The Champions league quarter-finals get under way this Tuesday with the first legs and we take a look at both of the games from a betting angle.
We are down to the last 8 teams and looking at the Outright Betting, Manchester City are trading as favourites at 37/20 ahead of Liverpool at 2/1, you can get 3/1 Bayern Munich, 10/1 Chelsea and 14/1 and better the balance.
Click here for Champions League Outright Betting as well as other markets such as Top Goal Scorer where Robert Lewandowski appears to have it wrapped up as a 1/20 shot
BENFICA v LIVERPOOL
Benfica qualified for the Champions League quarter-finals against the odds, beating Ajax away in their 2nd leg for a 3-2 aggregate win. The away win was on offer at 15/2 with the bookmakers that day and it was their first away win in European competition this year. Their home leg with Ajax had been drawn 2-2 and they have only lost once at home in Europe this year and that was to Bayern Munich 4-0. Benfica were in action on the weekend in the League going down 3-2 away to Braga on Friday, their first defeat in all competitions in 9 matches.
Liverpool won their 1st leg away at Inter and they then lost the home leg 1-0, but progressed 2-1 on aggregate. They won all 3 of their away matches in the group stages with those away games averaging almost 5 goals each. Liverpool put in a workmanlike performance on the weekend beating Watford 2-0 at home.
There is no recent head-to-head form between the sides as their last meetings were back in the Europa League back in 2009/2010.
BETTING – Click here to bet
Benfica 15/2
Draw 15/4
Liverpool 4/10
Suggested Bet: Handicap, Liverpool (-1.5) at 1/1
For this bet to arrive we need Liverpool to win by more than a goal and given this arrived in the 1st leg of their last 16 match against Inter, I am quite confident that they can do it again especially as they seem to have managed their build up well. Benfica has done brilliantly to reach this point, but I think they will be outclassed on the night.
MANCHESTER CITY v ATLETICO MADRID
Manchester City effectively wrapped up their last 16 tie with a 5-0 win over Sporting. They then drew 0-0 with Sporting in the home leg, a result that was quoted at 6/1 in the pre-match betting. City had won all 3 of their matches in the group stages, scoring 12 goals and conceding 5. City were too strong for Burnley away from home in the League on the weekend winning 2-0.
Atletico Madrid drew their 1st leg of their last 16 encounter against Manchester United 1-1 at home, but they then pulled off something of an upset when they beat United 1-0 on the road to take a 2-1 aggregate victory. That away win was on offer at 28/10 before kick-off. In the group stages Atletico Madrid won 2 and lost 1 of their away matches, that loss coming at Liverpool. Atletico Madrid have won their last 6 matches in all competitions and on Saturday were too strong for Alaves winning 4-1 at home in the League.
BETTING – Click here to bet
Manchester City 37/100
Draw 4/1
Atletico Madrid 15/2
Suggested Bet: Total Goals over 2.5 at 15/20
I am expecting Manchester City to make home ground advantage count here, but at the same time they have shown a tendency to concede goals in Europe and I think over 2.5 is the play here.
Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
