NAP Vs BAR Dream 11 Prediction: Rejuvenated Napoli strives to pummel an underwhelming Barcelona outfit in the Champions League clash.
UPDATE: Instead of C Lenglet, get M Rui in your team
This has been a funny old campaign for Napoli. They have clearly impressed on ample occasions to showcase the true mettle of their contingent but unfortunately, have been yearning for consistency across the length of their campaign.
It’s been a predicament which has seen them try to cover ground all season in a bid to make the top 4 with the club currently finding itself in 6th spot. What will please them though ahead of today’s upcoming fixture against Barcelona is the way the last couple has transpired for them with the side tasting consummate success to register four wins in its last five outings.
Buoyed by those results, the side will be looking to emulate its bygone emphatic wins when they take on a tottering Barcelona unit today. Although the La Liga leaders were fortuitous to move into top spot in their league at the weekend, there are evident issues engulfing the outfit, ones Napoli will be looking to capitalise on today.
Probable Winner
With two sides who have strived to achieve consistency and excellence this term squaring off against each other today, determining a winner was never going to be the easiest of tasks. Whilst their calibre in attack is undoubtable, defensive issues have refrained either side from emerging as a world-class outfit this season.
We envision the goals to pour today with this encounter ending in a high scoring draw.
Probable Playing 11
Team News
- Malcuit, Younes and Koulibaly will all be skipping today’s forthcoming encounter for the home side with the players nursing injuries at the moment.
Napoli
Ospina, Di Lorenzo, Manolas, Maksimovic, Mario Rui, Fabian Ruiz, Demme, Zielinski, Callejon, Mertens, Insigne
Barcelona
Ter Stegen, Nelson Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Junior Firpo, De Jong, Busquets, Arthur, Messi, Vidal, Griezmann
Match Details
Champions League 2019-20
Match: Napoli Vs Barcelona
Date And Time: 26th February, Wednesday- 1:30am IST
Venue: Stadio San Paolo, Naples
Television: Sony Ten 1/HD
Pivotal Players
Napoli
- Di Lorenzo, Manolas, Fabian Ruiz, Zielinski
Barcelona
- Nelson Semedo, Lenglet, Junior Firpo, Arthur
Top Goal Scorer
Napoli
- Milik: 9 Goals
Barcelona
- Messi: 18 Goals, 12 Assists
Freekick And Corner Taker
Napoli
- Callejon
Barcelona
- Messi
Dream 11 Picks
Goal-Keeper
We’ll be venturing in with Marc-Andre ter Stegen as our goal-keeper for the day’s encounter. Napoli will be relentless while moving forward and given the Barcelona goalkeeper’s ability to parry away shots, the save points should roll in today.
Defenders
Just the one pick for us from the home side with us roping in the services of Giovanni di Lorenzo for the clash. He offers a dual nature as a defender, someone who has not only provided unstinted support in defence but has been more than willing to maraud his way into the side’s attacking travails as well.
Elsewhere from Barcelona, we have the indomitable partnership of Gerard Pique and Charles Lenglet represent us with the side the likelier of the two outfits when it comes out to pull out a clean sheet on the day.
Midfielders
Both Fabian Ruiz and Jose Callejon have popped up with the two goals this season with Callejon having provided the 6 assists as well to make the partnership our pick from Napoli for the encounter. The two have been quintessential to their side’s revival with their enigmatic ability to string together attacking plays making them a formidable partnership.
From Barcelona elsewhere, we are going to be reposing faith in the midfield partnership of Arturo Vidal and Frenkie de Jong. The two will be pivotal to transitioning the ball from defence to attack, traits which could easily see them layup a goal-scoring pass to their counterparts.
Strikers
Barcelona’s top scorer this season with the 18 goals and 14 assists after scoring against Eibar at the weekend, Lionel Messi was always going to be an instant pick for us for this encounter.
The 8 goals and 4 assists for Antoine Griezmann see him be brought in as well from the side whilst with 6 goals and 3 assists, Dries Mertens wraps up our Dream 11 contingent from Napoli.
Captain And Vice-Captain
Given his 4 goals at the weekend, Messi will captain our side while Mertens is the vice-captain.
Dream 11 Team
Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Pique, Lenglet, Giovanni, Ruiz, Callejon, Frenkie, Vidal, Messi,, Griezmann, Mertens
Note: For Updated teams after lineup announcement, join The SportsRush Premium on our mobile app.
UPDATE: Instead of C Lenglet, get M Rui in your team
Dream 11 Disclaimer
All our selections are based on in-depth and astute analysis of the players partaking in the match and a perusal of other reasoning. Please incorporate a slew of factors while crafting your own side with this article serving as a guide to the match and players.
