Competition: Spanish La Liga 2016-17
Date: 1st March, 18:30
Stadium: Camp Nou.


Barcelona vs Sporting Gijon Preview and Prediction

This should be a relatively routine outing for Barcelona but they’ve had problems at home to weak opposition this term. With Sporting Gijon looking a bit more competitive of late, an away goal is a real possibility here but the Catalans should still have too much.

Barcelona picked up a massive win on Sunday when they beat Atleti at the Vicente Calderon. That has kept them right on the tails of Real Madrid and for all the talk of crisis they are right in this title race. Luis Enrique’s side are now unbeaten in 17 league games and there should no danger of that run ending here. Barca have scored 13 goals in their last 4 league games and are the top scorers in La Liga with 2.71 goals per game on average this term.

Sporting Gijon have conceded 2 goals per game on average this term and will surely struggle to cope with Barca’s attacking threat here. However there is reason to think they can score. No side in the bottom six has scored more goals than Sporting and they did add to their attacking options with the signing of striker Lacina Traore in January. At 6 foot 8 inches, his aerial prowess could cause problems for a small Barcelona team and that may be Sporting’s main outlet here. Given that backing Lacina Traore to score anytime at 5/1 looks like it could be worth a flutter.

The Asturian side have lost 67% of their away games this term and are still in the drop-zone but their last three performances have been quite good. They actually had the better of much of their recent games against Atleti and Celta Vigo only to buckle late on and they have scored at least once in 13 of their last 15 games in all competitions.

Both teams have scored in 71% of Sporting Gijon matches this term and in 55% of league games played at Camp Nou. Therefore backing Barcelona to Win and Both Teams to Score at 5/4 looks like it could be worth a bet here as realistically the result shouldn’t be in doubt.

HEAD TO HEAD
Barca have won the last 5 meetings. They won 5-0 in Gijon earlier this term and 6-0 when the sides last met at Camp Nou.
BARCELONA VS SPORTING GIJON STATS
Both teams have scored in 58% of Barcelona games in La Liga this term. Sporting Gijon games average 3.08 goals per game. They’ve scored in 10 of their last 11 matches that have ended in defeat.


Barcelona vs Sporting Gijon Prediction: barca win handicap