Wednesday's Uefa Champions League semi final first leg sees PSG clash with Manchester City and we take a look at a number of betting markets available to punters.
Note all prices quoted are subject to change
PSG
PSG came through their quarter final match up with Bayern Munich on away goals after the scores were level, 3-3 on aggregate. PSG won the first leg 3-2 in Munich, leading 2-0 before being pegged back and the French side recovered to find the winner. PSG goal machine Mbappe was on target twice in the first leg, scoring after just 3 minutes and finding the winner mid way through the second half. PSG had finished as runners up to Bayern in this competition last season and in the return in Paris they lost 1-0 so those 3 away goals proved vital.
Mbappe was also the key factor in the Round of 16, scoring 4 of PSG's 5 goals in a 5-2 aggregate win over Barcelona including a hat trick in the first leg at Camp Nou which PSG won 4-1.
In the group stage PSG came up against Manchester United. They lost 2-1 to United in Paris back on Matchday 1 but they steadily improved and ran out 3-1 winners at Old Trafford on Matchday 5.
In Ligue 1 PSG won 3-1 away to Metz at the weekend and they are in second place in the title race, 1 point shy of league leaders Lille with Monaco a further point back in third. On the teams news front Mbappe, went off after scoring twice in at the weekend so watch the media for news of his well being.
Manchester City
City came through their quarter final match up with Dortmund 4-2 on aggregate although it was far from straight forward. A late goal gave City a 2-1 win in the first leg in Manchester but Dortmund scored first in the return before second half goals from Foden and Mahrez saw City come out on top with another 2-1 win.
City also came up against German opposition in the shape of Gladbach in the Round of 16 and they secured a comfortable passage through in winning both legs staged in neutral Budapest by a 2-0 scoreline. City remain unbeaten in this competition this season having come through the group stage with 5 wins and 1 draw.
As far as the Premier League is concerned City are 10 points clear of Manchester United in the title race with just 5 matches remaining. City were recently knocked out of the FA Cup at the semi final stage, losing 1-0 to Chelsea at Wembley but they returned to that venue on Sunday and beat Spurs 1-0 in the League Cup final to bank the first of 3 possible trophies this season.
The Betting
PSG are currently trading at around 2/1 to win the first leg with the draw at 29/10 and Man City can be backed at around 21/20
A game of 3 goals or more is 0.62/1 and it's 0.57/1 for both teams to score.
To qualify for the final under any method of victory PSG are priced at 27/20 and City are 0.53/1
The winner of this tie will face Real Madrid or Chelsea in the final and to win the Champions League outright this season PSG are trading at around 11/4 and
Manchester City are favourites at around 15/10
Note, odds are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
Verdict:
PSG's platform for advancing from the earlier knockout rounds was built away from home and I would think they would have rather seen this first leg staged in Manchester.
City were something like back to their best on the League Cup final win over Spurs on side, dominating the bulk of the game despite scoring just the 1 goal. I can see the visitors being on target here and with De Bruyne returning from injury last weekend he is my go to man in the anytime goalscorer markets in these big games.
That aside I'm battling to find a bet I really like but perhaps a speculative play on Draw/Man City in the HT/FT market might pay at reasonably attractive odds.
Bets: Anytime goalscorer De Bruyne at 23/10
HT/FT Draw/Man City at 4.75/1
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Note all prices quoted are subject to change
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