake to score 15 minutes from time. The goal was the Argentine’s first against the Capital outfit, and with that, Barcelona edged the encounter by bagging an invaluable away goal in a 1-1 draw.
Players to watch for:
Lionel Messi – Barcelona: The Argentine is the focus of attention in every game, but more so, in front of the Catalan faithful. The 30-year-old has scored in each outing since facing Chelsea, and this includes a spectacular free-kick in the 1-0 triumph over Atletico Madrid. Chelsea managed to force Messi into a deeper position during the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge, and Blues midfielder N’Golo Kante has his task cut out to restrict the attacker’s mesmerising movement.
Willian – Chelsea: Like Messi, Willian has stood out in the Chelsea ranks during a period where they have experienced indifferent results. The Brazil international has scored in four of the last five matches, barring the Manchester City game, where the entire team decided not to turn up. Willian is a potent threat when offered space anywhere near goal, and Barcelona will be well aware of his shooting prowess after he was denied a deserved hat-trick during the first-leg, due to the woodwork.
Prediction:
Chelsea are likely to play on the counter versus Barcelona, but we are not anticipating them to spring in a surprise. Hence we are backing for a comfortable victory for the La Liga leaders.
Barcelona 2-0 Chelsea

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Mourinho interested in signing 24-year-old Barca star

Marek — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 06:40:35 +0000

Manchester United have got a very strong back line and so far, they have only conceded 19 goals in 27 Premier League fixtures this season.
If reports in the media are anything to go by then manager Jose Mourinho wants to further strengthen his defense and he is interested in signing French international and Barcelona star Samuel Umtiti.
According to Don Balon, the 24-year-old central defender, who has a release clause of 60 million euros in his contract, is not satisfied with his situation at the Nou Camp.
Also Read: Sanchez starts – Man Utd’s predicted starting XI vs Sevilla
The Spanish source have mentioned that the Les Bleus defender wants the Catalan giants to offer him improved terms i.e. at least 8 million euros a season.
In the current campaign, Umtiti has so far featured in 27 games in all competitions for the La Liga leaders.
The former Lyon star’s current contract with Barca will expire in 2021 and Don Balon claim that Mourinho has given orders to activate the release clause if the player gives the green light to move. Barcelona now have a month to sort out the situation and if they fail to do so then Umtiti could accept Mourinho’s proposal (Don Balon).
United already have an overcrowded central defense with players like Rojo, Blind, Bailly, Smalling, Jones and Lindelof around. In such a scenario, Mourinho must look to offload a few CBs before signing Umtiti.

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Chelsea team news and likely starting XI vs Barcelona

Marek — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 05:34:22 +0000

Chelsea defeated Hull City in the FA Cup at the weekend and next up, the Blues will collide against Barcelona in the Champions League.
The five time European Champions have been in red hot form this season and should be considered favorites to win vs Antonio Conte’s team even at Stamford Bridge.
As far as Chelsea’s team news is concerned, the likes of Tiemoue Bakayoko, David Luiz and winter signing Ross Barkley are out injured at the moment (PhysioRoom). Spanish international Marcos Alonso has been injured as well but he could be fit to face the Catalan giants.
Conte should make more than a few changes in the team that started vs the Tigers at the weekend. Courtois will likely return to replace Caballero in the goal.
Azpilicueta should return to partner the likes of Cahill and Rudiger in the back line. Alonso and Moses may start in the wing-back positions for the Blues. The likes of Fabregas and Kante will probably start in the central midfield.
As far as the attack is concerned, Pedro and Hazard should start behind Spanish center forward Alvaro Morata.
Here is Chelsea’s likely XI vs Barcelona.

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