Slavia Prague vs Barcelona UEFA Champions League Matchday 3 Odds & Betting Preview

• Slavia Prague sit third in Group F with one point
• Spanish giants Barcelona are tied with Dortmund one four points
• See the odds for the Group F Slavia Prague vs Barcelona match below

Group F is another that could be described as a ‘group of death’ as it contains three bonafide giants of European soccer. With three former European champions in the group, Slavia Prague have six mountains to climb, the latest being a home game against the mighty Barcelona on Wednesday, October 23, at 3:00 pm EST.

UEFA Champions League – Slavia Prague vs Barcelona Odds

All odds taken on October 17, 2019.

Things don’t get any easier for Slavia Prague as the latest European heavyweight hovers into view for Matchday 3 – the club’s first-ever game against Barcelona. They start the game in bottom place in the group.

So far, the Czech champions have picked up a single point from their opening two games, against Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund, but the visit of the five-time European champions is their toughest test so far. An interesting point to note though is that Barca have lost two of their previous six away games in the Czech Republic. An omen maybe?

Slavia so Close at the San Siro

Slavia had looked set to pick up their first-ever away win in the UEFA Champions League group stage when Peter Olayinka’s gave them a 63rd-minute goal in the San Siro on Matchday 1, but Inter’s Nicolò Barella leveled for the home side two minutes into added time. It was a missed opportunity for Slavia, one they were to regret even more two weeks later when Borussia Dortmund traveled to Prague and ran out comfortable 2-0 winners.

This is only the second time Slavia have made it to the group stages of the Champions League, with their only previous appearance being 12 years ago when they finished third in their group behind Arsenal and Sevilla. On four other occasions they have been knocked out in the preliminary rounds, so this is a big deal for the club and they won’t want to be seen as the group’s whipping boys.

Domestically they are used to winning – last season’s title win was their second in three seasons –and in total they have won it 18 times, but the big step up into the Champions League has always been a step too far; the Czech league lacking in quality and depth and not providing good preparation for a Champions League campaign.

Yet they are still dangerous opponents and coach Jindřich Trpišovský has molded a team that, if everything clicks are capable of springing the odd upset, as shown by them almost sneaking a win in the San Siro.

Barca’s Slow Start to the Season

This is a big ask for them though, made even harder by Barcelona having already dropped points when they were held 0-0 in Dortmund on Matchday 1. But worthy of note too is that it was the second successive European match in which Barcelona had failed to score – the first time that had happened since the autumn of 2017 – and they have actually won only four of their last 14 away matches in European competition, drawing six and losing four.

Barca also have not enjoyed the start to the La Liga campaign that has become customary in Catalonia, with them losing two and drawing one of their opening eight games. They are yet to fire on all cylinders and this could offer a glimmer of hope for Slavia.

Czech Mate for Barca?

The Catalonians do, however, have a good record against Czech clubs, winning their last four matches, scoring 13 goals and conceding just one in the process. Their most recent game against Czech opposition was against Viktoria Plzeň in the 2011/12 group stages, where they won 2-0 at the Camp Nou and 4-0 away, with a young Lionel Messi scoring a hat-trick.

Two of their three defeats against Czech opponents have come away from home, which includes a 1-0 by Slavia’s rivals, Sparta Prague.

The -217 on offer for the Barca win offers no value at all and in reality, it’s tough to find a compelling argument for a home win, but the +350 on offer for the draw looks, to me, like where the value lies. Even consider a 2-2.

My pick: Slavia and Barca to draw (+350)