Champions League: PSG Poised to Pounce on Slumping Real
Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Madrid
Without a doubt, PSG vs Real Madrid is the Champions League round-of-16 tie many have been people eagerly anticipating ever since the chaotic draw took place.
The tie is filled with several scrumptious storylines: Sergio Ramos returning to face his old side, Lionel Messi facing his old foe, and Kylian Mbappe going up against his potential future club.
PSG will look to take command of the tie when they host Real, who will not be in the best of form heading into the first leg.
But with star striker Karim Benzema set to make his return, don’t discount the Spanish giants’ Champions League 2022 betting odds of leaving the Parc des Princes with the advantage.
Talking Points
Mbappe set to take centre stage
All eyes will be on PSG’s Kylian Mbappe as he prepares to take on what could very well be his next team in Real Madrid. The 23-year-old is out of contract in the summer, and he has been strongly linked with a move to Madrid over the last few months.
Mbappe will certainly head into the big clash in fine form. He scored the stoppage-time winner in PSG’s 1-0 victory over Rennes over the weekend, his second goal in as many games.
Mbappe has also been PSG’s star performer in the Champions League, with 4 goals and 4 assists in six games.
Messi rediscovering best form
Lionel Messi provided the assist for Mbappe’s winning goal as he continues to rediscover his best form at the right time. The 34-year-old has been playing back in the centre over the last few games, and he has produced some impressive performances. He had a goal and an assist in PSG’s 5-1 thrashing of reigning champions Lille, one of his best performances of the season.
With Neymar still not yet fit to start the first leg, Messi will likely continue to play through the middle against Real Madrid and look to make more Champions League 2022 highlights in Paris.
Similarly, Sergio Ramos is unlikely to be risked to face his old club as he has only just returned to training.
Benzema in a race to be back
Meanwhile, Real Madrid will not head into the first leg in Paris in the best of form. Los Blancos were held to a goalless draw by Villarreal over the weekend as they’ve won just once in their last four matches in all competitions. They lost to Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey and were also held to a 2-2 draw by Elche.
Not surprisingly, Real’s struggles have coincided with Karim Benzema’s absence from the side. The French star has missed the last three games due to an injury.
Real Madrid star Karim Benzema celebrates after scoring a goal during their Spanish Super Cup final against Athletic Bilbao
Benzema has been instrumental to Real Madrid’s success this season with 24 goals on the season, five of which have come in the Champions League.
Real coach Carlo Ancelotti has started Rodrygo, Isco and Gareth Bale at centre-forward in Benzema’s absence, and it’s anyone’s guess who will get the call this time around if the Frenchman is unable to start.
History
This will be the 11th meeting between Real Madrid and PSG in top European competition. It’s been quite evenly matched thus far, with Real holding only a slight 4-3 edge, with three draws. Even the goals are very close, with PSG scoring just one more than Real (14-13).
This will be the first time the two sides have met since the 2019 Champions League group stage. PSG won 3-0 at home, then staged a late comeback to hold Real to a 2-2 draw.
SBOTOP odds have Paris Saint-Germain priced as 2.03 favourites at home. Real Madrid are pegged at 3.45, while a draw is not far behind at 3.50.
While Real Madrid will be sweating the fitness of Benzema, who is so key to their success, they should still be a formidable foe even without the French forward.
Their midfield of Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric is quite capable of controlling a match, even away from home. So don’t be at all surprised if Real Madrid manage to produce a positive result in Paris.
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Champions League: Will City Give Lisbon A Sporting Chance?
Sporting Lisbon vs Manchester City
Manchester City are back on the Champions League trail when they head to Lisbon on Tuesday for a Round of 16 clash with Portuguese champions Sporting.
Pep Guardiola’s City are the favourites to lift the trophy for the first time, with the latest Champions League 2022 betting oddspricing the Sky Blues at 3.85. Sporting Lisbon are available at 451.00 with SBOTOPand only Red Bull Salzburg are longer at a price of 751.00. So this is a game which few neutrals will expect to go any other way than Manchester, and the Sky Blues are in ruthless form, arriving on the back of a 4-0 win away to Norwich City while Los Leones played out an action-packed 2-2 draw in a top of the table clash with Porto.
The Premier League side won’t take anything for granted in this game and Sporting will have to be at their very best to stay in the tie.
Raheem Sterling scored a hat-trick in Manchester City’s destruction of the Canaries and he seems to be growing in confidence week after week. There has never been any doubting the England man’s ability; though his form has not been the best at times over the past two years. But he seems to be in the midst of a hot streak and is a good bet to add to his two Champions League goals on Tuesday.
Of course Sterling is not the only threat for Sporting to worry about. Riyad Mahrez is top scoring in the Champions League for City with five goals, and he’ll be pushing for more in the coming weeks, while Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne continue to pull the strings in midfield. When the Sky Blues drew Sporting Lisbon in the Round of 16 there will be few fans at the Etihad who would have worried at the prospect, and if their big players perform in Lisbon then they’ll be quite right.
Sporting’s spat with Porto could work either way
Los Leones won the Portuguese Primeira Liga last year but they are up against it this time around, currently six points behind FC Porto with 12 games to go. But in a bad tempered match which ended 2-2 they had a great chance to cut the deficit to three, at 2-1 up early in the second half. But the dismissal of Sebastian Coates on 49 minutes opened the door for Porto to stage a fight-back which they did, equalising late in the game; and when both teams had two players each sent off, after an ugly confrontation at the end of the game, they ended up with nine and eight players respectively.
So, with a chance missed and a scrap with their biggest domestic rivals fresh in the memory los Leones will be pumped up for this match, the question remains whether or not that is a good thing. They could get in the Sky Blues’ faces and take out their frustration on the English champions but, if they lose their shape and discipline then Guardiola’s side will pick them off at will.
Pablo Sarabia during Sporting CP’s match against Belenenses
Head coach Ruben Amorim will hope that midfield ace Pablo Sarabia, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, will show his ability to match City’s quality, Paulinho is a dangerous striker who has bagged three goals in the competition so far.
