Racing vs Barcelona: will Barcelona face problems?
In the round of 16 match taking place on Thursday, January 15, we will witness a clash between Racing and Barcelona. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 CET, and below is a betting preview for this encounter.
Racing vs Barcelona: match facts and head-to-head
- Racing are winless in three consecutive matches: two draws and one defeat.
- Barcelona have won ten matches in a row.
- Barcelona have scored at least one goal in ten consecutive matches.
- Barcelona have won four straight away games.
- Racing have lost only once in their last eight home matches.
- Racing have scored at least one goal in 13 consecutive home games.
- This season, Racing have scored at least one goal in every match.
- In 54% of matches this season, Barcelona have scored in both halves.
- Racing have not lost a single match without scoring this season, while Barcelona have failed to score in one.
- Barcelona have kept a clean sheet in 31% of matches this season, Racing in 21%.
- Barcelona defeated Racing 2–0 in their most recent head-to-head meeting.
- Racing have not beaten Barcelona since 2004 and are on a 17-match winless run against them.
Racing vs Barcelona: match preview
Racing are currently competing in LaLiga 2, and their recent results have not been particularly convincing. In the domestic league, they are winless in four consecutive matches. Despite this, the team still sits top of the table, although their advantage has narrowed, meaning the battle for direct promotion to LaLiga remains wide open. In the Copa del Rey, Racing entered the competition in the second round, where they thrashed SD Logroñés 4–0, then edged Ponferradina 2–1, before causing a major upset in the round of 32 by knocking out Villarreal with a 2–1 win.
Barcelona have played only one match in the Copa del Rey so far, having entered at the preliminary stage, where they defeated Guadalajara 2–0. Barça are the defending champions of this competition and will be aiming to retain the trophy. Just a few days ago, they also successfully defended another title, winning the Spanish Super Cup for the second consecutive time. Their LaLiga campaign is also going smoothly: the Blaugrana currently top the table with 49 points after 19 matchdays, holding a four-point lead over second place.
Probable line-ups
- Racing: Ezkieta; Mantilla, Ramon, Gonzalez, Garcia; Gueye, Puerta; Sangalli, Canales, Camara; Martin
- Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Garcia, Araujo, Martin, Balde; Casado, Pedri; Bardghji, Olmo, Rashford; Ferran
Prediction
Barcelona are the clear favourites for this match. Despite playing away from home, I still see them coming out on top. The recommended bet is Barcelona’s individual total over 2.5 goals, with odds of 1.75.