To commence their UEFA Champions League play, Barcelona will take on Bayern Munich Tuesday. The Group E match is set to kick off at 3 p.m. ET and will be held at Barcelona’s home stadium of Camp Nou. Below, we preview the Bayern Munich vs. Barcelona odds and lines, and make our best UEFA Champions League bets, picks and predictions.
In the first of three knockout stage matches, fans will get a great show as two of the European powerhouses take the pitch.
While Barcelona, for the first time, won’t have superstar F Lionel Messi on the field, it has transitioned as well as expected with F Memphis Depay getting a ton of action in the early season.
Led by D Gerard Piqué, the Barcelona defense is also a force; however, the same can be said for Germany’s best side, Bayern Munich.
Bayern is led by Polish F Robert Lewandowski. F Leroy Sane should also make his presence felt and GK Manuel Neuer is arguably the best in the world.
Bayern Munich vs. Barcelona: Odds, picks and predictions
Odds via Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:20 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Bayern Munich +102 (bet $100 to win $102) | Barcelona +230 (bet $100 to win $230) | Draw +300
- Over/Under: 3.5 (O: +100 | U: -125)
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Prediction
Bayern Munich 3, Barcelona 2
Money line (ML)
“LEAN” to BAYERN MUNICH (+102) as it is just so talented on so many levels.
While Lewandowski leads the pack, it’s a roster full of talent in every area. Barcelona is up there with some world-class players, but Bayern is even more skilled.
Munich also has a unit that’s played consistently together. Thomas Muller, Neuer, and Lewandowski have been through high-level play before.
Last Group Stage they went a clean 3-0, destroying Athletico Madrid, the other side that advanced in the group. With Messi no longer on the roster, it’ll be a learning experience for Barcelona to play a team of this caliber.
I expect Barcelona to struggle. The odds are justified as Bayern is on the road; however, it’s still the more put-together side and one that should come out on top.
Over/Under (O/U)
BET on the OVER 3.5 (+100) as Bayern Munich is an elite attacking side. As noted, it put four on Athletico last season, with 4 goals in the first knockout round then combined for 5 with PSG.
It’s tough to gauge how Barcelona could play given how much it’ll have to adjust to life without Messi, but it has played well in La Liga so far.
Neuer thinks Barcelona will be unpredictable and iIf he’s right, Barcelona could manage a couple of goals and this will be a goal-heavy match.
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