History
Sporting Lisbon have been a dominant force in the Portuguese league, winning the Primeira Liga 19 times, though last season’s triumph was the first since 2002. And they have been regulars in European competition, winning the European Cup Winners Cup in 1964. But they are making up the numbers this year while Manchester City try to win their first Champions League.
In terms of head to heads, Sporting have won two of their three meetings with Manchester City, both at home, while the Sky Blues won the other encounter on their home turf.
Both teams are in good form, Sporting are unbeaten in five with four wins and a draw, while Manchester City are unbeaten in 12 matches and have won the last three.
A Sporting win or even a draw would be huge Champions League 2022 news but can anyone really have confidence in Manchester City slipping up in Lisbon? Well if you think there may be an upset then a home win is available at odds of 9.40 or a draw is priced at 5.22 with the Double Chance (home or draw) at 3.43. Every now and then Manchester City have a blip, as they did in a draw with Southampton three weeks ago, but that is the exception rather than the norm, and I expect them to do a job on Sporting.
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The Champions League returns this week and there’s a potential blockbuster at the San Siro.
The Italian champions, Inter Milan, host one of English football’s heavyweights, Liverpool, with the winners over two legs likely to be one of the favourites to go all the way in the competition.
One team has been weakened considerably compared to last season, the other significantly strengthened to the point where their manager says he has the best squad he has ever had.
Yet with so many potential matchwinners in both ranks, we can realistically expect some Champions League highlights.
Inter warmed up with a draw at Napoli in the top of the table clash in Serie A at the weekend – a division which is at the heart of the most exciting title race in Europe with just two points separating the top three.
This first leg continues a busy period for I Nerazzurri who lost the Milan derby last weekend but then bounced back to knock Roma out of the Coppa Italia.
All this from a team which lost its manager and a number of its top players last summer and which this SBOTOP writer thought would be adrift of the title race.
Liverpool are currently flying, second in the Premier League and on an unbeaten run which stretches back to December 28 – despite being without the duo of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane for much of the past month due to the African Cup of Nations.
Mohamed Salah is returning to face Inter at the San Siro for the first time since 2017
The team news certainly favours the visitors whose manager, Jurgen Klopp, has a full pool to select from – a squad he said last week is the ‘strongest’ he has ever had during his career.
For Inter, competing in the last 16 of Europe’s premier competition for the first time in a decade, they have had the boost of hearing Alessandro Bastoni will likely be available.
The Italian international trained today ahead of the clash, less than a week after leaving the fray with an ankle injury during Inter’s 2-0 win over Roma in the Coppa Italia.
He missed the Serie A draw with Napoli as a result but was suspended anyway and his return could see Stefan de Vrij named on the bench.
Someone who is suspended for both legs of this tie, though, is his team-mate Nicolò Barella`.
For so long Italian teams were the leading sides in Europe but, in recent years, the big money has been in England, as seen most noticeably when Chelsea put four past Juventus without reply earlier in the competition.
The task facing Inter coach Simone Inzaghi is a big one but the Italian has impressed since replacing Antonio Conte last summer and, if his side fares well over two legs, his stock will rise further across Europe.
History
The sides have met four times in history and Liverpool have won three of those games.
Yet the main encounter was an Inter success.
That was in the second leg of their European Cup semi-final in 1965.
After Liverpool won the first leg 3-1 at Anfield with goals from Roger Hunt, Ian Callaghan and Ian St John, Inter turned the tables with a 3-0 victory in the San Siro to progress to the final 4-3 on aggregate. They then won the trophy against Benfica.
Fast forward to more recent times and the sides met in the Champions League last 16 tie in 2008.
Then late goals from Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard gave Liverpool a 2-0 home win which they added to in the second leg through Fernando Torres to seal a 3-0 aggregate success.
That is reflected in the varying odds for goals including over 2.75 goals @ 1.95, total goal 0-1 @ 4.00, 2-3 @ 1.95 and 4-6 @ 3.00. I did consider Half Time Full Time Draw @ 5.00 but I just think Liverpool will be too strong for Inter who lost too much talent last summer to compete for this trophy.
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Champions League: Bayern to Take on Austria’s Finest
Red Bull Salzburg vs Bayern Munich
When the Round of 16 Champions League draw eventually concluded there were raised eyebrows around the room, not least because of the shambolic effort to get it right. But when the draw was finally concluded the Champions of Germany and Austria were drawn together in a blockbuster clash and are set to meet on Wednesday in the historic city of Salzburg.
Julian Nagelsmann’s Bayern are one of the favourites to win the 2022 title but this game won’t be a walk in the park. While the Germans come into the clash on the back of a shock defeat to Bochum, Red Bull Salzburg are flying high at the top of the Austrian Bundesliga, 14 points clear of the chasing pack and they can take on Die Bayern with no such domestic concerns.
Talking Points
Red Bull’s Adeyemi has a big future
With 15 wins, three draws and one defeat in the league Die Roten Bullen have the Austrian Bundesliga all but wrapped up; and when Bayern Munich arrive at the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday the place will be rocking for one of those special European nights under the floodlights. The hosts come into the game on the back of a 2-1 win over Rapid Wien thanks to second-half goals from American midfielder Brenden Aaronson and Swiss striker Noah Okafor, after they had gone behind in the first half.
Andreas Ulmer playing for Red Bull Salzburg against Lille
Head coach Matthias Jaissle will put his faith in highly-rated striker Karim Adeyemi who has scored 20 goals this term, including three in the Champions League. Adeyemi became the first player to represent Germany while playing in the Austrian League when he made his international debut in a 6-0 win over Armenia. The 20-year-old is a hot property and might well be playing against Bayern in the German Bundesliga next season.
To reach this stage Salzburg came through a tough group alongside Lyon, and seeing off La Liga high flyers Sevilla as well as Wolfsburg from the German Bundesliga. They are a side to be reckoned with in the Champions League, winning 33 of their 77 matches in Europe’s top competition; but at a price of 751.00 the Champions League 2022 betting odds reckon Red Bull are the least likely of the 16 remaining teams to win the tournament.
