The League Phase of the UCL concludes on Wednesday night and we highlight a few bets in games involving teams who are looking for automatic qualification and play off places.
All matches share the same kick off time on Wednesday and at full time we will know who has finished in the top 8 and will contest the first of the knockout rounds and which teams will be running the gauntlet of the play offs.
Frankfurt v Spurs
With just the 4 points from 7 matches Frankfurt can no longer make the play offs. Meanwhile fifth placed Spurs have 14 points, 1 more than a host of sides who are just outside the top 8 so Spurs need a win to guarantee their place in the Ro16. Backing Spurs in the EPL this season has been frustrating, but their UCL results have arguably kept Thomas Frank in a job and I can see them winning here.
Frankfurt haven’t won since matchday 1 and have conceded 19 goals in total including 5 to Liverpool and 3 to Atalanta in home fixtures. Recent Bundesliga is not great either. I’m with Spurs to score in both halves.
Bet: Spurs to score in both halves? Yes at 15/10 with Sportingbet
Of the other English sides Arsenal are through whilst fifth placed Liverpool are 1 point better off than Spurs but in a similar situation in terms of needing a victory in their final match at home to Qarabag to seal their top 8 spot and they are overwhelming favourites to do so. Man City also need to beat Galatasaray in a home fixture to force their way into the top 8. Games involving Chelsea and Newcastle also have plenty riding on them, let’s take a closer look.
PSG v Newcastle
Both these sides have 13 points, enough to guarantee a play off spot but the winner here will finish in the top 8 and if we see a draw both sides could be vulnerable.
In their last 2 matches PSG have drawn 0-0 at Bilbao and lost 2-1 away to Sporting to set up a nervy finish. They did beat Spurs 5-3 in an earlier home game, they also put Atalanta away 4-0 in Paris but Bayern Munich did win here (2-1).
Away from home Newcastle have won at Union SG (4-0), they went down 2-1 in Marseille and drew 2-2 at Leverkusen.
Given PSG score 5 against Spurs here I’m thinking there are 3 more for them in this match.
Bet: PSG total goals over 2.5 at 14/10 with Sportingbet
Napoli v Chelsea
This is an intriguing game with Napoli having had a disappointing campaign which sees them just outside the play off spots which is the best they can now hope for. They are unbeaten at home in the UCL with wins over Sporting (2-1) and Qarabag (2-0) either side of a 0-0 draw Frankfurt.
Chelsea are eighth but are likely to need a win to avoid slipping into the play off spots. They have won all 4 of their home games, most notably against Barca (3-0) but they have lost at Bayern and Atalanta and their only point away from home came at Qarabag (drew 2-2).
A draw is unlikely to be enough for either side to secure their respective targets so both teams to score and either side to win is my preference.
Bet: Both teams to score and either side to win ? yes at 1.45/1 with Sportingbet
Note prices quoted are subject to change
