UEFA Champions League Sports Betting Picks of the Week: 8/19
With PSG’s win over RB Leipzig on Tuesday, just three teams remain in the pandemic-interrupted 2020 UEFA Champions League. What started earlier this year in front of stadiums nearing 100,000 fans, will finish over the course of the next week in the all too familiar setting of an empty stadium.
Unlike in years past, the quarter and semi-finals, which will be wrapped up by this evening, are being played in single-elimination format instead of the group aggregate play we have seen in years past.
With that new format in mind, let’s take a look at the high stakes winner-take-all matchup that will pit one team against PSG to take home the trophy Sunday afternoon.
All odds listed provided by FanDuel Sportsbook.
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Lyon (+1000) vs. Bayern Munich (-470)
Wednesday, 3:00 PM EST
In one of the biggest upsets of the entire tournament, Lyon knocked off English Premier League runner up Manchester City 3-1 in a quarterfinal match that shocked the world. Carried by two goals from striker Moussa Dembele, Lyon’s unlikely run to this position came after their Ligue 1 (French Professional) season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic, needing just to keep their first game back against Juventus close to advance as they did.
Led by head coach Rudi Garcia, Lyon plays a feisty brand of soccer, and are not only solid in the midfield and backline, but play in a style that sets their strikers up for successes. Leading that midfield unit is 22-year old Houssem Aouar who after a real breakout season, could be taking the field for the last time in a Lyon jersey in this one.
Facing this cinderella story in tonight’s semi is a real goliath in Bayern Munich. To make it here, Bayern absolutely dismantled one of the best teams in the world in Barcelona, stepping on their throat late into the second half ultimately winning 8-2.
Led by a pair of studs in Alfonso Davies and Robert Lewandowski, Bayern also has a massive advantage in goal with legendary keeper Oliver Kahn.
After taking their obliteration of Bundesliga and carrying it straight into the Champions League, it’s no wonder why Bayern is not only the massive favorite here but to win the whole tournament. While the odds to win alone are too long for my taste, I do see another high scoring affair between two teams that have combined for double-digit goals over their last two games.
Given a total Bayern can likely get to on their own, I’ll take the over in this one.
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TJ Perun is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from TJ, check out his archive and follow him @JohnnyCovers.