Just look at those odds plummet if they manage to beat Bayern!
Bayern looking for a bounce back
And a shock is not entirely out of the question as the Bavarians discovered to their cost on Saturday, when they were thumped 4-2 by VfL Bochum in the Bundesliga and where they conceded all four goals in the first half. It looked like a routine day out for the Bavarians when Lewandowski gave them an early lead but Bochum stormed back with a four-goal blitz and Lewandowski’s second, 15 minutes from time, was merely a consolation. The defeat meant that Bayern’s lead at the top of the table had been cut to six points following Borussia Dortmund’s 3-0 win away to Union Berlin on Sunday. Die Bayern recently met Salzburg’s sister club Red Bull Leipzig last week and came away with a hard-fought 3-2 victory, and they will be wary of another tough assignment on Wednesday which they face without injured keeper Manuel Neuer and influential midfield star Leon Goretzka.
Julian Nagelsmann’s team are second favourites to win the competition at SBOTOP odds of 4.50, with Manchester City in the lead at 3.85. They need to put down a marker in Austria; but the Bavarians are old hands at this and will be keen to eradicate the memory of an embarrassment in Bochum at the Austrians’ expense.
History
Bayern have been one of Europe’s top club for decades but Salzburg are an emerging power following the takeover of the club by the Red Bull Company in 2005, four years before the conglomerate bought Leipzig in 2009.
Having previously won three Austrian Bundesliga titles in their history as Salzburg, the club went on to win 12 of the next 16, including the last eight and finishing as runners up in the other four.
Salzburg reached the last four in the 2018 Europa League and were runners-up in the 1994 UEFA Cup. They last faced FC Bayern in the 2020 Champions League and were beaten 3-1 as Lewandowski, Kingsley Coman and Leroy Sane all scored while Mergim Berisha scored a consolation for Salzburg.
With Red Bull at 7.96 and the Draw at 5.03 anything other than a Bayern win, at a price of 1.31 would be one of the surprise Champions League 2022 results of the Round of 16. But they’ll give it a go and, as both teams are big scorers, I’m backing a goal fest in Salzburg.
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Champions League: Late Mbappe Magic Rescues Messi, PSG Against Real Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappe gave Real Madrid an up close and personal look at what could very well be their next Galactico. The PSG superstar turned in a spectacular performance against his rumoured future club, which he capped off with a sensational stoppage-time winner to give the Parisians a crucial 1-0 victory in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie.
Mbappe and PSG absolutely dominated a surprisingly defensive Real Madrid throughout the match but were unable to get the breakthrough. Lionel Messi missed a penalty that could have put the Parisians ahead.
But Mbappe finally came to his team’s rescue by scoring a brilliant goal that will no doubt be among the top Champions League 2022 highlights.
Read on as SBOTOP recaps another spectacular Champions League performance from Mbappe.
Highlights of the game
The big Champions League 2022 news before kick-off was that star Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema was fit to start after missing the last few games with a hamstring injury. His absence from the side has led to a mini-slump for the Spanish giants.
Meanwhile, Neymar only started on the PSG bench as Messi continued to play through the centre, with Mbappe and Angel Di Maria on the flanks.
And it was Mbappe and Di Maria who were involved in the first real chance of the match. After some nifty dribbling down the left wing, Mbappe sent in a dangerous cross to Di Maria, whose first-time shot flew well off target.
Mbappe caused Madrid’s backline problems once again on 17 minutes as he blew by Dani Carvajal to latch onto a terrific Messi through ball, but Thibaut Courtois did brilliantly to deny the Frenchman.
PSG continued to pile on the pressure throughout the first half, but they struggled to create any clear-cut chance on goal.
As for Real Madrid, it took them until first-half stoppage time to register their first shot, which came from a Casemiro header that did not trouble PSG’s Gigi Donnarumma.
PSG came out with renewed purpose in the second half, and Mbappe very nearly gave them the lead five minutes after the break. But again, Courtois produced a top-class save and parried Mbappe’s powerful shot away.
Toni Kroos, who was very busy on the defensive side of the ball, came closest to scoring for Real with a long-range shot that sailed just over the bar.
But on the hour mark, PSG were given a great opportunity to take the lead as they were awarded a penalty. Unsurprisingly, Mbappe won the penalty as he once again flew past Carvajal, who brought the Frenchman down.
Reigning Ballon d’Or Messi stepped up to take the spot-kick, but the Argentine was denied by Courtois, who guessed right and got down to his left to make the stop.
Lionel Messi reacts after his penalty shot was saved by Thibaut Courtois in their Champions League match against Real Madrid
Neymar came on with just under 20 minutes left as PSG continued their tireless search for that crucial goal. Neymar got his big chance to get that goal four minutes from time after he and Messi combined beautifully, but the Brazilian could not find the finish past Courtois.
Real Madrid were mere seconds away from holding on for a draw, but Mbappe and PSG would not be denied. And in the fourth minute of stoppage time, they got the goal they fully deserved.
Once more, the magnificent Mbappe slipped his way past two Real Madrid defenders, then evaded a third to slide the ball in between the legs of Courtois.
The final whistle sounded amid cheers from the Paris faithful, who witnessed a wonderful moment of magic from Kylian Mbappe that might just be the major turning point in this tie.
Key statistics
The final statistics bear out just how dominant PSG were. They controlled 57 per cent of possession and had a whopping 21-3 edge in terms of total shots, with Real Madrid recording zero shots on target.
Despite his missed penalty, Messi had a lively game as he got eight of PSG’s shots, while Mbappe had seven of his own. The two also had nine of the team’s 18 dribbles.
With his goal, Mbappe has now been directly involved in nine PSG goals (five goals, four assists) in seven Champions League games this season.
What’s next?
It’s back to domestic duty for the two clubs before meeting back at the Bernabeu in Madrid for the second leg in a fortnight’s time.
The Champions League 2022 odds will favour the French champions to go through after their first-leg win, but with just a one-goal deficit to overcome, don’t count Real out just yet.
