Tasty odds dished up on goals frenzy as Man City face Barcelona

When Manchester City take to the field in any given game, but especially at home, goals are expected to flow like champagne at an Oscars after party.

So when you throw into the equation an equally rampant Barcelona side for their Champions League last-16 tie, it’s difficult to envisage anything other than goal-filled entertainment at the Etihad.

Calling a winner from this tantalising first-leg match-up, let alone the tie as a whole, feels a little like spinning the roulette wheel.

This is backed up by City being afforded the slenderest of 7/4 favourites to take a lead to the Camp Nou, with Barca attached odds of 7/5 to prevail and the draw a 5/2-shot.

Avoiding the red or black scenario of match-odds then, punters may wish to take Ladbrokes up on some of their goal-based markets instead.

Manuel Pellegrini has promised City will not alter their aggressive attacking mantra in order to try and quell Barcelona’s obvious threat.

Meanwhile, Gerardo Martino’s visitors arrive with Lionel Messi back in ominous goal-scoring touch and have not altered their ‘attack is the best form of defence’ blueprint one iota since the Argentine coach took the reins.

City’s prolificacy at the Etihad is well documented – where they’ve averaged clear of 3.5 goals per game across all competitions this season – so seeing them priced at odds of 11/10 to exceed the 1.5 mark stand out, despite the opposition.

Along the same lines, Spain’s highest-scoring club – who average over three goals per game in their last eight – are generously priced at 20/21 to surpass 1.5 goals. However, the 13/10 may be a bigger boat-floater that they register 2-3 in the match.

Again, statistically speaking, the 29/20 on offer about the game going over 3.5 total goals leaps out like an Alaskan salmon trying to avoid the jaws of a waiting grizzly.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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