The UEFA Champions League gets back underway in midweek, with four last 16 ties to get our teeth stuck into. Benfica welcome Borussia Dortmund to the Estadio da Luz on Tuesday, whilst Barcelona travel to the Parc des Princes to play Paris Saint-Germain. On Wednesday, Arsenal face Bayern Munich in a very tough match away from home, and Real Madrid host Napoli.
The UEFA Europa League is also making a return, with Manchester United’s home game with St Etienne, and the Villarreal v Roma fixture being the ties of the round.
- Benfica v Borussia Dortmund – Borussia Dortmund to Win (6/5 at Betfair)
- Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona – Barcelona to Win (23/20 at Betfair)
- Bayern Munich v Arsenal – Bayern Munich to Win -1 (13/10 at Coral)
- Real Madrid v Napoli – Real Madrid to Win to Nil (21/10 at BetVictor)
- Villarreal v Roma – Draw (12/5 at Sky Bet)
- Manchester United v St Etienne – Manchester United to Win 2-0 (5/1 at BetVictor)
Champions League
As we enter the business stage of the Champions League, now we’ll see what the 16 teams left are made of. Going into the knockouts, Luis Enrique’s Barcelona, who face tricky opponents in Paris Saint-Germain home and away, are the favourites to lift the trophy in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in June.
Benfica v Borussia Dortmund – 14th February
On Tuesday, Rui Vitoria’s Benfica host Thomas Tuchel’s Borussia Dortmund at the Estadio da Luz, Lisbon. The German outfit are not only fancied to make it through to the quarter-finals, they are also favourites to win in Portugal on Tuesday evening.
Despite not having the best of times in the Bundesliga this season, as they sit fourth 12 points adrift of the top, BVB have had a superb Champions League campaign this term. The 2013 Champions League finalists topped Group F ahead of the mighty Real Madrid, gaining an impressive 14 points along the way. Benfica, meanwhile, finished runners-up to Napoli in Group B.
We’re siding with the bookies in this one, as we fancy Tuchel’s troops to get the job done in Lisbon. Betfair are offering 6/5 for the away side to claim the victory.
Borussia Dortmund to Win – 6/5 at Betfair
Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona – 14th February
The biggest clash of the night comes from the Parc des Princes, as Unai Emery’s Paris Saint-Germain welcome five-time European Cup winners Barcelona to Paris. This blockbuster affair could go either way, but Barca are the favourites with the bookies.
After an excellent start to 2017, Luis Enrique’s men have gone within a point of Real Madrid in La Liga. As for Paris, they are three points behind Monaco in Ligue 1. The Parisians finished second to Arsenal in their group, while Blaugrana pipped Manchester City to top spot in Group C.
Barcelona have won three and drawn two of their last five away matches. Despite PSG being unbeaten on home soil this season, we believe the away team will be too hot to handle on Tuesday. Because of that, we like the look of Betfair’s 23/20 for a Barcelona win.
Barcelona to Win – 23/20 at Betfair
Bayern Munich v Arsenal – 15th February
Arsenal’s reward for beating Paris Saint-Germain to top spot in Group A is a tough last 16 tie against German giants Bayern Munich. Arsene Wenger’s Gunners travel to the Allianz Arena on Wednesday looking to avoid defeat in Germany.
Unfortunately for Arsenal, Bayern have won 12 of their 15 home games in all competitions. However, they did conspire to drop points last time out at home against Schalke. Meanwhile, Wenger’s men have just lost consecutive Premier League matches, having been beaten by Watford and Chelsea last week.
Arsenal will do well to leave the Allianz with a draw, but we can’t see them getting one. FC Hollywood have been near faultless at home, and we feel there’s good value in Coral’s 13/10 for Carlo Ancelotti’s Bavarians to win with a -1 goal handicap.
Bayern Munich to Win -1 – 13/10 at Coral
Real Madrid v Napoli – 15th February
Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid welcome Maurizio Sarri’s Napoli to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday. The Spanish leaders, who have won this tournament twice in the last three years, are the clear favourites to take a first leg advantage to Naples with them.
Los Blancos have had a few iffy moments since the turn of the year, but they still sit pretty at the summit of La Liga, a point above Barcelona with two games in hand on their rivals. Napoli, who are unbeaten in 17 league and cup fixtures, currently occupy third spot in Serie A.
Real Madrid may have made a pig’s ear of winning Group F, but they will be looking to put that behind them by progressing to the quarter-final stage of this year’s Champions League. The holders are available at the tempting price of 21/10 at BetVictor to win to nil on Wednesday.
Real Madrid to Win to Nil – 21/10 at BetVictor
Europa League
With Claude Puel’s Southampton getting knocked out at the group stage, the last 32 of the Europa League will contain only one English team, with Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United left flying England’s flag in the tournament. The Red Devils, who are amongst the favourites to win this competition, begin the knockout stages with a tough tie against St Etienne.
Villarreal v Roma – 16th February
One of the standout games of this round of Europa League fixtures is the big clash at Estadio de la Ceramica between La Liga outfit Villarreal and Serie A high-flyers Roma. On paper, these two look very evenly matched, and this one could go either way.
Fran Escriba’s Villarreal lie sixth in the Spanish top flight, just four points adrift of a top four place. Meanwhile, Luciano Spalletti’s Roma went back to second place in Italy’s top table by beating Fiorentina 4-0 at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday. Roma topped Group E, while Villarreal finished second behind Turkish side Osmanlispor in their group.
We’re struggling to pick a winner in this tie. Villarreal are favourites on the night, but Roma are fancied to go through overall. Therefore, we think backing this one to end all square is the way forward, with Sky Bet offering 12/5 for the draw.
Draw – 12/5 at Sky Bet
Manchester United v St Etienne – 16th February
Manchester United begin their knockout campaign with a testing match against French Ligue 1 outfit St Etienne. However, with the first leg being at Old Trafford, United will be looking to take a comfortable lead to the Stade Geoffrey-Guichard.
Before getting their Europa League journey back underway next week, the Red Devils host Watford this weekend looking to extend their unbeaten run in the Premier League to 16 games. As for Christophe Galtier’s St Etienne, three straight league wins has lifted them up to fifth in Ligue 1.
We can’t see Mourinho’s men having many problems in this tie, and we like the look of BetVictor’s 5/1 for United to win 2-0 at the Theatre of Dreams on Thursday.
Manchester United to Win 2-0 – 5/1 at BetVictor