Carlo Ancelotti will have to significantly change his tactics after his overly defensive approach in the first leg failed. As for Mauricio Pochettino, this tie is perfectly poised for PSG to play more on the counter, which is where Mbappe shines.
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Champions League: Liverpool Leave It Late but Class Shows in San Siro
Inter Milan 2-0 Liverpool
Simone Inzaghi made no pretence after his team were paired with Liverpool in December’s Champions League draw, the Inter Milan manager stressing ‘they were top of the list of teams I would have preferred to avoid’.
Sure enough, in the end that was exactly how it proved as Liverpool notched two late goals to take control of a tie I had billed as an acid test for Inzaghi.
For so long though, they threatened a mini surprise.
Highlights of the game
Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi reacts from the sidelines during their Champions League match against Liverpool at San Siro
Indeed, after a tame opening period, Inter were on top for long periods of the second half and even came close to taking the lead when Hakan Çalhanoglu hit the crossbar.
Yet when substitute Roberto Firmino headed home an Andrew Robertson corner 15 minutes from time, the Merseysiders had the bit between their teeth and Mo Salah soon added a second with a deflected effort to seal more Champions League 2022 highlights for the visitors.
Yes, it was a little harsh on Inter but, whereas Liverpool scored with their only two efforts on target, Inter failed to muster a solitary effort on target as Lautaro Martínez extended his dry run to one goal in his past 10 appearances.
It means the Nerazzurri, who took only one point from their first two Group D games, have still won only six of their last 23 Champions League matches.
Liverpool, at the San Siro for the second successive European game, have won every top-flight game since a New Year draw at Chelsea and ultimately had too much know-how.
Inter, who also had an Edin Dzeko goal ruled out for offside, certainly played their part in an enthralling contest, but the Serie A champions will need to produce something special to turn the tie around.
By contrast, with a full-strength squad, Liverpool look ominous and have one foot in the quarter-finals.
Key statistics
When he came off the bench late on, James Milner was making his 800th appearance of his senior club career (275 Liverpool, 203 Manchester City, 136 Newcastle United, 126 Aston Villa, 54 Leeds United, six Swindon Town). Milner has averaged 40 games per season across his 20-season professional career.
Salah is only the second player to score against both AC Milan and Inter Milan in the same Champions League season following Peter Crouch (Tottenham 2010-11).
Salah has scored 33 goals in his 50 games for Liverpool in the Champions League – only Cristiano Ronaldo (51 goals with Real Madrid) and Robert Lewandowski (36 goals with Bayern Munich) have netted more after their first 50 games in the competition with a specific club.
Salah has now scored 12 goals in his last 12 Champions League outings.
Aged 18 years and 318 days, Harvey Elliott became the youngest player ever to start a European Cup match for Liverpool (excluding qualifiers).
Europa League: Dragons And Romans Have Big Ambitions
Porto vs Lazio
Porto host Lazio in a Europa League play-off clash on Thursday and both teams have a very good chance to go deep into the competition.
The Dragons landed third in their Champions League group and that in itself was some achievement as they finished above Serie A league leaders Milan. Meanwhile, Lazio finished second to Galatasaray in their Europa League group and now must beat Porto over two legs to reach the Round of 16.
The latest outright Europa League 2022 betting odds have these two teams at an identical SBOTOP price of 24.00 to lift the trophy while Lazio have the tiniest edge in terms of who will qualify for the next round, priced at 1.90 with FC Porto at 2.00.
So, yes friends, this encounter is going to be a fascinating battle at the Estadio do Dragao between two well-matched sides. Porto come into the game on the back of a battling 2-2 draw with title rivals Sporting while Lazio beat Bologna 3-0, so both teams will come into the game with plenty of belief.
Talking Points
Dragons are breathing fire
Yesterday, we took a look at Lisbon’s clash with Manchester City in the Champions League, and now it’s the turn of Sporting’s fierce domestic rivals.
And Porto fans will gleefully point to the Primera Division table for evidence that they have the upper hand on the domestic front. The 2-2 draw played out between the two sides was a hot-tempered affair and Porto will be the happier of the teams having recovered from a 2-1 deficit in a game that saw five red cards.
The draw left Sergio Conceicao’s side six points clear at the top of the Primera Division table with Sporting in second place.
Conceicao will have to regroup his side following the sale of top scorer Luis Diaz to Liverpool, but in Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi he has a strong player to lead the line. Taremi has 12 goals from 21 games and will give the Lazio defence plenty to think about.
The twice winners of the Europa League are skippered by experienced Brazilian centre-back Pepe but they will be without Wilson Manafa for this clash.
Immobile can fire Lazio to success
Now that the big hitters Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, Sevilla, and Atalanta have dropped into the Europa League, the likes of Lazio have drifted down the pecking order, but head coach Maurizio Sarri can have confidence in his squad of players to challenge for the trophy should they negotiate this tie.
They are in good shape in Serie A, sitting sixth and just four points behind Juventus in fourth and in Ciro Immobile they have the most consistent striker in Italy.
With 19 goals from 21 games, the Azzurri star leads the race for the Capocannoniere – a title he has won three times already and he is Lazio’s all time top scorer.
When Lazio met Atalanta recently, he drew a blank in a 0-0 draw, but that game was sandwiched by two more 3-0 victories in the league against Salernitana and Fiorentina.
Lazio’s Ciro Immobile in action against AC Milan’s Mike Maignan
Immobile scored three more goals in those two matches. He’s on a hot streak of form and is a good bet to score against Porto on Thursday.
With only Francesco Acerbi on the injured list, Sarri has a strong squad to pick from.
History
Porto have had the better of their three meetings with Lazio as they’ve won two and drew once. Their last victory ended in a 2-1 scoreline in 2008.
Recent form favours the Portuguese side too since they have won five of the last six and drawing the other game, while Lazio have won four drawn one and lost one.
In fact, Porto are unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions and in seven matches at home, winning six and drawing one.
But the hosts have lost their last two home knockout matches in the Europa League, both times to German opposition Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen.
