Looking at the two sides presented by the fixture of the match which is set to take place at the Camp Nou on Tuesday, it is easy to think that the encounter will be a matter of favorites and underdogs; yet, the fact that both teams have little knowledge about each other is – in fact – what makes the game unpredictable.
Two sides that have never met before
Barcelona got the chance to top their table, but with only 4 points though, following their 0-0 draw at the San Siro, and their 2-0 home win against Dynamo Kiev. Eventually, with this achievement already done, the Catalans will surely look to keep their lead at the top of their group by beating their Russian opponents, so as to make sure that contenders Inter Milan and Kiev don’t surpass them in the standings.
The Spanish giants indeed have a lot of chances to humble their fellow-European visitors, but still, they will need to be cautious and take control of the match right from the very start, before Rubin Kazan cause what would be considered as an “upset”.
This could definitely be possible… the former Russian Premier League winners were shocked by Ukraine’s Dynamo Kiev in their first challenge of this season’s Champions League, losing 3-1 despite having taking the lead earlier on.
They were then hoping to get a consolation when they met Inter Milan, and things didn’t seem to go too badly for them, as they were capable of retaining the Italian side to a 1-1 draw.
Consequently, Rubin Kazan only have a single point so far in Group F of the Champions League; and thus, it would be ideal for the team and their supporters to stun Barcelona in Spain, given that the Blaugrana rarely get overpowered in their own stadium.
For sure, this would be a great moment for the Russians, and actually, such a success would mark the beginning of a promising route for Rubin Kazan in their Champions League campaign this year. On the other hand, such a story would also jeopardize Barcelona’s opportunities of finishing in the first position of their group table, later in December.
