Barcelona and Manchester United are no strangers when it comes to European competition, and they will renew acquaintances on Thursday night when they face off in the Europa League. Camp Nou will play host to the first meeting between the two clubs in four years, with Manchester United hoping to end a four-match losing streak to the Spanish giants.
Barcelona haven’t done well at home in European competition the past few years, losing five times in 11 matches. But manager Xavi Hernandez has gotten his team going since late October, with only a draw against Espanyol in La Liga play denying them a 16-match winning streak in all competitions.
Can Manchester United take points off Barcelona for the first time in 2023, or will the Catalan outfit continue their dominant streak over their English foes? Let’s dive into those questions in our Barcelona vs Manchester United picks and predictions for Thursday, February 16.
Barcelona vs Manchester United best odds
Barcelona vs Manchester United picks and predictions
Barcelona have been rejuvenated since the World Cup break. After crashing out of the Champions League group stages, finishing third behind Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, the Spanish side have been unbeatable. Their last defeat was a 3-0 win at home to Bayern Munich on Matchday 5, and they’ve failed to win just one of those last 16. That includes multiple cup matches, and a victory over Real Madrid.
They’re in danger of running away with La Liga due to their form, as they’re up 11 points on Madrid. More stunningly, they’ve conceded just seven goals in 21 league outings, with a goal-differential of +36. Just one of their last seven opponents in all competitions have found the back of the net, and they’ve conceded just once at home in their last five.
However, they’ve shown they can be breached in European play. Both Bayern and Inter put three past them at Camp Nou, the latter doing so in a 3-3 shootout that saw three goals after the 81st minute.
That’s actually been a trend for Barcelona. Of the nine goals scored in their last five matches at home, just one has come prior to the halftime whistle.
As good as Barcelona’s form has been, Manchester United’s isn’t far behind. The Red Devils have tasted defeat just once in their last 17 matches in all competitions, a 3-2 defeat to Arsenal. They’ve won 14 of those matches as well. Their form hasn’t been bad away from home, winning 10 of 16 with just four defeats.
Just like Barcelona, it’s often been left somewhat late by the Red Devils – and that’s to the credit of manager Erik ten Hag, whose substitutions and desire to chase the game has allowed them to pull things out after halftime. That’s what they did over the weekend against Leeds, with his side grabbing two goals in the final 10 minutes of regulation.
Manchester United’s last six away matches in all competitions have seen a total of 16 goals scored, including outings against Arsenal and Fulham. Ten of those goals have come after halftime, including each of the last three, and seven of the 10 scored in the last three matches.
Barcelona’s last five matches at all venues have seen nine goals scored, and just one of those has come in the first half. Manchester United’s last five at all venues have seen just two of 15 goals scored prior to halftime, and all five saw more goals in the second half than in the first.
That’s why I’m going heavily on the second half to see the most goals in this fixture. Both of these managers know how important this fixture is, and both are defending well in the first half while going after the win in the second 45 minutes. Look for that trend to continue here, and take the wager at plus-money.
My best bet: Half with most goals 2nd Half (+110 at FanDuel)
Looking to do some Europa League betting? Here are two of the best bonuses* available:
A) New users at FanDuel can get a no-sweat first bet of up to $3,000! Sign Up Now
B) New users at DraftKings can bet $5 and get $200 in bonus bets! Sign Up Now
*Eligible USA locations only. Also, check out our full list of best soccer betting sites for 2023.
21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Barcelona vs Manchester United side analysis
We’ve already discussed the form of both sides, but Barcelona’s dominance at home has them as a significant favorite in the 3-way moneyline. Man United are the underdogs, with a draw paying slightly less than an away win. That’s partly due to the fact that in their 10 European meetings, Manchester United have won just once, while losing five times.
But the hosts have a bit of an issue in the midfield. Sergio Busquets is injured, and Frenkie de Jong will likely deputize, which takes away a bit of his offensive abilities. That said, he recovered the ball nearly 20 times this weekend, and along with Franck Kessie, will be tasked with limiting Bruno Fernandes’ ability to impact proceedings. Ousmane Dembele will also miss out.
The Red Devils get Casemiro back, and they’ve been nearly unbeatable with him in the lineup. His suspension is domestic only, so he will regain his position alongside Fred. Christian Eriksen and Scott McTominay continue to be absent in the middle of the park, and Marcel Sabitzer is suspended. Also, Lisandro Martinez is suspended, which means Harry Maguire will start or Luke Shaw will tuck inside in central defense.
Barcelona vs Manchester United Over/Under analysis
As mentioned earlier, Barcelona aren’t allowing teams to score – but they’re also not doing much scoring themselves at home of late. Their 3-0 win over Sevilla last week is the only time in their last five home matches that more than two goals have been scored, as they had a trio of matches where they scored just once. Overall, four of their last six have gone Under.
Man United have been somewhat the opposite, although the absence of Casemiro has played a part in that. Five of their last seven matches have seen three or more goals scored, and the Brazilian was absent for three of those and sent off in another. Away from home, just two of their last five have gone Over, and four of their last nine. They’ve kept four clean sheets in that span.
A decent bit of money has come in on the Over in this one, but it’s not juiced to the point of being unplayable. In their last meeting, in the 2018-19 Champions League quarterfinals, the Red Devils fell 3-0 at Camp Nou in the second leg following a 1-0 defeat at home. Six of their 10 meetings have seen three or more goals scored.
Barcelona vs Manchester United game info
| Location: | Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain |
| Date: | Thursday, February 16, 2023 |
| Time: | 12:45 p.m. ET |
| TV: | FuboTV |
Barcelona vs Manchester United key injuries
Barcelona: Sergio Busquets M (Out), Ousmane Dembele F (Out).
Manchester United: Lisandro Martinez D (Out), Christian Eriksen M (Out), Marcel Sabitzer M (Out), Antony F (Out), Anthony Martial F (Out).
Barcelona vs Manchester United weather
Temperatures in the upper 40s at kickoff will greet players and fans on Thursday night. However, there is no precipitation in the forecast, and winds will be minimal if at all existent.