We’ll be back with the Europa League 2022 updates on Thursday night but in the meantime let’s make a call on this tie. Porto are at a price of 2.20 to win the fist leg with Lazio at 3.15.
Without Diaz, the hosts will be less of a threat while Immobile can hurt the Porto defence, and I expect Lazio to avoid defeat in the away leg. 2-3 goals at odds of 1.81 suggests a 1-1 Draw at 5.60 is a likely outcome and that would suit the Italians just fine, while Porto would still feel they are in the tie.
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Some of Europe’s biggest names were in Europa League action tonight as the teams dropping out of the Champions League were thrown into the mix. And there was some great action though not all of the big names had a good night.
With Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Sevilla all in action there were plenty of goals and not exactly where we expected.
No home comfort for Dortmund
Of all tonight’s Europa League 2022 results the big shock came at the Signal Iduna Stadium where Borussia Dortmund were at SBOTOP odds of 1.37 to beat Scottish league side Rangers, but the Bundesliga’s second placed side blew their chance of a first leg lead quite spectacularly, losing 4-2 and now facing an uphill battle at the Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow where the two teams will meet again.
BVB showed their pedigree in a recent 4th versus 2nd clash away to Union Berlin, winning 3-0, but before that game they were hammered 5-2 on their own turf by Bayer Leverkusen and this latest setback is hardly good preparation for a home game against Borussia Monchengladbach this weekend. The Scots caught their hosts on the hop and were 2-0 up at the break as captain James Tavernier converted a penalty and Alfredo Moreles added a second. Marco Rose named an unchanged side from the 11 which beat Union Berlin, and would have expected to win, but his side were three down when John Lundstrom scored early in the second half. Rangers’ fourth, an own goal courtesy of Dan-Axel Zagadou was sandwiched by strikes from Jude Bellingham and Raphael Guerreiro as BVB kept themselves in the tie with a two goal deficit.
This was not how BVB had hoped their 1,000th gave at the Signal Iduna Park would have panned out, and now Rose has work to do to ensure his side doesn’t make it three home defeats on the run.
Torres is Barca’s best buy
Following his transfer from Manchester City, flying winger Ferran Torres has made two assists in three matches, and in tonight’s 1-1 draw with Serie A pace setters Napoli, he levelled with a 59th minute penalty after Piotr Zielinski had given the Italian side a first half lead. The result gives the Blaugrana a good chance to progress but Luciano Spalletti’s Azzurri must now be favourites.
Cash strapped Barca had a productive January transfer window, bringing in Adama Traore from Wolves and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Arsenal, as well as Torres. All three former Premier League stars started tonight but Torres was the pick of the bunch and he’s certainly hit the ground running. City boss Pep Guardiola might be having second thoughts.
Martial on target for Sevilla
Sevilla’s Anthony Martial celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal against Dinamo Zagreb at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium
Manchester United exile Anthony Martial scored for his new club Sevilla as the La Liga side took charge of their play-off against Dynamo Zagreb. Ivan Rakitic gave Sevilla an early lead from the penalty spot and, on 41 minutes, Mislav Orsic equalised for Dynamo Zagreb; but then two goals in as many minutes sent Sevilla into half time with a 3-1 lead. Lucas Ocampos converted a sharp chance from a corner and then Anthony Martial clinically finished off a fast break with a low shot into the corner after Papu Gomez had put him through.
A goalless second half meant that Sevilla have a two goal advantage to take to the second leg in Zagreb and they will fancy protecting that. Martial is settling well in his new home and is in a title chase as Los Sevillanos are just four points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid.
Martinez is magic for Porto
Porto vs Lazio pitched together two teams on the edge of the Europa League 2022 betting odds scene, both at 24.00 to win the tournament but each with big ambitions in Europe. And it was Porto who emerged with a first leg lead thanks to a brace from Toni Martinez. The two teams went in level at half time after a well contested first half. The Italians had taken an early lead when Mattia Zaccagni was first to react to a Luis Alberto corner to slot home from close range, but then Martinez levelled when he met a Joao Mario cross with a firm header.
Mario was the provider again when Martinez fired a low shot into the corner for his second, early in the second half, and he could have had a hat-trick moments later but his shot, destined for the top corner, was brilliantly saved by Thomas Strakosha. Porto take a 2-1 lead to Rome.
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Champions League: Vlahovic, Juventus Face Vital Villarreal Test
Villarreal vs Juventus
New Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic is set to make his Champions League debut as the Italian giants travel to Villarreal for the first leg of their round-of-16 tie.
Vlahovic is in the midst of his longest scoring drought of the season, which has coincided with a couple of disappointing results for Juve.
The Serb will try to get the Old Lady back on track when they take on Villarreal.
After a rough stretch, the Spanish side is back in top form ahead of this tie, and the Champions League 2022 betting odds have them as slight favourites at home against the Bianconeri.
Talking Points
Villarreal missing top marksman Moreno
Villarreal will head into the Champions League knockout stage in very good form. The Yellow Submarine are unbeaten in their last four La Liga games, with three wins and a draw.
After beating third-placed Real Betis 2-0 away and holding La Liga leaders Real Madrid at home, Villarreal thrashed relegation strugglers Granada 4-1 to continue their impressive run.
Villarreal’s Arnaut Danjuma celebrates after scoring in their Champions League group stage game against Atalanta
With star striker Gerard Moreno out injured, Arnaut Danjuma stepped up and scored a hat-trick. The Dutchman is having a terrific season; aside from his eight La Liga goals – tied for the team lead – he has also produced his share of Champions League 2022 highlights with a team-leading four goals in six appearances.
Villarreal coach Unai Emery will also be encouraged by his side’s much-improved defence. They have conceded just one goal in their last four games, which sounds more like an Emery-coached team.
Veteran centre-back Raul Albiol looks set to return after missing the Granada match due to suspension. Although, midfielders Frances Coquelin and Ruben Pena are both out due to injury, while Etienne Capoue is a doubt.
