Of all of the teams which came to the United States for the preseason International Champions Cup, perhaps the two most supported ones have been Barcelona and Chelsea. Even in matches in the home cities of MLS teams they have been playing against, these two sides have gotten tremendous support, and we suspect that there will be a lot of fans donning both colors on Tuesday night at FedEx Field in what will be Chelsea's last match before the Community Shield on Sunday.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The oddsmakers are expecting this to be quite the close encounter in Maryland. The Catalan side is the +130 moneyline favorite, but the Blues are only +175 on the moneyline as well. Needless to say, the Asian Handicap is incredibly close in this fixture. Barcelona is the slender PK -130 favorite, but the argument could certainly be made for this one to end up going either way.
The total is set at a flat 3 for this match, knowing that there are a lot of offensive weapons on each side which could put on a show.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"Paris Saint Germain are a good team, and they have good players. They started training a couple weeks before us, they have already four matches in their legs, and they are clearly one step ahead of us in their preparation, so this was a fantastic test for us from the physical point of view." – Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho on the win over PSG in the second leg of the International Champions Cup
RECENT FORM
Chelsea hasn't gotten off to a great start this year. The team was beaten rather inexplicably by the New York Red Bulls in its first competitive match of the season, and the 1-1 duel against PSG which was won 6-5 in penalties wasn't anything to write home about either. That said, the Blues really need to work on their craft at the back, as they have allowed far too many chances to get to their goalies.
In the latter of those matches against PSG, Thibaut Courtois not only made five saves in the match itself, but he stopped two shots in the shootout and scored the match-winning goal.
Barcelona has had a mixed bag of results at this point in the year. The team was dominant in a 2-1 win over the LA Galaxy at the Rose Bowl to start the season, but all of that possession was lost when the club went up against Manchester United three nights later. The Red Devils took care of Barca 3-1.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
For our money, Barcelona has been missing out on Lionel Messi on this American tour. Finishing in the box has been difficult, and the fact of the matter is that Luis Suarez is the only massive striker who can make a difference in the last 18.
Chelsea has a much stronger team which it has brought to the United States for this tournament, and the fact of the matter is that it is going to be vital from Mourinho's standpoint to try to get a victory before going home to take on Arsenal in the Community Shield.
If the Blues can keep Barca off of the ball for the most part the same way that Manchester United did, particularly in the second half, this is a fixture which they are probably going to end up winning.
Chelsea 2, Barcelona 1
BookMaker has live International Champions Cup odds for every clash of the season. BookMaker is also going to have multiple betting options available for this nationally-televised match. Barcelona opened as a +130 favorite. The first offering of the total came in at 3. Live wagering during the match offers an adjusted moneyline, total and spread. Log in and start gambling during the soccer match now!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The fixture between Barcelona and Chelsea will take place on Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at 8:00 p.m. at FedEx Field in Landover, MD. The game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 2.
