Barcelona vs Aston Villa: The Past, the Pressure, and a Camp Nou Test
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
Barca have been a menace at Camp Nou
The giants of Spain, Barcelona, have no other intentions heading into matchday four of the UEFA Champions League (League Phase) other than restoring their pride after the damage the defending champions Paris Saint-Germain did to them in the past week.
Hansi Flick's men were battered 4-2 by the French outfit on foreign territory, bringing an end to a perfect start that had seen them secure wins over Feyenoord and Galatasaray. Their attacking prowess was on full display, scoring a whopping nine goals across those two games.
Seven players got on the scoreboard, highlighting their impressive offensive depth and the variety of scoring options that Hansi Flick has at his disposal.
The Catalan giants returned to their humble abode: the Camp Nou. This venue has been a nightmare for teams this season. Only rivals Real Madrid have managed to spoil the script, leaving with three points in a La Liga clash just nine days ago before trampling Alaves 6-1 over the weekend. Six wins out of seven home games is surely a confidence booster ahead of this clash.
Going deeper than that, their record against English opposition has been highlighted below:
- Two defeats in 38 home matches (W23, D13).
- Liverpool inflicted those two defeats: 1-0 in the 1975-76 UEFA Cup semi-final first leg (1-2 aggregate) and 2-1 in the 2006-07 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 (2-2 agg, lost on away goals).
- Since their 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in the 2006-07 UEFA Champions League, Barcelona have gone 15 games unbeaten against English opposition at Camp Nou (W10, D5).
Apart from Barcelona's hunting ground that has contributed to their success, there's one thing that shouldn't be left out, and that's their attacking output. Hansi Flick has turned the team into a goal-hungry machine, especially in this competition. Their insatiable appetite for goals has seen them score an impressive 86 goals in just 29 matches.
A detailed stat of Barcelona's attacking output in the UCL:
- Goals scored: Averaging 2.97 goals per game
- Scoring consistency: have found the back of the net in every single UEFA Champions League match played under Hansi Flick
- High-scoring output: scoring 2+ goals per fixture
- Shooting and volume: averaging over 21 attempts per match overall
La Remontada: The past has finally caught up with Unai Emery
Unai Emery is widely considered Europe's elite manager thanks to his accomplishments achieved across the nine clubs that he has managed, with 12 managerial trophies to back up his illustrious career.
However, the past must be visited once in a while, and the 55-year-old has a score to settle. This is not the first time he has set foot at this venue, particularly in the UEFA Champions League. It is the third time now, with the first being as Paris Saint-Germain.
Nine years have since passed, but the trauma that comes with this meeting should not be taken lightly. Never did Unai Emery envision the outcome that would befall him on that day as his side secured a comfortable 4-0 first-leg advantage in the Round of 16 only to suffer a 6-1 defeat in the return leg at Camp Nou—La Remontada!
Redemption is firmly on the agenda for Emery, who will be targeting a major scalp against Barcelona. View our Barcelona vs Aston Villa prediction to see what exactly our betting experts have to say about this blockbuster clash.
No one said it'll be easy when you factor in Unai Emery's record against Barcelona across all competitions. He has won just three of his last 30 matches (D6, L21). That's a low average of 0.50 points per game.
Unai Emery's record at Camp Nou:
- Matches: 15
- Wins: 1
- Draws: 0
- Losses: 14
- Goals scored: 12
- Goals conceded: 46
Even the away record has been underwhelming, but the Spanish coach will be relying on his team's perfect start to the UEFA Champions League (League Phase) to improve those numbers.
Aston Villa have maintained a 100% record, with their most recent match being a 3-1 thrashing of Viking FK on matchday three. They have also proven to be a goal threat, scoring three or more goals in each of their last three encounters. Is this enough to stop the Spanish giants in their tracks?