Villarreal are unbeaten in their last six home games, with four wins and two draws, both coming against the two Madrid clubs.
Vlahovic in a drought, key defenders out
Juventus were tipped by many to make a run at the Serie A title after their busy winter transfer window, where they acquired star striker Dusan Vlahovic and midfielder Denis Zakaria.
However, the new-look Old Lady have suffered a couple of setbacks in recent weeks. They needed a late equaliser to avoid defeat against Atalanta, and they were once again held to a 1-1 draw by city rivals Torino in the Turin derby over the weekend.
Vlahovic, who scored in his debut against Verona, has now failed to score in his last three outings. That’s the Serb’s longest stretch of games without a goal for club and country this season, one he will look to end in his Champions League debut.
Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri has been playing Vlahovic, Alvaro Morata, and Paulo Dybala in a front three in recent games, but it remains to be seen if he will stick with such an aggressive attacking lineup away from home in the Champions League.
American midfielder Weston McKennie is an option to come into the starting lineup to provide more defensive cover.
Juve will be weakened defensively with the absence of veteran centre-backs Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci. Full-back Sandro started alongside Matthijs de Ligt in the derby and is likely to do so again in Spain.
Juventus are winless in their last three away games in all competitions, although those games have come against Inter, Milan, and Atalanta.
History
This will be the first-ever meeting between Villarreal and Juventus in the Champions League. Although, the two clubs have extensive experience facing Italian and Spanish teams, respectively.
Villarreal have face Italian sides 22 times in UEFA competition, winning nine times, losing seven, and drawing six. They have a terrific home record against Italians, with seven wins in 11 games.
Meanwhile, Juventus have faced Spanish sides 66 times, with 25 wins and 25 defeats. They’ve made 30 trips to Italy, winning just seven times with 16 losses.
SBOTOP odds have Villarreal installed as slight 2.58 favourites over Juventus, who are priced at 2.84 to pick up the first-leg win away from home. Meanwhile, a draw is at 3.05.
Gerard Moreno’s absence is a major blow for the home side, especially since he had been playing so well after returning from a hamstring problem.
But with Juventus struggling for form and missing their two most experienced defenders, the Yellow Submarine have a real shot at getting a positive result in their home leg. I expect them to keep things tight at the back and hold the Old Lady to a draw in the first leg.
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Champions League: Lille Look to Shock Unconvincing Chelsea in London
Chelsea vs Lille
Newly crowned Club World Cup champions and reigning European champions Chelsea resume their quest to retain their Champions League crown when they host Lille in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie.
The Champions League 2022 betting odds have Chelsea as massive favourites to come away with an advantage after the first leg at Stamford Bridge.
But with the Blues’ recent performances looking far from convincing and record signing Romelu Lukaku still struggling, can reigning French champions Lille capitalise on Chelsea’s lack of form and leave London with a shock result?
Talking Points
Chelsea continue to look unconvincing
After their successful trip to Dubai at the Club World Cup, Chelsea returned to Premier League action with a 1-0 win away at Crystal Palace. The Blues had to battle hard and needed a late Hakim Ziyech winner to grab all three points.
Despite five wins in a row in all competitions, Chelsea have continued their concerning trend of unconvincing performances. Outside of matches against Tottenham Hotspur, they haven’t won by more than a single goal since Boxing Day.
After scoring a couple of potentially confidence-boosting goals at the Club World Cup, Romelu Lukaku once again looked ineffective against Palace as he failed to get a single shot off.
Chelsea star Romelu Lukaku celebrates after scoring a goal during Club World Cup final game against Palmeiras
Lukaku has a couple of goals in the Champions League, but after another listless performance, Tuchel could drop the Belgian for Timo Werner, who has a team-leading three goals in this season’s competition.
On the bright side, Hakim Ziyech is on a fine run of form. The Moroccan winger has now scored in his last three Premier League outings and is likely to retain his starting spot in midweek.
With captain Cesar Azpilicueta, starting wing-backs Reece James and Ben Chilwell as well as star midfielder Mason Mount all out, Thomas Tuchel played quite an unusual starting lineup against Palace. Andreas Christensen and Malang Sarr started at full-back, while Christian Pulisic was the third midfielder alongside Jorginho and N’Golo Kante.
Tuchel could be forced to stick with Christensen on the right if Azpilicueta and James are still not fit to play. But Marcos Alonso and Mateo Kovacic are expected to start after only coming on as substitutes against Crystal Palace.
Lille get key midfielder back
Lille will head into their Champions League round of 16 tie against Chelsea on the back of a goalless draw with relegation-threatened Metz on the weekend. The reigning French champions have had a disappointing title defence and are currently in 11th in Ligue 1.
Despite playing close to a full-strength side and controlling over 63 per cent of possession, Les Dogues could only get one of their 13 shots on target.
Perhaps their minds were preoccupied by their massive Champions League clash at Stamford Bridge. Amid their Ligue 1 struggles, Lille won their last three group games to top Group G.
On-loan Manchester United youngster Angel Gomes is a doubt to play after picking up a calf injury in the first half against Metz, but American international Timothy Weah came on as a substitute and is set to step into the starting lineup.
Renato Sanches also came on as a sub against Metz, his first appearance since suffering a calf injury which sidelined him for the last month. The 24-year-old Portuguese played the last 10 minutes and looks set to start against Chelsea.
Meanwhile, the front two of Burak Yilmaz and Jonathan David will continue to lead the line for Lille. The two strikers have been responsible for most of the team’s Champions League 2022 highlights; David has scored three goals while Yilmaz has two. Although, David is in the midst of a drought and has failed to score in his first six games of 2022.
History
Chelsea and Lille have met just twice before in the Champions League, both of which came in the 2019 group stage. Chelsea won both meetings 2-1. Tammy Abraham scored in both games for the Blues, while Willian and Cesar Azpilicueta were also on target.
Chelsea have a strong record at home against French opposition in Europe. They have won six of 10 matches, with three draws and just one defeat.
On the other side, Lille have won just one of seven away matches against English clubs. That came against Aston Villa in 2002 in the Intertoto Cup.
