True European heavyweights clash in the first knockout round of the Europa League on Thursday as Manchester United travel to Camp Nou to meet Barcelona.
Can Barca keep Marcus Rashford quiet and produce another rock-solid defensive performance? Bookmaker 10bet has the odds at 2.65 for a home team clean sheet. The odds are at 5.75 for Manchester United to nullify Robert Lewandowski & Co.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 15th, 9:00 A.M. (EST)
Through 30 games across all competitions, Barcelona have recorded 17 clean sheets and they have conceded only one league goal from open play at Camp Nou. Lewandowski was the big signing in the summer who was set to make Barca a huge offensive threat but it’s turned out that the defense has played the biggest part in the team’s success.
Barcelona was well off the pace in the La Liga title race last season, but the team now has a very comfortable 11-point lead ahead of Real Madrid and can turn their focus fully on Europe. The draw for the first knockout stage couldn’t have been worse for the team, but Xavi’s men are the favorites in the match-up and should feel quite good about their chances.
The confidence of the United players should be at a high level as well. The team has been in spectacular form ever since the World Cup break ended, and they also have a chance to fight for multiple trophies this spring after closing the gap with Arsenal to five points in the Premier League.
Marcus Rashford has been the main man for the Red Devils in the league and it’s going to be interesting to see if he can carry his form over to the European stage as well. In Sunday’s 2-0 triumph over Leeds United, Rashford hit his 13th goal since the World Cup break and no other player in the top five European leagues has totaled more than nine since the season resumed.
We have only just entered the latter half of the season, but Rashford is already only one goal short of matching his career high, having netted 21 times in 34 games. Even Barca boss Xavi has called the United man one of the most dangerous players in Europe. A big performance from him at the legendary Camp Nou would further grow Rashford’s reputation as a special talent.
