the champions league is back and we’ve got the latest betting tips, predictions and live betting odds for the first four round of 16 matched to help you pick some winning bets.
psg v chelsea
this is undoubtedly the biggest champions league game of the week and the only tie of the first four that sees two sides who both have realistic ambitions of lifting the champions league trophy faceoff against one another. psg were the runner-up side that everyone wanted to avoid and it means chelsea got little reward for topping group g ahead of schalke.
there is a gap of almost a month between this first leg in paris and the return in london and jose mourinho will be desperate to get a solid result that will allow his side to focus on the premier league in the interim period. we predict they should have just about enough to do that and whilst the odds men are sitting on the fence somewhat our betting tip here is the draw at 23/10. the bookies can’t quite make their minds up, with the home side on offer at odds of 17/10 and chelsea slightly longer at 15/8, although some firms do make the visitors favourites.
chelsea are currently well clear in the premier league and new january signing juan cuadrado seemed to settle in immediately against everton. in contrast psg are struggling slightly at home, lying third in ligue 1, albeit just two points off the top spot. on home soil they have been very strong, remaining unbeaten after 11 games despite having played all eight of the highest ranked sides in ligue 1.
they have drawn three of those contests and as such we think the stalemate is a fine bet here at nice betting odds, with 1-1 or 0-0 our correct score betting tips as we predict mourinho will look to keep things as tight as possible.
schalke 04 v real madrid
whilst chelsea appeared to get little reward for finishing above schalke in the group phase, when looking at the opposition the germans drew in the first knockout round, the blues may well feel they did okay. schalke welcome real madrid to gelsenkirchen and the 10-time european cup/champions league winners are the second favourites for overall glory and will take some stopping. madrid can be backed at odds of 3/1 to become the first side to retain the champions league and the fact that schalke are out at odds of 500/1 should tell you all you need to know.
on home soil the germans can be backed at huge odds of 17/2 to win this game, with madrid priced odds-on at 4/11 and the stalemate being made available at odds of 9/2. many are sure to be tempted by schalke, especially after real were hammered 4-0 at atletico not so long ago, but realistically we have to predict an away win here. chelsea won 5-0 at schalke in the group stage whilst sporting went down 4-3 and even maribor managed a 1-1 draw so we’re happy to offer up real madrid to win and both teams to score as our main betting tip here, whilst at longer odds backing 3-1 or even 4-1 to the away team could prove solid bets.
schalke are in average form and although they earned a 1-1 draw at bayern munich recently and have a good home record against germany’s top teams, we feel they will be out of their depth here and may well crumble against the might of real madrid’s attacking capabilities.
shakhtar donetsk v bayern munich
the favourites to lift the 2015 champions league trophy, bayern munich, face shakhtar donetsk and coming into this game on the back of some shaky recent form, post the winter break, they may need to up their game to get the result most pundits will predict.
the odds makers are unconcerned by bayern’s four points from three games since the bundesliga resumed (stats prior to the weekend game with hamburg) and they price pep guardiola’s men as huge favourites here at betting odds of just 4/9. the draw is 4/1 with bet365 whilst the home win can be backed at odds of 9/1, which may appeal to some.
shakhtar donetsk are no mugs and have some players capable of troubling any side but we have to feel that bayern will prove far too good. there may have been a little rustiness as they slumped to a shock 4-1 loss at wolfsburg but they should be back to their best here and we predict their patient passing will be enough to earn them a tie-sealing win. their defence is usually incredible and with sweeper-keeper manuel neuer at the back we predict they’ll win 2-0, although our main betting tip for this one is bayern/bayern in the half time/full time betting market.
basel v porto
undoubtedly the least prestigious champions league match of the phase sees porto travel to switzerland to face basel and this should be a fascinating and competitive match between two sides who will feel they have a great chance to progress. once into the last eight of the champions league anything can happen so we feel both will really be up for this game and we predict a lively encounter.
porto are historically very strong at home so basel will know they have to do well in this game to give themselves a chance in portugal. the bookies price the home side at betting odds of 9/4 (888sport) whilst porto are favourites at 11/8 with sky bet. the draw, which we feel porto would probably take, can be backed at odds of 23/10 but on balance we think the home win looks a brilliant value bet here.
basel have some fast, skilful players and in front of their own fans can test any side. we predict they will edge this game and so our betting tip for this one is simple, basel to win and give themselves a great chance of making the champions league quarters.
