Europe’s greatest club competition continues with the second legs of the Champions League Round of 16. Which teams will prevail? Who is going home? Read on and find out who we are backing!
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Tuesday 16 March
Manchester City 1/5
Draw 56/10
Borussia Monchengladbach 12/1 (22:00)
Carrying a 2-0 lead into the second leg, Manchester City are fancied to breeze past Borussia Monchengladbach. The Bundesliga outfit are woefully short on confidence following a winless run of seven games at the time of writing (six losses and a draw). I can’t see anything other than a win for Pep Guardiola’s side. No use spending any more time analysing this one. Back them on the (-2) Handicap at 14/10.
Real Madrid 19/20
Draw 26/10
Atalanta 26/10 (22:00)
Real Madrid go into the second leg with an advantage thanks to Ferland Mendy’s decisive late goal that sealed a 1-0 win in Bergamo. Zinedine Zidane’s men have their destiny in their hands, but they’ll need to be wary of the upset-threat posed by Gian Piero Gasperini’s side. The Serie A outfit will know they aren’t yet out of the tie, and having seen Shakhtar Donetsk win at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on Matchday 1, they’ll fancy themselves. It should make for an entertaining match, and although I expect Real to get the desired result, I do fancy Atalanta to get on the scoresheet. So, I suggest taking the Matchbet & Both Teams to Score market – Real Madrid & Yes at 11/4.
Wednesday 17 March
Bayern Munich 7/20
Draw 42/10
Lazio 6/10 (22:00)
Bayern Munich are all but assured of their place in the quarter-finals after schooling Lazio 4-1 in the first leg at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. The reigning European champions have won their last seven Champions League games at the Allianz Arena, scoring 21 goals while conceding just three. Expect another troubling night for the Italian outfit who have lost their last three games away from home. Bayern on the (1-) Handicap is the way to go at 9/10.
Chelsea 11/10
Draw 23/10
Atletico Madrid 49/20 (22:00)
Chelsea carry a slender 1-0 advantage into the second leg against Atletico Madrid after Olivier Giroud’s spectacular overhead kick at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. Thomas Tuchel’s side just need to avoid defeat to advance to the last eight of the Champions League for the first time since the 2013/14 season. The Blues will be without Mason Mount and Jorginho after the pair picked up their fourth yellow card in the competition during the 1-0 win. Both Mount and Jorginho have been excellent under Tuchel so far and while their absence will come as a blow, Chelsea are stacked with talent. Mateo Kovacic is expected to come in for Jorginho, while Tuchel has a host of attacking options to choose from. Chelsea are unbeaten under Tuchel at the time of writing and I’m backing them to win the clash at 11/10.
QUAD @ 35/1
Man City (-2) Handicap 14/10
Real Madrid Win & BTTS 11/4
Bayern Munich (-1) 9/10
Chelsea Win 11/10
Written by Chad Nagel
