Preview: In-form Barcelona face Feyenoord in Champions League opener
By Filip Mishov Hansi Flick’s all-out attacking football defying the critics With or without a recognised centre-forward, not much changed in Barcelona’s frontline this season, as the reigning LaLiga champions are averaging 4.25 goals (17 in total) and 6.75 big chances per match (27 in total), the highest in Spain’s top tier. Hansi Flick‘s free-scoring squad have got off to a flawless start and they brushed aside Valencia at Estadio de Mestalla over the weekend with Lamine Yamal & co. displaying a ruthless performance ahead of this, their Champions League opener. Although defending the title is a priority for the Blaugrana, reclaiming a European title for the first time since 2014/2015 is the club’s ultimate aim Feyenoord return to Camp Nou for the first time since 1974/75 with a familiar face in the dugout, as the former Barça player, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, is leading last season’s Eredivisie runners-up as head coach. Gio lifted the Champions League trophy back in 2005/06 and won LaLiga in back-to-back seasons (2004/05 and 2005/06) as part of Frank Rijkaard’s iconic squad. Now, the Rotterdam-based club are also unbeaten (3W, 2D) at the start of the Netherlands league campaign and celebrated a win at NEC Nijmegen on Saturday. However, and with respect to the other sides in the Eredivisie, the match against LaLiga leaders Bara will be Feyenoord’s first big test of the season. Key players Raphinha is in scintillating form and one of the highest-rated players across Europe’s top five leagues with the prolific Brazil attacker scoring six goals in LaLiga’s opening four matches and becoming Barcelona’s first player since Lionel Messi to achieve the same feat. The captain is averaging a FotMob rating of 8.73 and operating across the frontline, making everyone around him better, with Lamine Yamal (8.48) and Fermín López (8.21) also in stellar form. Gjivai Zechiël is excelling for Feyenoord after returning from his successful season-long loan spell at FC Utrecht, and the Netherlands U21 international has scored four goals and provided three assists in their opening five matches. The talented midfielder is the highest-rated (8.49) player in the Eredivisie and no player has created more big chances (4) or accumulated more goals + assists (7) than him, becoming indispensable in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad.
By Filip Mishov
Hansi Flick’s all-out attacking football defying the critics
With or without a recognised centre-forward, not much changed in Barcelona’s frontline this season, as the reigning LaLiga champions are averaging 4.25 goals (17 in total) and 6.75 big chances per match (27 in total), the highest in Spain’s top tier.
Hansi Flick‘s free-scoring squad have got off to a flawless start and they brushed aside Valencia at Estadio de Mestalla over the weekend with Lamine Yamal & co. displaying a ruthless performance ahead of this, their Champions League opener. Although defending the title is a priority for the Blaugrana, reclaiming a European title for the first time since 2014/2015 is the club’s ultimate aim
Feyenoord return to Camp Nou for the first time since 1974/75 with a familiar face in the dugout, as the former Barça player, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, is leading last season’s Eredivisie runners-up as head coach. Gio lifted the Champions League trophy back in 2005/06 and won LaLiga in back-to-back seasons (2004/05 and 2005/06) as part of Frank Rijkaard’s iconic squad.
Now, the Rotterdam-based club are also unbeaten (3W, 2D) at the start of the Netherlands league campaign and celebrated a win at NEC Nijmegen on Saturday. However, and with respect to the other sides in the Eredivisie, the match against LaLiga leaders Bara will be Feyenoord’s first big test of the season.
Key players
Raphinha is in scintillating form and one of the highest-rated players across Europe’s top five leagues with the prolific Brazil attacker scoring six goals in LaLiga’s opening four matches and becoming Barcelona’s first player since Lionel Messi to achieve the same feat. The captain is averaging a FotMob rating of 8.73 and operating across the frontline, making everyone around him better, with Lamine Yamal (8.48) and Fermín López (8.21) also in stellar form.
Gjivai Zechiël is excelling for Feyenoord after returning from his successful season-long loan spell at FC Utrecht, and the Netherlands U21 international has scored four goals and provided three assists in their opening five matches. The talented midfielder is the highest-rated (8.49) player in the Eredivisie and no player has created more big chances (4) or accumulated more goals + assists (7) than him, becoming indispensable in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad.
Team news
Eric García was replaced after 29 minutes at the Mestalla following a clash of heads, but even if the defender managed to recover in time for Wednesday, the Spaniard is suspended for the Champions League opener and will join Frenkie de Jong, Roony Bardghji and Jesse Bisiwu on the sidelines.
Van Bronckhorst is managing a few knocks in his squad with Jordan Bos, Gijs Smal, Bart Nieuwkoop and Jakub Moder among the notable absentees.
Prediction
With Barcelona and Feyenoord enjoying unbeaten and prolific starts to their seasons, I expect quite a few goals at Camp Nou once again, but ultimately, the reigning Spanish champions boast too much quality in midfield and attack, and I expect them to celebrate a win.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from the Champions League with FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, player ratings. Download the free app here.
Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.