Last week’s four games in the Champions League yielded 15 goals, including a hat-trick for Kylian Mbappe and two for Erling Haaland as both Borussia Dortmund and Paris St. Germain laid down markers in overcoming Spanish sides in the first legs of their knockout phase ties.
On Wednesday evening, Atalanta host Real Madrid at the Stadio di Bergamo and Borussia Monchengladbach welcome Manchester City to Germany. Which teams will triumph and who’ll be looking at the second leg as a rescue operation?
If you’ve not registered with Bet 365 win then do so now to claim £100 in Bet Credits before the first ball is kicked.
Who’ll come out on top in Italy and Germany? Let’s go on the hunt for some betting value.
Manchester City to win from Behind (11/2)
The Citizens have been in sparkling form recently and with such domination of the English Premier League, it would be easy to simply transfer that hope and expectation to Europe’s top club competition.
The reality is, however, that in Europe, Pep Guardiola and Manchester City find winnig trophies anything other than easy. Guardiola has only won two Champions League titles as manager with quite literally ‘prime Barcelona’ back in 2009 and 2011.
Since then, a decade of defeat in the tournament has frustrated the Catalan coach and while this year might be the time he changes that, assuming it will be easy is folly. Lyon made mincemeat of the most sophisticated team in Europe last season in the quarter-finals and Gladbach won’t be a pushover.
We’d expect City to win, but they might well have to do that the hard way and if the German side score, it could fuel Pep’s men on to get a comeback win. At 11/2, you’re almost getting better than 5/1 on the German side scoring first if City have their shooting boots on. With Foden, De Bruyne and Gundogan all back fit, there’s a distinct possibility of that.
Cristian Romero to score at any time (15/2) and Atalanta 2-1 Real Madrid (8/1)
Atalanta take on Real Madrid in what looks a mouthwatering tie on paper. The Italian side have been one of Europe’s most dynamic clubs in recent months, with Gian Piero Gasperini leading his side to some stunning results and producing a swashbuckling form of football that is all too uncommon at the elite level when trophies are on the line.
Real Madrid are a curate’s egg under Zinedine Zidane, a constant threat and seemingly always in contention, but often struggling too. It took a final game victory during the group stage to qualify Los Blancos and they were extremely fortunate to top a group that at times they looked unlikely to escape at all.
With Atalanta’s Cristian Romero already having scored a couple of goals this season, including in the recent 4-2 victory over Napoli and in one of this season’s Champions League group games, we rate the Argentinian as a real threat to do so again. Atalanta host a Real Madrid side who conceded nine in the group stage, including against teams such as Shaktar Donetsk and Inter Milan.
As a result, we’d back Romero to get on the scoresheet and we like a 2-1 home victory in a separate bet, too. Atalanta have been the second-highest scorers in Serie A this season but Real will threaten at points and will fight like dogs for an away goal to keep them in the hunt for yet another Champions League title.
The score has cash-out appeal too, so make sure that if it hits early, you keep an eye out for the game and know when to cash in your chips.
Champions League Round of 16 Fixtures:
Tuesday 23rd February
Atlético Madrid vs. Chelsea (8pm GMT kick-off)
Lazio vs. Bayern Munich (8pm GMT kick-off)
Wednesday 24th February
Atalanta vs. Real Madrid (8pm GMT kick-off)
Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. Manchester City (8pm GMT kick-off)
Make sure that you register with Bet 365 to nab these prices and do so now to claim £100 in Bet Credits before the famous Champions League anthem sounds around the grounds.
May all your bets be live until the final whistle!
Users must be 18+, Please gamble Responsibly – BegambleAware.org
