Spurs under 19’s versus Barcelona: (match preview)

On Tuesday afternoon a couple of hours before our first teams huge UEFA Champions League game against Barcelona, Matt Wells under 19 side will also be contesting a must win game against the Catalans. That game comes in the final round of group games in the UEFA youth league, with a place in the knockout stages still up for grabs. After five group games Spurs sit in second place in the group on six points. However, after our last game against Inter Milan in which we suffered a surprise 4-2 home defeat to the Italians, Wells’ side will now have to go to the Mini Estadi and get the win against group winners Barcelona tomorrow afternoon, in order to progress to the play off round where they will meet a team from the domestic path of the competition. However, to achieve that feat Spurs will have to be at the very top of their game to overcome a Barça side who are unbeaten in this seasons competition. Although it is likely that Barcelona will make a number of changes from their last game against PSV under 19’s, the Catalan won’t want their unbeaten record in this seasons competition to come to an end. When these two met in the reverse fixture at Hotspur Way, Spurs were by far the better team. In fact Barcelona were lucky not to have beaten that day by a young Spurs side who controlled the game from start to finish. Some of Barcelona’s most talented players include highly rated centre forward Abel Ruiz who hasn’t been involved in any of Barcelona’s recent games, right back and captain Guillem Jaime and American winger Konrad De La Fuente who really impressed me during the game at Hotspur Way back in game week 2. It will be interesting to see how Matt Wells side will approach tomorrow’s game which is being shown live on BT Sport 2. Playing at the Mini Estadi in front of a big crowd by our lads standards will be a big test for our young lads. However, I have no doubts in their ability to overcome Barcelona on their own patch with their own exciting brand of attacking football. Unfortunately I will be unable to attend tomorrow’s game but I will be able to watch it on BT Sport and I shall write an in-depth match report which I will publish sometime on Wednesday evening. I wish all of our lads the very best of luck ahead of Tuesday afternoons important UEFA youth league game.

My predicted lineup: (4-3-3) Austin (c), Hinds, Eyoma, Binks, Brown, Bowden, Maghoma, Oakley-Boothe, Markanday, Parrott, Roles. 

Subs from: Kurylowicz, Lyons-Foster, Cirkin, White, A.Shashoua, Pochettino, Richards.

Injured/unavailable: Jonathan Dinzeyi, Phoenix Patterson, Enock Asante, Jeremie Mukendi.

Doubtful: Malachi Walcott, J’Neil Bennett, Maximus Tainio, Oliver Skipp (possible first team involvement), Brooklyn Lyons-Foster. 

Previous meeting: 1-1.

My score prediction: Spurs 3-2.

My one to watch: Barcelona’s 17 year old left winger Anssumane Fati who has scored one goal from his four appearances in this competition this season.