The clash between Napoli and Barcelona in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League is generating fervent expectations among football fans and betting shops.
Despite playing at home, Napoli are seen as the underdogs in this match, with Barcelona occupying the position of favorites.
The game is scheduled for Wednesday (21) at 5pm, at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, Napoli, from Italy, will host Barcelona, from Spain, for the first decisive clash.
The Italian team secured second place in group C, while the Spanish team topped group H.
Despite the advantage of field control, Napoli do not enjoy favoritism in this duel.
After a brilliant season in 2022/23, where they won the Italian Championship after 33 years of waiting, the team is facing difficulties in replicating such performance, currently occupying only 9th place in the local championship.
Barcelona, too, is going through a turbulent period, seeking redemption on the field while still fighting for the Spanish Championship title. Since they became champions last season.
The Catalans are in the final months of Xavi Hernández as coach, as he announced his departure from the club at the end of the season.
Top Bookmaker Odds
Betting platforms, such as Bet7k, Casa de Apostas, Esportes da Sorte, Galera.bet, Onabet, Reals and Odds&Scouts, present the following odds for the clash:
- Bet7k: Napoli 2.80 x Barcelona 2.50
- Casa de Apostas: Napoli 2.84 x Barcelona 2.43
- Esportes da Sorte: Napoli 2.87 x Barcelona 2.45
- Galera.bet: Napoli 2.90 x Barcelona 2.40
- Reals: Napoli 2.80 x Barcelona 2.35
- Onabet: Napoli 2.85 x Barcelona 2.45
- Odds & Scouts: Napoli 2.90 x Barcelona 2.40
It is evident that, despite recent setbacks, Barcelona maintains the trust of bettors, demonstrating its giant aura even in moments of instability.
It remains to be seen whether favoritism will translate into victory in the clash between these two giants of European football in the Champions League knockout stages.
