Tottenham Hotspur were able to get their International Champions Cup tour started right on Wednesday with a 4-1 win over AS Roma in San Diego. Spurs quickly fell behind 1-0, but they got four goals in the span of 35 minutes to salt the game away by the end of the first half. Fernando Llorente notched a brace in the 18th minute for Tottenham, and Lucas Moura picked up a brace of his own before the halftime whistle. They will aim to keep up their winning ways against Barcelona this weekend.
The International Champions Cup brings some of the top clubs in Europe to cities around the world that normally don’t get to see top flight football. The match will take place at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, California at 11:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 28, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on ESPN.
International Champions Cup Betting at BookMaker.eu
Tottenham Hotspur +172
Barcelona +138
Draw +279
Over/Under 3 and 3.5
What to watch for
Unfortunately for American fans, many of Barcelona’s stars will not be taking part in the International Champions Cup this summer. Every player that was on a team which made it to the knockout rounds of the World Cup has been given extra time off in order to rest and recuperate, and players whose teams made deep runs won’t re-join the club until shortly before the start of the season.
However, it’s not like the Blaugrana will be sending a team totally devoid of talent to America. The club dropped a sizable bit of coin on midfielder Arthur and center back Clement Lenglet this summer, and both players will be making their club debuts. Malcom only recently signed with Barcelona, but he may feature too as he recently joined up with his new team in Portland. First choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Nelson Semedo, and Sergi Roberto also look set to feature.
Tottenham’s Llorente was very much the beneficiary of being in the right place at the right time for his two goals against Roma. On the first, he was able to head home a ball after it took a deflection, and on the second he tucked away a big rebound after Lucas Moura threatened with a smashing volley.
World Cup stars Christian Eriksen, Son Heung-min, and Davinson Sanchez didn’t do much during their time on the pitch, but they are likely to play a bigger role in the second match.
Barcelona Player to Watch
Arthur is a player that Barcelona has high hopes for. The 21-year-old is joining the team from Brazil Serie A side Gremio, and he has shown flashes of his potential in training. The departure of Andres Iniesta has left a spot open in the midfield, and Arthur figures to be in contention for the spot. He is seen as a quality passer with the vision that made Iniesta so valuable for so long. Manager Ernesto Valverde will be keen to see him in action.
Tottenham Hotspur Player to Watch
Moura put on an incredible show for Tottenham on Wednesday. The Brazilian was constantly threatening with runs and feints, and it was clear that Roma’s defense had no answer for him. Moura joined Spurs during the winter transfer period from PSG, but he was unable to play much of a factor in the Premier League last season. Another performance like that will be hard to ignore.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
The draw looks like a good option in this one. Both teams are looking to tinker with their line-ups as they try to find a spot for their younger players and see how their offseason additions fit into various situations. Neither side will be too dedicated on the win, but this should be an open, free-flowing match.
International Champions Cup Odds: Tottenham Hotspur 2, Barcelona 2
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