Barcelona Vs Liverpool UCL 01 May Preview
Barcelona remain on course for a treble and are in search of their first Champions League trophy since 2015 as they take on Liverpool to secure a place in the competition’s final.
Barcelona
The Catalans have now secured the laliga crown and are one-third of the way through to a historic treble season.
Wining the Liga just before this double-legged tie means that they can now focus on winning the most coveted Champions league title.
Ernesto Valverde has been saving a number of players including Lionel Messi ahead of this game and has inspite of that overseen three wins in the space of seven days.
Messi’s logic defying goal tally this season is what offers the most threat to Liverpool and PFA player of the year, Virgil Van Dijk.
If 46 goals in games including a double figure number of assists, competition leading 10 goals in the Champions league isn’t enough reason to develop a headache, 24 goals in 32 games against English opposition teams is more than enough to cause Jurgen Klopp a migraine.
Infact, Barcelona haven’t lost a home game in the UCL for the past six years, winning 28 of 32 matches in that period.
That said, Liverpool will be hopeful that Van Dijk who hasn’t been dribbled past this season could hold off Messi effectively well.
Recent form: W D D W W W
Liverpool
Liverpool are now a different team from the team who lost against the all-conquering Real Madrid due to some goalkeeping gaffe by Lorius Karius.
The class of 2018-19 looks even more capable of winning this title this term with the likes of Alisson in between the sticks and Virgil Van Dijk at the heart of defence.
Talk of this compact and high-pressing team that Jurgen Klopp has pulled together:
Goalkeeper, Alisson has managed the most clean sheets in the EPL this season (20), Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold have supplied the most assists for a defender (11 and 10 respectively) while Salah and Mane are the first and second highest goalscorers respectively in the league this term (21 and 20).
That team with a free-scoring side and rock hard defence is going to be a tough nut to crack for Barcelona.
Liverpool would definitely do anything to lift the crown at least for a compensation if they fail to get the Premier league title ahead of Manchester City.
To achieve this, they must get at least an away goal away from home.
Recent form: L W D W W W
Possible Starting Line-Up
Barcelona
Ter Stegen; Alba, Lenglet, Pique, Roberto; Arthur, Busquets, Rakitic; Messi, Suarez, Dembele
Liverpool
Alisson; Robertson, Van Dijk, Matip, Alexander-Arnold; Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Henderson; Mane, Firmino, Salah
