Barcelona vs Celtic: Champions League Match Preview

FC Barcelona will be looking to return to winning ways when they host Scottish Champions Celtic at the Camp Nou for their first game of the new 2016/2017 UEFA Champions League season.

The Catalan giants put up a disappointing performance at the weekend as they lost 2-1 at home to newly-promoted side Deportivo Alaves. They will be looking to bounce back against Celtic on Tuesday night in their first group stage game of the new UCL season.

Luis Enrique will very likely unleash his strongest squad for the game as he won’t take chances like he did against Alaves. Star men Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta are set to return to the starting lineup as Barça will be looking to start the campaign on a positive note.

Both teams met in Dublin during preseason in the International Champions Cup with Barça coming out as 3-1 winners, however, it is very clear than Brendan Rodgers and his men will take the Champions League game differently as it is one official competition.

TEAM NEWS

Luis Enrique could make 7 changes to the lineup against Alaves for Celtic game with the likes of Messi, Suarez, Iniesta, Alba, Umtiti, Pique and Sergi Roberto set to start. Goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen is back from injury it it is unlikely he starts ahead of Jasper Cillessen who had a good (but unlucky) debut against Alaves.

Midfielder Andre Gomes is also likely to make the match squad after he was left out of Saturday’s game. The Portuguese picked up an injury on international duty but was declared fit last week and he’s cleared to play against Celtic. The good news is that all Barça players in the squad are fig and available for selection.

For Celtic, they come into the game with optimum confidence after thrashing their rivals Rangers 5-1 over the weekend. Star man Moussa Dembele netted a hat-trick in the game and will definitely lead the line for the Scots. There are no major injury problems for them.

LAST FIVE MEETINGS

Barcelona 6-1 Celtic
Celtic 0-1 Barcelona
Celtic 2-1 Barcelona
Barcelona 2-1 Celtic
Barcelona 1-0 Celtic

FORM GUIDE

Barcelona: WWWWL
Celtic: WWLWW

Possible Barcelona Lineup: Jasper Cillessen; Sergi Roberto, Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti, Jordi Alba; Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta; Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar.

Possible Celtic Lineup: de Vries; Lustig, Toure, Sviatchenko, Tierney; Brown, Bitton; Sinclair, Rogic, Forrest; Moussa Dembele.

BarcaLens Prediction: Barça will go into this game with one aim – making up for Saturday’s loss with a rout, they will press from the first minute and will get their result – Barcelona 4-0 Celtic.