Cardiff City vs Barnsley
7th August 1500hrs
Football – England – EFL Championship
Pick Home Win by One Goal
Bookmaker Unibet
Odds: 11/4 odds taken 1716 GMT, Thursday 5 August
Cardiff City and Barnsley meet at the Cardiff City Stadium on the opening weekend of the 2021-22 EFL Championship season. Both clubs finished in the top eight of the Championship last term, with the Bluebirds missing out on the play-offs, while the Tykes were beaten by Swansea City in the semi-finals. How will the pair fare this season? The home team are the slight favourites in this one.
Table of Contents
Cardiff City Preview – Can the Bluebirds start with a win?
Cardiff had a topsy-turvy season last time around. Neil Harris was sacked in January after a woeful run of results, with the experienced Mick McCarthy taking over shortly after. The former Republic of Ireland manager hit the ground running in the Welsh capital, winning seven and drawing four of his first 11 matches.
McCarthy took Cardiff from 15th to sixth place in just over a month. Unfortunately for the Welsh side, some poor results over the Easter period cost them a spot in the play-offs. City ended up finishing in eighth, collecting 68 points from 46 games.
Cardiff are among the favourites for promotion this season. In fact, before a ball has been kicked, only the three relegated clubs – Fulham, West Bromwich and Sheffield United – and Bournemouth are available at shorter odds. Can Mick’s men start with a home win?
Barnsley Preview – How will the Tykes fare under Schopp?
Barnsley were the surprise package in the Championship last season. They started poorly under Gerhard Struber, who left to take over at New York Red Bulls in October. Shortly after, Valerien Ismael was appointed new boss.
Ismael was an instant hit at Oakwell, taking the Tykes from relegation fodder to the Championship play-offs. The Frenchman had an astonishing record at the Yorkshire club, picking up 23 league wins, including seven in a row from mid-February to early March. However, they lost in the play-off semis to Swansea.
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Ismael has since left to take over at The Hawthorns, with Austrian Markus Schopp arriving at Oakwell. Schopp would love to have the same impact and getting a win in Cardiff on the opening weekend would certainly be the perfect start.
Cardiff City vs Barnsley Betting Advice
In this fixture last season, Cardiff eased to a 3-0 win back in November, which was Ismael’s first defeat as Tykes boss. Junior Hoilett, Joe Ralls and Harry Wilson were the scorers. In the reverse game, City came from two down to draw 2-2 at Oakwell in McCarthy’s first match in charge.
Key Facts – Cardiff City vs Barnsley Betting Tip
- Cardiff are unbeaten in their last seven against Barnsley, winning five and drawing two
- The Bluebirds scored five goals against the Tykes last season
- Barnsley finished ten points ahead of Cardiff in last term’s Championship
Both clubs will be hoping to start their Championship seasons with a win, and these two seem pretty well matched on paper. However, home advantage could be the key factor in this one, and we fancy Cardiff to edge it in South Wales. Back the Bluebirds to win by one goal at 11/4.
Joe Ralls was on target in the 3-0 win over the Tykes last year. The midfielder also scored a stunner in Cardiff’s recent friendly victory over neighbours Newport County. Take a punt on Ralls to score anytime here.
The best betting odds for Cardiff City vs Barnsley
Cardiff City to win: 13/10 at Bet365
Draw: 12/5 at Bet365
Barnsley to win: 2/1 at Bet365
