We have reached the business end of the European football season with quarter-final ties taking place in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League in midweek. Liverpool and Manchester City do battle in the Champions League in a tasty-looking all-English affair, while Arsenal continue their Europa League journey against CSKA Moscow on Thursday.
With eight quarter-finals spread over Europe’s top two club competitions to look forward to over the course of the week, stand by for plenty of thrilling European action.
- Juventus v Real Madrid – Draw (9/4 at Betfair)
- Sevilla v Bayern Munich – Bayern Munich to Win to Nil (11/5 at Coral)
- Barcelona v Roma – Barcelona to Win 3-0 (15/2 at BetVictor)
- Liverpool v Manchester City – 1-1 Draw (13/2 at BetVictor)
- Arsenal v CSKA Moscow – Arsenal to Win -1 (11/10 at Betfair)
- Atletico Madrid v Sporting Lisbon – Atletico Madrid HT/FT (Evens at Ladbrokes)
- Lazio v Red Bull Salzburg – Lazio Win (7/10 at Betfred)
- Red Bull Leipzig v Marseille – Red Bull Leipzig to Win 2-1 (15/2 at Bet365)
Champions League
With the likes of Juventus, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man City and Liverpool all in action, there are several big hitters left in the Champions League. The bookies have installed Barca – who have been drawn against Roma – as their favourites to lift the trophy in May. However, several European giants will have something to say about that. All four first legs are set to be intriguing affairs.
Juventus v Real Madrid – 3rd April
Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus and Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid go head-to-head in a repeat of last year’s final. Real came out on top in Cardiff back in June, so the Old Lady will be out for revenge in this quarter-final.
Madrid have been well off the pace in La Liga this season, but Zidane’s men are starting to look like their dominant selves in the Champions League. After seeing off Paris Saint-Germain in the previous round, Los Blancos will fancy their chances of beating Juve over two legs.
With both teams packed full of world-class players, this is a tough one to call in the Allianz Stadium. Therefore, we fancy the pair to play out a tense draw on Tuesday. The stalemate in Turin is available at odds of 9/4 at Betfair.
Draw – 9/4 at Betfair
Sevilla v Bayern Munich – 3rd April
Vincenzo Montella’s Sevilla welcome Jupp Heynckes’ Bayern Munich to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan for their first leg quarter-final on Tuesday. Bayern are the clear favourites to progress.
Wissam Ben Yedder’s brace at Old Trafford proved to be enough to see Sevillistas through to the last eight. As for Bayern, the Bundesliga leaders thumped Besiktas 8-1 on aggregate to reach yet another Champions League quarter-final.
The Bavarians have a phenomenal record under Heynckes and they should be too strong for Sevilla on Tuesday. Back Bayern to win to nil at the Sanchez Pizjuan at 11/5 with Coral.
Bayern Munich to Win to Nil – 11/5 at Coral
Barcelona v Roma – 4th April
Ernesto Valverde’s Barcelona will be looking for a big win when they host Eusebio Di Francesco’s Roma at the Camp Nou on Wednesday. As expected, Blaugrana are the strong favourites to reach the last four.
Barca have not been beaten at the Camp Nou since Real Madrid won there in the Spanish Super Cup way back in August. Roma’s form has improved in recent weeks, but this is their toughest challenge of the season yet.
Barcelona put three past Chelsea without reply at home in the previous round, and we fancy them to do the same to Roma in midweek. BetVictor are offering 15/2 for a 3-0 Barca victory.
Barcelona to Win 3-0 – 15/2 at BetVictor
Liverpool v Manchester City – 4th April
There will be a Premier League club in the last four of this year’s Champions League, but will it be Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool or Pep Guardiola’s Man City? The Citizens are the favourites to go through, but the Reds have already beaten City at Anfield this term.
This promises to be a cracking two-legged tie between these two Premier League giants, with both sides capable of beating the other. Liverpool will probably need to take a lead to Manchester if they are to go through, but that will be no easy task against the runaway Premier League leaders.
This first leg could go either way at Anfield, and we can see both sides getting on the scoresheet. With that in mind, take a punt on BetVictor’s big price of 13/2 for the pair to play out a 1-1 draw on Wednesday.
1-1 Draw – 13/2 at BetVictor
Europa League
Arsenal are the only English representatives left in the Europa League and after seeing off an in-form AC Milan side in the previous round, the Gunners will back themselves to go all the way this year. However, that will not be easy, with the likes Atletico Madrid, Lazio and Marseille – along with one or two other big guns – still battling away in the competition.
Arsenal v CSKA Moscow – 5th April
Arsenal have had a pretty forgettable campaign in the Premier League, but Arsene Wenger’s men will fancy their chances of winning the Europa League this season. Standing in their way in the last eight are Russian outfit CSKA Moscow.
Despite many people backing against them, the Gunners shrugged off Gennaro Gattuso’s AC Milan with a 5-1 aggregate win in the Round of 16. Arsenal remain one of the favourites, but they must see off CSKA in the quarters first.
Arsenal should be too strong for the team from Moscow at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday, so check out Betfair’s 11/10 for the hosts to win with a -1 goal handicap.
Arsenal to Win -1 – 11/10 at Betfair
Atletico Madrid v Sporting Lisbon – 5th April
Before a ball has been kicked in these quarter-finals, Diego Simeone’s men are the bookies’ favourites to win the Europa League outright. On Thursday, the Spanish giants welcome Sporting Lisbon to the Wanda Metropolitano.
Atletico Madrid made light work of Lokomotiv Moscow in the previous round, winning 8-1 on aggregate. Simeone’s side look nailed on to reach the top four in La Liga, but they will see winning the Europa League as number one priority having reached the last eight.
Sporting may be chasing down Porto and Benfica at the top of the Portuguese league, but we can see them struggling against Atleti in Madrid. Put some money on the home team to be winning at half time and full time at evens (Ladbrokes).
Atletico Madrid HT/FT – Evens at Ladbrokes
Lazio v Red Bull Salzburg – 5th April
Simone Inzaghi’s Lazio entertain Marco Rose’s Red Bull Salzburg at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday. I Biancocelesti, who are currently fifth in Serie A, are fancied to go through.
Lazio have been in patchy form of late, but they did beat Dynamo Kiev 4-2 on aggregate to reach the last eight of the Europa League. Salzburg, meanwhile, edged past German giants Borussia Dortmund.
This could be tight, although we fancy home advantage to be a key factor in the first leg. With that in mind, back Lazio to win at 7/10 with Betfred.
Lazio Win – 7/10 at Betfred
Red Bull Leipzig v Marseille – 5th April
Our last preview comes from the Red Bull Arena where Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Red Bull Leipzig host Rudi Garcia’s Marseille. On paper, these two sides are evenly matched, and this could go either way.
Leipzig have been on an incredible journey over the past few years, but can they top it off by winning the Europa League? Firstly, they must navigate past Garcia’s well-drilled Marseille, who sit third in Ligue 1.
This really is a tough one to call, but we’re siding with a narrow Leipzig win at the Red Bull Arena. After beating Bayern 2-1 in their previous home match, back them to do the same (15/2 at Bet365) to Marseille on Thursday.
Red Bull Leipzig to Win 2-1– 15/2 at Bet365