Barcelona to show Levante cup exit door after strong second half

Whenever Barcelona play a football match trying to find the best value bet for the game is like trying to spy which of the One Direction lads is lip-syncing in time.

Unsurprisingly, the match betting market isn’t the first place you’d look for favourable odds, with Lionel Messi’s men huge 1/6 favourites to win on the road in the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarter final against Levante.

The hosts are 16/1 to take a lead into the return leg, with a stalemate priced at 5/1.

Considering Barca are on a 10 game unbeaten run, of which eight are wins, there isn’t really any other way to lean in that market than on an away win.
However, recent renditions of the pair’s meetings mean that there is a bet to be placed that can provide a decent windfall.

Predicting what the result will be at both the half time and full-time whistle is an often overlooked punting path but can sometimes act like low hanging fruit.

In this instance that is certainly the case, with Levante growing adept at holding the Nou Camp giants at bay for at least a half in recent clashes, making the 29/10 on Draw/Barcelona in the half time/full time market the go-to bet.

In three of the last four games between these two, the Valencia-based side have held Barca to a draw in the first 45 minutes, only to wilt under the attacking pressure in the second half and suffer a defeat.

Considering Gerardo Martinez has seen his side draw two of his last three games as boss, of which one was actually against their cup hosts, a game in which they struggle to a victory after drawing the first half looks likely.

Alternatively the 2/1 on Lionel Messi scoring first is always a safe backup, especially as he’s scored four times in two cup games this season.

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

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