The 2015-16 Champions League action returns this week with teams looking to qualify for the quarterfinal stage of the tournament. A lot of sides will take big leads into this week’s match ups but no team should be written off as anything can happen. Continue reading as we offer our 2016 Champions League Round of 16 Leg Two Preview and Betting Tips.
- - -
Manchester City vs Dynamo Kyiv (Wednesday 6.45am AEDT)
Despite the struggles Manchester City are facing in the Premier League, they will have one eye on a quarter final appearance after securing a comprehensive 3-1 victory away from home in the first leg. All they need to do is to avoid disaster and we believe they will not only do that but also add to their victory as they regain their confidence in this one.
Dynamo Kyiv have won their previous two league matches but the side was clearly out of its depths against the City club. Their team is not as strong and is outclassed in both attack and defence. It should be a comfortable victory for the Sky Blues as they advance through to the quarterfinals.
TIP: HT/FT – City/City @ $2.40 with CrownBet
Atletico Madrid vs PSV Eindhoven (Wednesday 6.45am AEDT)
Eindhoven surprised a lot of people in the first leg of this match up as they were able to hold their own against the strong Madrid side. They came out with a defensive mind set and it paid off as they were able to maintain a clean sheet but unfortunately for them they weren’t able to make the most of the opportunities they created on the break. However, Madrid themselves weren’t pushing as much as expected but that will change on Wednesday morning as they will be searching for the victory on home soil in regulation time. Since the Champions League tie three weeks ago, Madrid has been in great form securing four straight victories including a victory on the road against crosstown rivals and Spanish Giants Real Madrid. They have scored three goals in their past three league matches and conceded just one goal in that period. They should carry that strong form into this week’s match and earn the comfortable victory.
TIP: Atletico Madrid -1 @ $2.00 with Sportsbet
Bayern Munich vs Juventus (Thursday 6.45am AEDT)
The first leg between these two sides had everything and it was a massive rollercoaster of emotions for fans. Munich jumped to a two-goal lead with goals on either side of half time and it looked as if the German side would close out the match but Juventus had other ideas as they produced a fight back to secure a 2-2 draw at full time.
The momentum switch will give the away side a lot of confidence and their great form has continued in the league as they have had three straight wins in Serie A. This has taken their incredible record to 18 wins and one draw in their last 19 competitive matches. They will be forced to score to advance and a lot of that pressure will be placed on their 22-year-old superstar Paulo Dybala. After getting his first champions league goal in the first leg, Dybala has since taken his season tally to 18 goals and he is continuing to impress in his first season with the Italian side.
However, that won’t be enough for Juventus as Munich are incredibly difficult to defeat on their home soil. They have won their last nine champions league home matches by an overall score of 36-4. It is an incredibly run of form and we will be backing it to continue.
TIP: HT/FT – Draw/Bayern Munich @ $4.00 with Palmerbet
Barcelona vs Arsenal (Thursday 6.45am AEDT)
The defending champions will take a massive 2-0 lead into the second leg against Arsenal and they have the advantage of two away goals. Arsenal will be required to score at least three goals to secure victory and it will be an incredibly hard task as they come up against a Barcelona outfit that on paper can defeat any team in the world.
To make matters worse for the Gunners, Barcelona is in great form and they have won their past three matches by a combined 14 goals. The trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar have been dangerous in attack and they will be giving the Arsenal defence nightmares. The Gunners will be pressing incredibly hard in an attempt to chase the three goals required and this will be their downfall because if they give Messi and his two partners in crime a bit of space, it will almost certainly lead to goals.
TIP: HT/FT – Draw/Barcelona @ $4.20 with William Hill
Wolfsburg vs Gent (Wednesday 6.45am AEDT)
In the opening leg, Wolfsburg ran out to a 3-0 lead late in the second half and they had already pencilled themselves into the quarterfinal stage of the Champions League tournament. However, they took their foot off the throttle and Gent scored two late goals to ensure that it will be a contest heading into the return leg. Wolfsburg still have a massive advantage with the three away goals and the 1 goal lead as Gent will need to win by at least two goals or score at least three goals themselves to advance.
The German team showed their superiority for the majority of the first leg as they had too much pace out wide and created a lot of quality chances. You can imagine the side was disappointed with allowing Gent back into the match and it will be unlikely for that to happen again in this one. They have won their last two league matches and are in good form to clinch the victory.
TIP: Wolfsburg @ $1.53 with Sportsbet
Real Madrid vs Roma (Wednesday 6.45am AEDT)
Roma are massive underdogs in this one and it will be an incredibly difficult task for them to overcome the 2-0 deficit they are facing after the first leg. Cristiano Ronaldo proved his critics wrong who were saying he couldn’t score in away games as he scored an absolute screamer that involved breaking two defenders ankles before firing the ball into the top right corner.
The Spanish giants suffered a massive loss against Atletico Madrid a week ago on their home soil and it has made it almost impossible for them to challenge for the La Liga title. This will give the team the ability to focus solely on the Champions League. They will enter the match in great form with a 3-1 and 7-1 victory that saw Ronaldo find the back of the net on four occasions.
Roma are also in great form picking up three victories since their loss to Real Madrid. The side scored 12 goals across those three matches whilst only conceding twice. However, it is an extra challenge coming up against Real Madrid away from home and as they will be pressing in attack to overcome their current deficit, they could be found out on the other end and it could spell disaster for the Italian side.
TIP: HT/FT – Madrid/Madrid @ $1.91 with Palmerbet
Zenit Saint Petersburg vs Benfica (Thursday 6.45am AEDT)
Benfica was able to earn the narrow victory at home and will take a lot of confidence into the match this week with great form in the Portuguese league. The side has won their last three matches conceding just one goal. Benfica will still be chasing revenge after Petersburg knocked them out of the competition last year 3-0 on aggregate.
Despite trailing, Zenit will feel comfortable heading into this contest as they defeated Benfica away from home last year 2-0 to advance in the tournament. However, the side could be out of match fitness as they have only played once since their loss to Benfica two weeks ago. We are expecting Benfica to be playing on the back foot and looking to take advantage on the break as they aren’t required to score to claim victory in this one. This one will end in a draw but it will be enough to see Benfica advance to the quarterfinals.
TIP: Draw @ $3.40 with William Hill
Chelsea vs Paris Saint Germain (Thursday 6.45am AEDT)
This should be the closest and most watched match of the first week of leg 2 action of the Champions League round of 16. Saint Germain will take the lead into this one but Chelsea is still in the contest with the important away goal. They will need to score to claim victory but their biggest issue could be with their defence where they have struggled throughout the entire season. Central defender and club legend Jason Terry hasn’t lived up to the standards he has made for himself over the past decade and it has resulted in the rest of the defenders playing at a lower level. Chelsea is having their worst season in recent history and have been incredibly inconsistent. They have won three of their last four matches since their loss to Saint Germain but they again showed weaknesses in their latest draw to Stoke in the league.
Meanwhile the Paris outfit has played at a tremendous level in their league and have one hand on the title with still 10 weeks remaining. They will be focusing heavily on this match and despite not being able to keep a clean sheet in their past four matches, we have them winning this one and advancing to the quarterfinals. Zlatan Imbrahimovic, Angel Di Maria and Edinson Cavani are three fierce attackers and the trio will be too much for the worrying Chelsea defence to handle.
TIP: Saint Germain @ $2.60 with CrownBet
You can find the full champions league schedule here.
Take note: Any of the tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly. Also be sure to check out the Before You Bet Twitter Page for all our thoughts in the lead up to bets! Happy punting!
