by FMP50 on Feb 07, 2023 8:30 am
The Champions League is back and so are the most dominant teams in Europe. Things are getting serious as we are now out of the group phase. The knockout phase is starting, with maximum tension and pressure for top clubs who will face severe criticism if they exit the tournament too early. The group phase has provided a few surprises, with some favorites finishing second of their group.
As a consequence, the round of 16 provides very exciting clashes between top clubs that would usually face off later in the tournament. Without further due, here are my tips for the teams that will qualify for the quarter finals.
AC Milan vs Tottenham. The Spurs displayed an incredible level against Manchester City last week. Milan, on the other hand, is struggling, with 10 goals conceded in their last three Serie A matches. I advise betting on Tottenham with odds at 1.6.
PSG - Bayern. With Mbappé out for the first and possibly the second leg, PSG has lost one of their two reasons to believe in the qualification - the second being Lionel Messi. Even at 1.5, Bayern’s odds are still good enough for a bet.
Borussia Dortmund - Chelsea. With over £300 million invested in players in the winter window, Chelsea is the favorite. But the recent results tell a completely different story. Dortmund plays magnificently, you can take advantage of their 2.2 odds.
Club Brugge - Benfica. For Club Brugge, the dream is likely to end there against a consistent Benfica. Yet, the odds of the Portuguese team are at 1.25, which is not an interesting return. Betting on Brugge at 3.75 is a risky but more promising bet.
Eintracht Frankfurt - Napoli. Napoli is marching on the Serie A with 5 wins in their last 5 matches. Frankfurt displayed more weaknesses than qualities in the group phase. Napoli’s odds at 1.4 are a relatively safe bet to consider.
Liverpool - Real Madrid. The two finalists of the last Champions League meet again. Madrid is in much better form than Liverpool, and I expect them to take the best of the English team once again. With odds at 1.75, the return is more than fair.
Inter Milan - Porto. Both teams are in fine form. Inter Milan has an overall stronger team and individualities. Their odds at 1.6 aren’t necessarily high enough to justify a bet on them, but this is the kind of safe wager you can take to balance your betslip.
RB Leipzig - Manchester City. Something is off for City, with the exit of Cancelo and unusual defeats in the last weeks. Leipzig is a huge underdog, but with odds at 4.5, the small chance that Man City’s train is about to derail are worth betting on.
Of course, the results of the first leg will strongly modify these odds, for the best of the worst, depending on which team you bet on. Place your bet right now to avoid weaker odds later!