UEFA Champions League Sports Betting Picks of the Week: 8/7 – 8/8
Comprised of the very best teams in the world, the UEFA Champions League returns from the pandemic with the second leg of their Round of 16 slated to kick off this weekend.
The first leg of the round was played back in late February, just weeks before the coronavirus outbreak kicked into high gear and shut the sporting world down for over three months.
With the tournament slated to be wrapped up by the end of this month, let’s take a look at two games this weekend I have my eye on for us cash in on.
All odds listed provided by our friends over at FanDuel Sportsbook.
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Manchester City (-135) vs. Real Madrid (+320)
Friday, 3:00 PM EST
Played in what now seems like an imaginary sized crowd of 76K people at the end of February, the last time these two juggernauts faced off in the first leg was a back-and-forth affair. Ultimately winning by way of a penalty in the 83′ minute, Man City took advantage of a 10-manned Real coming back from a 0-1 deficit in the 60′ minute.
With the win, City comes into this one ahead 1-0 in aggregate and can be content with a draw. For Madrid, they’ll take the field in this one again without center back Sergio Ramos and strikers Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez.
Even still, as they showed in their run through La Liga last month, they have enough to compete with anyone. In this one, I like another back-and-forth affair with City doing just enough to advance to the next round.
Bayern Munich (-270) vs. Chelsea (+600)
Saturday, 3:00 PM EST
When these two European powerhouses last got together for the first leg in this Round of 16 grouping, Bayern got the best of Chelsea by way of two goals off the foot of Serge Gnabry. When Robert Lewandowski slotted the third home for good measure in the 76th minute, Chelsea’s fight very likely was sealed just then.
Making matters worse for Chelsea, they’ll be without their pair of wingers in Christian Pulisic and Pedro who sustained injuries in the team’s FA Cup Final last weekend.
Having finished their regular season earlier than the rest of the professional leagues in Europe, Bayern Munich comes into this one having not played a non-friendly match since July 4th.
Between Bayern’s rust and a general lack in interest of this being a high-scoring affair, I see a largely possession approach from Bayern. Pair that with Chelsea’s shorthanded predicament, and I see a game that should sail well under the adjusted goal total.
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TJ Perun is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from TJ, check out his archive and follow him @JohnnyCovers.