Champions League football is unlike other leagues. It’s a mixture of domestic cup, where minnows play against the big boys, with blatant revenue stream for FIFA. And yet, regardless of skepticism that the competition may bring about, it is rarely disappointing and is a sure-fire way to add some excitement to your punt. After all, who doesn’t like the long odds of either Barcelona or Bayern Munich going out early? Here’s the preview of the 2016 Champions League Quarter Finals (1st Leg), with odds below.
BARCELONA v ATLÉTICO MADRID
Tuesday 7.45pm
Fresh off the heels of a surprising loss to nemesis Real in the El Classico – which ended a Spanish football record unbeaten run of 39 games – Barcelona will be looking to exact some revenge against Real’s across-town rivals Atletico. For themselves, Atletico must be feeling pretty good. That result at the Nou Camp brings them a bit closer to the top in La Liga, and they can go into this first leg hoping that the league and tournament favourites are feeling a little less confident in themselves. Still, with the attacking trio that we’ve all come to know so well, it’s a brave pundit that bets against Barca on Tuesday.
BAYERN MUNICH v BENFICA
Tuesday 7.45pm
Also on Tuesday night is Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich. Running away with the league domestically, the Champions League is an interesting one for a club who know their boss is on his way out. They’ve seen what has happened to Manchester City’s season since the announcement, and they must be hoping that they can hold it together to progress through to the semis, looking to send the manager out on a high. Benfica really are staring down the barrel, but then that’s what all successful underdogs want.
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN v MANCHESTER CITY
Wednesday 7.45pm
On Wednesday we see the first leg of French Champions PSG vs. stuttering English side Manchester City. The Champions League looms as a saving grace for the latter, with (as mentioned above) their domestic challenge going down the gurgler following the untimely announcement (hindsight’s a bitch, right?) of manager Manuel Pellegrini’s upcoming summer departure to make way for the much-fancied Guardiola. However, with how poorly they’ve performed in the Premier League, they run a real risk of losing that fourth-place Champions League spot. Because of that, they’ve got to hope for a miracle in this competition so that worst-case scenario, they can pull a Chelsea of 2012. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, however, would have other ideas, with this being the perfect send off before his expected departure in the off season. PSG will go in full of confidence and with nothing to lose, with the Ligue 1 title safely in the cabinet.
WOLFSBURG v REAL MADRID
Wednesday 7.45pm
As with the Bayern-Benfica match up, it’s really hard to see anything other than a Real Madrid win here. That said, the first-leg being at home, and immediately after a draining, ten-man victory in El Classico for Real, Wolfsburg must fancy their chances of staging an upset. It would still leave them with a hell of a lot to do in the second leg, but an all important lead – particularly if they can snag a clean sheet – will give them a might boost. Nevertheless, this is Real Madrid, and it’s tough to see them not scoring. Ronaldo has just the 13 goals in the tournament so far, and has scored 90 in his history – more than anyone else.
Disclaimer: All opinions expressed herein are that of the author and not necessarily those of Hello Punter, and should not be taken as betting advice. No bets are guaranteed, and you may lose more money than you get back. Please gamble responsibly.
