UEFA Champions League

The UEFA Champions League returns this week with four premier matchups and with all eight teams still in contention to advance, we should see maximum efforts from all parties involved.

Day one features many of the largest footballing brands in the world, with Barcelona, Manchester United, Juventus, and Ajax all action, assuring the Semi-finals will provide us with even more excellent encounters during Europe's top competition.

Barcelona vs. Manchester United
Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
TNT - SKY Sports - Telemundo
4-16-2019 - 3:00 pm ET - 8:00 pm GMT

The return leg of this colossal contest should not disappoint, with the Catalans holding a slim one-goal advantage, the Red Devil's will lean on their experience in France during the round of 16.

Barcelona enters Tuesday's match with a clear advantage, after grabbing a precious away goal while at Old Trafford, the Blaugrana now sit in the driver's seat to seal the deal in front of their home supporters.

Ernesto Valverde made several strategic moves over the weekend in preparation for their upcoming European match, resting many of his key starters, the Spanish headman will plenty of fresh legs as the opening whistle arrives.

Messi's World

Valverde chose to sit his Argentine magician against Huesca on Saturday, giving Lionel Messi a full six days of rest before he takes to the pitch again. Messi has thrived during Champions League play over his career, scoring 108 goals and serving up 30 assists, placing him in rare air as he continues to etch his name in the European history books.

The worlds best player is also surrounded by top-notch talent throughout the starting rotation, with Luis Suarez serving as his right-hand man. The South American connection has given opposing back-lines nightmares for years. The Uruguayan striker has significantly benefited since moving from Liverpool in 2014, accounting for 130 goals, he has continued to solidify himself as one of the top danger-men on the planet.

The hosts will have a difficult decision to make on their third front-line member, with both Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho in contention within Barca's 4-3-3 alignment. Valverde has been rumored to choose the French-man, who has recently returned from another spell on the injury list.

Team Prop
Barcelona - To Score In Both Halves - Yes  -115 / 1.87

Midfielders Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic were also given the day off over the weekend in preparation of their quarter-finals matchup. The talented duo often does much of the dirty work that goes unnoticed, unlocking defenses with precise passing, while chipping in on the defensive end of the pitch when required, keep an eye on this combination as they are often in the middle of any of the team's successes. 

Barcelona enters Wednesday's contest having gone undefeated in their last nine Champions League outings while dismantling their opposition while at the Camp Nou. The Catalan's are averaging three goals per match during this season's European run, almost guaranteeing they will score multiple goals while on their grounds.

Manchester United land down in Spain with plenty of optimism, after conceding the opening goal last week, the Red Devil's stiffened up and outplayed their high profile opponents for much of the remaining time at Old Trafford.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær has shown he has a magical touch on the sidelines, able to motivate his troops with positive encouragement. The former super-sub has his team believing they can pull another massive shocker, by becoming the first English team to claim a victory on Spanish soil during a European knock-out phase.

The Red Devil's Recovering Squad

The Man U rotation has suffered over the past month, with as many as nine members missing at any point of their schedule. But, the visitors are almost back to full health as they make the stretch run of their current campaign. Nemanja Matic, Alexis Sanchez, and Matteo Darmian are all reportedly available for duty, giving the Red Devils real quality as they face their most challenging opponent to date.

Marcus Rashford has been a critical element within Solskjær's new plan of attack, the young English international has provided his team with real pace atop the United front-line, with the counter-attack a primary weapon of choice, Rashford has shown he can challenge Barcelona's back-line, giving United a puncher's chance in the open field.

Solskjær will also be searching for additional goals throughout his rotation, calling on Romelu Lukaku to help lift the scoring burden, the powerful center-forward will once again be looking to play a pivotal role while in a second-leg event. The Belgium striker has often been on the outside looking in with his new manager's preferred starting eleven, Tuesday's match could be another opportunity to earn his trust while in big moments.

The team's X-factor is still Paul Pogba. The World Cup winner has elevated his performances since being placed in a more prominent role, often played out of position within Jose Mourinho's style of play, the French midfielder has now been given more freedom to express his creativity, with ten goals and seven assists under his new regime, Pogba's presence has been invaluable.

Manchester United have held their own during their European travels, averaging 2.3 goals per match, the three-time Champions League winners have proven they can hit the back of the net regardless of their surroundings.

Barcelona vs. Manchester United - Match Prediction

The featured match on the card is full of world-class players, with so much star power on display, there should be no shortage of memorable moments as these Europeans giants collide for the right to advance into the Semi-Finals.

Barcelona is likely to win vast stretches of possession during the return leg, wanting to challenge United with their strong wing play, and creative players who can produce moments of magic in the blink of an eye.

The Catalan's are averaging 19 shots per match at the Camp Nou, expect a full barrage as they place their English counterparts under immense pressure.

Match Prop
Both Teams To Score and Over 2.5 Goals  +100 / 2.0

Manchester United understand they will be under constant pressure, wanting the soak up Barcelona's pressure, then spring out on the counter-attack where the Blaugrana have had their struggles.

The Red Devil's have proved they thrive in the underdog role, after making history with their performance against PSG, they are no short of confidence in their pursuit of shocking another big favorite.

Based on the first leg I anticipate a more open affair as each team push for the victory. Barcelona could technically sit back and play defense while protecting their road goal advantage, but the Blaugrana are not wired that way and should jump at every opportunity to break Manchester United down.

I expect to see more goals hitting the back of the net in this star-studded rematch, with the hosts posting a crooked number, while the Red Devil's should be able to get at least one on the board, helping this total to surpass three goals by the of 90 minutes.

Barcelona vs. Manchester United - Betting Tip

Over 3  -125 / 1.8 - Total Full-Time Goals

Odds Provided By BookMaker

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