Michael Owen has delivered his prediction for Tottenham Hotspur’s crunch Champions League tie with Barcelona on Tuesday night, plumping for a draw.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side travel to the Nou Camp in a precarious position, and Owen believes they won’t have enough to taste victory, despite the likely return of star man Harry Kane.
“Since the start of the 1975/76 season Barcelona have lost just one of their 30 home European ties against English sides (Liverpool 1-2 2007) but Spurs must equal, at worst, Inter’s result if they are to qualify for the knockout stages,” he wrote on the Bet Victor website.
“Mauricio Pochettino rested Harry Kane at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, but the England skipper will be restored to the starting XI in the Nou Camp. Barcelona could rest some key players given they are already guaranteed to top the group, but I feel they will do enough to take a point against the Premier League outfit.”
OPINION
It’s going to be incredibly difficult for Tottenham to come out on top at the Nou Camp, there’s no doubt about that. Barcelona are looking pretty good this season and, despite already being through, they won’t be taking things lightly in front of their home crowd. Spurs will need to be at their best to get anything from the game. They are capable of beating Ernesto Valverde’s side though. With the likes of Kane, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen all in fine form they always have a chance against any team in Europe. Barcelona won’t be at their maximum level, that’s only natural when the result doesn’t matter for them, so Pochettino’s charges could well get the job done. From an optimistic point of view you can make an argument for Spurs coming away from Catalonia with all three points, but Owen’s more realistic viewpoint might prove to be more likely here.