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Red-hot Raphinha expected to shine as Crvena zvezda faces Barcelona

Red-hot Raphinha expected to shine as Crvena zvezda faces Barcelona

Barcelona are predicted to reach nine points and remain on track for a desired top-eight position by defeating Crvena zvezda in Belgrade on Wednesday.

Barca swiftly bounced back from their 2-1 loss to Monaco in the Champions League opener by dominating Young Boys 5-0 on Matchday Two.

They then secured an impressive 4-1 victory against Bayern Munich, indicating their strong contender status in this season's competition.

Team news

Peter Olayinka and Ognjen Mimovic are expected to sit out again for the hosts due to injuries, while Omri Glazer is doubtful to play.

The visitors have a number of players sidelined with long-term injuries, such as Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal, Ronald Araujo, and Ferran Torres. Additionally, Eric Garcia is set to remain on the bench for Wednesday's match.

The stats

Barca currently sit 10th in the Champions League standings going into Matchday Four with six points accumulated so far.

Crvena zvezda find themselves in 33rd place out of 36 teams after facing defeats against Monaco, Inter Milan, and Benfica.

Barcelona have won 11 out of their 12 LaLiga matches this season, most recently defeating city rivals Espanyol 3-1 on Sunday to extend their lead at the top to nine points.

Crvena zvezda are leading in Serbia after winning 12 out of their 13 league matches this season, with a 3-0 victory against Vojvodina at home on Sunday.

The two teams have crossed paths four times in European competitions in the past, with the last meeting dating back to the 1996-97 season in the now-defunct Cup Winners' Cup.

Barca holds the advantage in their head-to-head record, winning three of the encounters while the other ended in a draw.

Prediction

Hansi Flick led Barca to the first place in LaLiga.
Hansi Flick led Barca to the first place in LaLiga.

Barca are expected to secure a comfortable win in Belgrade, sustaining their strong form this season and handing Crvena zvezda another defeat.

The contrasting performances of the two teams in the competition so far indicate that Barca are likely to progress as one of the automatic last-16 qualifiers in the top eight, while Crvena zvezda are on track for an early exit.

Choosing Raphinha to score at any time could be a worthwhile option instead of betting on an away victory, considering his exceptional form with 11 goals in all competitions this season, including four in the Champions League.

Raphinha excelled in the match against Bayern Munich, scoring a hat-trick in the 4-1 win last month, and adding the fourth goal in the dominant victory over Real Madrid in El Clasico.

He also found the net in the LaLiga win against Espanyol on Sunday, entering Wednesday's European clash in superb form.