Barcelona vs Napoli prediction, odds and betting tips

Barcelona and Napoli will lock horns on Tuesday with a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League awaiting the winner.

Best betting offer for March

Barcelona vs Napoli odds

Find the latest match odds for Barcelona vs Napoli. All odds are provided by our best-reviewed football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.

⚡Quick Barcelona vs Napoli betting tips

Barcelona vs Napoli predictions

The first leg of this Champions League last-16 tie produced two goals but it was a dull game overall. 

Both Barcelona and Napoli headed into the game in a mood of low confidence amid seasons of underachievement so far, so perhaps the uneventfulness of that first meeting was not surprising.

A 1-1 draw was a fair outcome on the balance of play. Robert Lewandowski gave Barcelona the lead on the hour mark, before Victor Osimhen levelled for Napoli later in the second half.

The La Liga side were probably the better team for long periods, but they did not do enough to earn a victory. Moreover, their dominance was primarily a result of Napoli’s shortcomings, while the hosts did come back into the game towards the end. 

On the evidence of that clash at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, neither of these sides looks like a soon-to-be European champion.

Yet it could be argued that the standard of this year’s Champions League is lower than that of recent editions. Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen are absent from the competition, as are Premier League title contenders Liverpool and La Liga high-fliers Girona.

Manchester City are justifiably favourites to lift the trophy, but the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have not been entirely convincing this term.

So even though Barcelona and Napoli have mounted poor defences of their respective domestic titles, the winner of this tie cannot be completely written off in Europe.

Barcelona have not lost any of their previous five competitive encounters with Napoli, who have been knocked out of continental competition on each of the 11 previous occasions that they failed to win the first leg.

For those reasons and more, the bookies expect Barcelona to progress. Even so, it would not be a huge shock to see Napoli go through to the last eight.

Barcelona vs Napoli betting tips

Home advantage could sway this tie in Barcelona’s favour, but Tuesday’s second leg will probably be close.

Barcelona to win – 14/5 (bet365)

Napoli changed their manager just before the first leg, installing Francesco Calzona in the dugout in place of Walter Mazzarri.

Calzona was previously a part of Luciano Spalletti’s coaching staff in Naples, so he is no stranger to the club or this current squad.

Results under the interim head coach have mostly been positive. Napoli have not lost any of the five matches he has overseen to date, although they were held to a 1-1 draw by Torino last time out.

Despite their recent uptick, this has still been a hugely disappointing season for the Italian champions, who sit seventh in Serie A at the time of writing.

Barcelona have been widely criticised for their own performance, yet they will fancy their chances of finishing in the top two in La Liga.

Since Xavi Hernandez announced he will leave at the end of the season, Barcelona’s results have picked up. With the backing of the home crowd, we fancy their chances of getting the job done in 90 minutes.

⚽ Tip Barcelona to win at 14/5 with bet365 ⚽

0-0 at half-time – 9/4 (bet365)

There was nothing separating these two teams after the first game and we anticipate the aggregate score.

Neither Xavi nor Calzona will want to give much away in the opening 45 minutes, when the fear of conceding is likely to be greater than the incentive to score.

Moreover, Barcelona and Napoli have much better attacking records after the break than before it.

In 2024, the Italian outfit have scored precisely double the number of goals in the second half than the first.

As for their upcoming opponents, only four of Barcelona’s last 26 La Liga strikes have come from minutes one to 45.

A goal before half-time would give the scorer the initiative in the tie, but we might have to wait until the second half of the second leg for a decisive swing.

⚽ Go for a goalless first half at 9/4 with bet365 ⚽

Robert Lewandowski to score any time – 11/8 (bet365)

Lewandowski has not been at his best this season. That is understandable for a man who will turn 36 in August. The Pole’s peak is behind him.

That does not mean he can no longer influence games at the highest level, however. He took his goal wonderfully well in the first leg and will be Barcelona’s principal scoring threat in the return fixture.

Despite his advancing years and his team’s broader struggles this term, Lewandowski is only two strikes away from breaching the 20-goal barrier for a 13th consecutive season.

That statistic illustrates the striker’s remarkable consistency ever since he became a household name in Europe. Remember, too, that only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have found the back of the net more often in this competition.

As well as being their most dangerous player in open play, Lewandowski is also Barcelona’s designated penalty-taker – another reason why you should back him in this market.

⚽ Choose Robert Lewandowski to score any time at 11/8 with bet365 ⚽

📺 How to watch Barcelona vs Napoli

• Location: Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, Barcelona, Spain.
• Date and time: Tuesday 12 March 2024, 8pm.
• How to watch: TNT Sports 2.

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.