Chelsea are the biggest favourites in this batch of round-of-16 matches. SBOTOP odds have them priced at 1.31 to win the first leg, while Lille are massive 8.50 underdogs. A draw is at 5.20.
While Chelsea’s attack has been quite disappointing and hasn’t produced too many goals this season, their defence remains top-notch. Tuchel leaned on that defence all the way to the Champions League title last season, and don’t be surprised if he does the same amid their recent struggles.
Lille will struggle to break the Blues down, so it’s shaping up to be a low-scoring affair at Stamford Bridge.
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In other words, they are Champions League outsiders.
And given they are placed fifth and fourth, respectively, in their domestic leagues, then who I am to argue.
Yet no side left them in the competition should take either Atletico Madrid or Manchester United for granted, even accounting for their largely miserable runs so far this term.
What’s more, with this tournament proving their only remaining option for silverware in 2021/22, these two legs should be played in front of both expectant and vocal crowds inside the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium and Old Trafford over the next three weeks.
Talking Points
Manchester United’s Harry Maguire applauds fans after the match
The Champions League so often inspires players and fans alike, and there are plenty of matchwinners on both sides.
Both teams showed some of their potential at the weekend.
There is mixed news on the availability front for Simeone with Yannick Carrasco missing out due to suspension and Matheus Cunha and Daniel Wass sidelined through injury.
Thomas Lemar also faces a fitness battle to feature. Reports suggest Lemar was unable to train over the weekend after missing out against Osasuna, as he came into close contact with a positive Covid-19 test.
On a brighter note for the hosts, Antoine Griezmann should be back.
For United, interim boss Ralf Rangnick praised his side’s resolve after that triumph at Leeds and is likely to recall Diogo Dalot in favour of Aaron Wan-Bissaka at right-back with England international Marcus Rashford set to replace Jesse Lingard in attack.
I suspect former Real Madrid centre-back Raphael Varane will also return to the starting line-up in a city very familiar to him, as it is to one man who has created more Champions League 2022 highlights than any other footballer on the planet.
Atletico will certainly not relish facing Cristiano Ronaldo, who was the key man for United in the group stages with six goals and who has a formidable record against Simeone, with 25 goals in 35 games as a Real player.
It should also be an emotional return for United shot-stopper David de Gea.
I had forgotten he came through the ranks at Atlético and went on to play 84 games for the club in all competitions, including eight in their victorious Europa League campaign in 2009/10, before moving to Manchester in the summer of 2011.
A word of warning for the visitors though: Atletico have been victorious in nine of their 12 two-legged knockout contests against English teams, last season’s aggregate defeat by Chelsea ending a run of five successive victories – only Derby County (1974/75 UEFA Cup) and Bolton Wanderers (2007/08 UEFA Cup) have previously eliminated them.
The two sides have only met twice before and that was 30 years ago when Atletico ended United’s defence of the European Cup Winners’ Cup at the second-round stage in 1991/92.
Then the Spanish side seized control of the contest with a 3-0 first-leg win in Madrid with Paulo Futre opening the scoring before two late goals from Futre and Manolo gave United a mountain to climb.
Mark Hughes gave the Red Devils hope of a comeback four minutes into the Old Trafford return, but the home side were unable to add to that goal and Bernd Schuster settled the contest with a 68th-minute equaliser to seal a 4-1 aggregate success.
Two clubs ranked as 10th and seventh favourites to win the trophy this season, both aiming to keep alive their last chance of silverware this term and seemingly evenly matched.
Instead, what followed was a pretty one-sided contest as Atletico Madrid controlled long spells from start to finish, even without possession.
However, Manchester United are very much in this tie after their often sloppy play, in which they so often lacked conviction, went unpunished by the hosts while, on two occasions, the woodwork saved the Red Devils.
After a match of few Champions League 2022 highlights with only three efforts on target – two of which produced goals – it is very evenly poised ahead of the second leg next month.
Highlights of the game
Atletico Madrid’s Angel Correa in action with Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes during their Champions League clash at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano
As starts go, it could have barely been worse for United.
With the full weight of the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium behind them, the visitors were always going to need to weather an early storm, yet just seven minutes in Renan Lodi curled in a fine ball and there was Joao Felix ahead of Harry Maguire to send a thumping diving header in off the post.
Interim manager Ralf Rangnick must have despaired and his team seemed initially rattled after falling behind.
In this Spanish cauldron they were unrecognisable and second-best to so much.
Lodi lashed the ball into the side netting and then, on the stroke of half-time, Sime Vrsaljko headed down and onto the crossbar from close range to end a half the hosts had dominated.
The in-form Felix was a livewire, helped no doubt by facing a regular centre-back, Victor Lindelof, at right-back.
At the other end, Atletico’s old foe, Cristiano Ronaldo, was receiving little to no service but then, with the SBOTOP Champions League 2022 betting odds stacked in Atletico’s favour, came United’s moment.
Fred laid the ball onto Bruno Fernandes and the Portuguese slipped through substitute Anthony Elanga, who strode into the box and stroked a cool finish across the otherwise untroubled Jan Oblak into the corner of the net.
“Rhythm is a dancer, Anthony Elanga,” was the catchy new ditty of the away fans who breathed a sigh of relief in the final moments when home sub Antoine Griezmann cut onto his favoured left foot and curled a shot against the frame of the goal.
On saying all of that, the third and final shot of the contest on target saw another substitute, Jesse Lingard, fire in from long range and finally call Oblak into action.
A goal apiece, a point apiece and it’s all to play for at Old Trafford on March 15.
Elanga’s equaliser was United’s 500th goal in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League, a tally bettered by only Real Madrid (1001), Bayern Munich (760) and Barcelona (624).
He is also the Red Devils’ youngest ever goalscorer in the knockout stages of the Champions League (19 years & 302 days).
Fernandes has become the first player in Champions League history to assist in six consecutive appearances while playing for an English club, breaking the record held by David Beckham (for Manchester United) since 1998.
