25.04.2010 18:32
Camp Nou record invites optimism
Roger Bogunyà
If repeated against Inter in the second leg, the score line in 16 of the 25 matches played this season in the Camp Nou would be good enough to send Barca through to the final of the Champions League.
Barca have played five matches in the Champions League this season in the Camp Nou and the results
in four of them would be sufficient to classify Barca for the Madrid final. The same optimistic
slant can be put on the results obtained in the league – more than 50% of the score lines
would also do the job against Inter.
League form encouraging
In the Spanish league there are plenty of good omens, such as the
results against Sporting Gijon (3-0), Atletico Madrid (5-2), Zaragoza (6-1), Sevilla (4-0), Racing
(4-0), Valencia (3-0), Osasuna (2-0) and Athletic Club (4-1), all of which if repeated against
Inter would mean an aggregate victory for Barca. However, the future looks even brighter if we just
consider the last five home matches, where four of the score lines would send Barca straight
through to the final while one (the 3-1 win against Jerez) would send the tie to extra time.
16 out of 25
The situation is much the same in the Champions League. The results
obtained against Dynamo Kiev (2-0), Inter - in the group stage - (2-0), Stuttgart (4-0) and Arsenal
(4-1) would be good enough to knock out Inter while only a repetition of the result against Rubin
Kazan (1-2) would send Barca crashing out of the competition. A repeat of the home legs of the Cup
and Spanish Super Cup matches against Cultural Leonesa (5-0) and Athletic Club (3-0) would also do
the trick though not the other Cup match against Sevilla that Barca lost 1-2
In short, a repeat of the score line in 16 of the 25 matches played this season in the Camp
Nou would send Barca through to Madrid. The stage is set for an epic battle!
Inter strong on their travels
However, Inter have a fantastic away record this season. In the Italian league, they have played 17
matches away from the Giuseppe Meazza. A repetition of 16 of these score lines would qualify the
Italians for the final while one of the results (against Catania 3-1) would lead to extra time.
They’ve only played one Cup match away from home, with a result that would favour
Barca. In the Champions League, only result out of their five away matches would tip the balance in
Barca’s favour – the 2-0 win achieved against Inter in the group stage!