Four UCL Round of 16 ties will conclude on Tuesday and we take a look at each game including Arsenal v Bayer Leverkusen, Sporting v Bodo, Chelsea v PSG and Manchester City v Real Madrid
Arsenal v Bayer Leverkusen
After last week’s first leg in Germany this tie is all square at 1-1. Robert Andrick gave Leverkusen the lead early in the second half but a penalty from Kai Havertz on 89 minutes gave Arsenal a draw. The game saw only 5 corners and 5 shits on target registered and although Arsenal lose their 100% UCL record they fared better than the other English cubs in the first legs.
Arsenal topped the League Phase winning all 8 matches scoring a total of 23 goals whilst conceding just 4 and their stand out results included home wins over Atletico and Bayern and overseas they won at Inter, Brugge Slavia Prague and Bilbao.
Leverkusen came through their play off with Olympiakos, winning the first leg 2-0 away from home and the return finished without a goal. Leverkusen had finished 16th in the League Phase with a record of 3 wins, 3 draws and 2 defeats and a 2-0 win at Manchester City was an eye catching result.
Arsenal have been doing just enough in recent EPL matches and they sailed close to the wind in the first leg of this tie but they are well placed with the home leg to come. Leverkusen drew 1-1 at home to Bayern in the Bundesliga in midweek and have some useful away results against their name in the UCL but ‘m giving another chance to my first leg pick of Arsenal to score 2-3 goals..
Bet: Arsenal multi goal 2-3 at even money with Sportingbet
Sporting v Bodo / Glimt
The match result betting for the first leg had a wide open look to it but Bodo once again rose to the occasion and after a 3-0 win they are in control of the tie. A penalty from Sondre Fet and a goal from Ole Blomberg had Bodo 2-0 up by half time before a third from Kasper Hogh after the break. Bodo had 5 shots on target to Sporting;s 2 and the Portuguese side registered 5 of the 9 corners awarded on the night.
Sporting were 1 of a number of teams who qualified automatically with a record of 5 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats. They won all 4 of their home games including a visit from PSG, defeats came away to Napoli and Bayern, they drew away to Juventus and a 3-2 win in Bilbao earned a direct route into the Ro16.
Bodo took some big scalps on their way to the Round of 16. They looked to be heading out in the League Phase but a late rally saw them win at home to Manchester City and away to Atletico. That set up a play off with Inter which looked to be in the balance after Bodo won their home leg 3-1. They were still underdogs for the return in Milan but they pulled off a 2-1 win to go through 5-2 on aggregate.
Sporting were hit by injuries for the first leg and their team news will be worth monitoring but they have to go for this from an early stage and I’ll give their leading scorer Luiss Suarez the vote to open the scoring.
Bet: 1st goalscorer Luis Suarez boosted to 15/4 with Sportingbet
Chelsea v PSG
After 73 minutes of the first leg in Paris it was looking good for Chelsea with the game all square at 2-2 but a goalkeeping error saw PSG regain the lead through Vitinha and two more late goals from substitute Kvaratskhelia saw PSG come through with a 5-2 win. In the first half Barcola opened the scoring for PSG and after Gusto equalized Dembele put the Ligue 1 side 2-1 up at half time. Fernandez made it 2-2 on 57 minutes before it all unravelled for Chelsea.
Chelsea won 3 of their last 4 League Phase matches and qualified automatically with a sixth placed finish and an overall record of 5 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats. They won all 4 of their home games, most notably seeing off Barcelona 3-0 and a 3-2 win away to Napoli on Matchday 8 saw them avoid the play offs.
PSG started the League Phase well including a victory away to Barcelona but they won just 1 of their last 5 and missed out on auto qualification with 14 points. They were matched with Monaco in the play offs and after a 3-2 win away from home a 2-2 draw in Paris saw them edge their way through.
PSG have kept just 2 clean sheets in the UCL this season and Chelsea will hope they can get an early lead and build up some pressure but it’s huge task and they are 7/1 to turn this around and reach the quarters.
Nothing more than a speculative play for me is for Chelsea to lead at half time and PSG to peg them back in the second half with the game ending in a tame draw.
Bet: Half time / Full time Chelsea / Draw at 12/1 with Sportingbet
Manchester City v Real Madrid
These two sides finished the League Phase either side of the cut off line for automatic qualification but the result from the first leg in Madrid was clear cut with Real coming out on top 3-0. A first half hat trick from Federico Valverde has Real in total control and only a penalty save from Donnarumma denied Vinicius Jr a fourth in the second half. City started the game well and had 10 corners to Real’s 1 but Valverde proved to be the difference.
City grabbed eighth position and avoided a play off and their 2-1 win at Real played a big part in that. It wasn’t always plain sailing with surprise defeats at home to Leverkusen and away to Bodo / Glimt but 5 wins and a draw at Monaco proved to be enough.
Real were ninth in the League Phase and took their chances in the play offs where they came through a very stormy clash with Benfica with a 1-0 away win in the first leg and a 2-1 victory in the return in Madrid. They won their first 3 League Phase matches and 5 in total but defeats at Liverpool, at home to their opponents here (2-1) and also at Benfica prior to the play offs saw them slip out of the top 8.
I don’t see City slipping through the exit door quietly and I’ll go with the hosts to score in each half.
Bet: Man City to score in each half? Yes at 21/20 with Betway
All prices quoted are subject to change