Panathinaikos vs FC Barcelona Prediction & Betting Tips - EuroLeague

Prediction published on 21/03/2024, 17:30  by Devesh Jaganath in EuroLeague Predictions

Panathinaikos will play host to Barcelona at the O.A.C.A. Olympic Indoor Hall in the EuroLeague on Friday. The hosts are 19-11 and third in the league standings, while the visitors are 20-10 and in second place. Panathinaikos seem to have found their form again and will look to continue their momentum with the likes of Fenerbahce and Monaco tied with the same record. Heading into the match against the Spanish giants, Panathinaikos are coming off an away victory against Crvena Zvezda with a score of 89-76, following a previous loss in the derby against Olympiacos with a score of 65-71. Additionally, over the weekend, Panathinaikos secured another away victory against PAOK with a score of 89-73. That win marked their fourth consecutive victory in the championship, enabling them to retain their top position in the domestic league standings. Panathinaikos are notably a strong team on their own court, particularly evident this season in the Euroleague where they have suffered only three defeats at home. It's worth mentioning that two of those losses occurred at the beginning of the season when the team was still finding its rhythm and not performing at its best.

In contrast, Barcelona have experienced a bit of a downturn in form since the end of February. A couple of days ago, Barca suffered a defeat against Fenerbahce in Istanbul, and were trailing by a whopping 21 points by the halftime interval. However, spurred on by Laprovitola's efforts, they managed to gradually narrow the gap in the second half. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, they lacked the necessary strength to complete the comeback, ultimately falling short 88-74. Throughout the season, Barcelona have displayed noticeable fluctuations in their performances. There are moments when they look unstoppable, but there are also occasions when they struggle and underperform, highlighting inconsistencies in their overall gameplay. However, they have made a significant addition to their team in Ricky Rubio, who has already demonstrated his exceptional ball-handling skills in the last few games. While this will be a major test, Barca will gain confidence from having beaten this opponent 80-72 earlier in the season.