The last time these sides met was in the second round of the 1991/92 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup – a tie Atletico won 4-1 on aggregate to knock out the holders.
After losing their first group game in the Champions League this season, United have gone unbeaten in their last six games in the competition (won three, drawn three).
United have only won one of their last eight away trips to Spain in the knockout stages of the Champions League (drawn five, lost two).
Félix has scored seven goals in 19 games for Atletico in the competition – only Diego Costa (seven in five) needed fewer games for the club to reach that figure in the competition (Griezmann – also has notched seven in 19).
What’s next?
Atletico are back in action on Saturday night when they host Celta Vigo in La Liga before travelling to Real Betis the following weekend.
As for United, they host Watford in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, followed by the Manchester derby on March 6.
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Torres Talent, Glasgow Goals and Sevilla Home Comforts among Europa League Highlights
What a thrilling night of Europa League action.
We can now look ahead to the last 16 and there’s plenty to excite if the last 32 is anything to go by.
For example, who’d have thought Rangers would have put six goals past Borussia Dortmund, even with them missing their talisman Erling Braut Haaland for both legs?
Or that their German counterparts RB Leipzig would go to Real Sociedad and score three?
That Porto would hold on against Lazio?
Of course, what perhaps didn’t surprise anyone was that Napoli and Barcelona would provide plenty of Europa League highlights in Naples.
The second leg of this tie, played at the stadium named after a famous son of both clubs, Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, was officiated by a Russian referee.
When the match did begin, it was all to play for with the SBOTOP Europa League betting odds finely balanced after the first leg ended 1-1 when Ferran Torres cancelled out a Piotr Zielinski opener.
After Jordi Alba had given Barca an early lead, Torres passed to Frenkie de Jong who curled a stunning shot into the top corner from 25 yards.
In what is probably his final European game, Lorenzo Insigne reduced the arrears from the penalty spot but, when Torres fed Alba, the Spaniard’s cross was deflected to Gerard Pique who flicked the ball up and rifled a half-volley into the bottom corner to restore their two-goal advantage.
The tie was over before the hour mark when another new signing, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, applied a first-time finish.
It was set up by Adama Traore who, along with Torres and Aubameyang, have revitalised Barca since their moves from the Premier League last month.
Matteo Politano pulled one back for the home side with three minutes remaining but it didn’t alter the narrative that Barcelona were cruising.
Perhaps 2022 can be a fruitful year for the Catalonians after all.
It looked to be a straightforward evening for the Scottish champions when Ryan Kent was clipped on the edge of the box and, just as he did in Germany last week, Rangers captain James Tavernier stepped up and extended their aggregate advantage to 5-2 from the penalty spot.
Yet the Germans were soon ahead on the night as teenager Jude Bellingham showed good composure to equalise before Donyell Malen flicked the ball home from close range after a neat touch from Bellingham.
Suddenly, the advantage for the hosts only stood at one goal against a side packed with European experience.
At this point I thought Dortmund would turn it around, but the captain led by example when they needed him most as Tavernier smashed home following a defensive mistake.
That was the moment Rangers needed and the energy and passion was with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men as they despatched one of the competition favourites.
Sevilla still dream of home final
Sevilla’s Ivan Rakitic fights for the ball against Dinamo Zagreb’s Josip Misic
2020 Europa League winners Sevilla are also in the hat for the draw but only after being given a scare by Dinamo Zagreb.
Their first leg efforts ultimately proved to be enough to see them through after a disappointing second leg where a 65th minute penalty from Mislav Orsic created a nervy finale in Croatia.
However, the Andalusians did manage to see out the aggregate win, despite Thomas Delaney’s red card in stoppage time.
What’s more, Julen Lopetegui’s men remain on course for a home final, with this year’s Europa League showpiece taking place at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan at the end of May.
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Champions League: Remarkable Reds Ready to Finish off Inter at Anfield
Liverpool vs Inter Milan
Liverpool already have one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals after a 2-0 win over Inter Milan in the first leg at the San Siro.
That means the Reds only need to avoid a two-goal defeat in the second leg in order to make it safely through to the next round.
And given they are in the midst of another remarkable unbeaten run and will be playing the second leg at Anfield, the Champions League 2022 odds of Inter Milan making it through are quite remote.
Talking Points
Liverpool keep remarkable winning run going
Liverpool extended their incredible winning run to 12 straight games in all competitions with a 1-0 win over West Ham United. With the win, the Reds once again cut down Manchester City’s lead in the title race to three points.
However, Liverpool should consider themselves a bit fortunate to escape with a win as the Hammers squandered several chances to equalise.
The Reds also missed their share of chances, with Mohamed Salah once again not looking like his typically sharp self in front of goal. The Egyptian is still having another remarkable season with 27 goals in all competitions for Liverpool – including 19 in the Premier League – but he has now failed to score in his last two outings.
Mohamed Salah and Jordan Henderson during Liverpool’s match against Leeds United
Salah will look to rediscover his scoring touch in Europe. The Egyptian has produced his fair share of Champions League 2022 highlights with eight goals, which is third in the competition.
Luckily, Liverpool have a lot more attacking options beyond Salah. Sadio Mane is in stellar form with four goals in his last four starts; Diogo Jota is having another outstanding season with 17 goals; and winter signing Luis Diaz has settled in brilliantly.
Thanks to their two-goal advantage after the first leg, Jurgen Klopp will have the luxury to make some rotations to his side in midweek.
Ibrahima Konate, who had a strong game in place of the ill Joel Matip, has a decent chance of keeping his place. Meanwhile, Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could come into midfield with Thiago Alcantara still out injured.
Inter get reinforcements for second leg
Inter Milan emphatically ended their five-game winless run in all competitions by smashing bottom side Salernitana 5-0 over the weekend. The win sent the Nerazzurri back to the top of Serie A after rivals AC Milan slipped up again.
Lautaro Martinez finally snapped his extended scoring drought to start 2022 as he banged in a hat-trick, while strike partner Edin Dzeko bagged a brace. The 35-year-old Dzeko has been outstanding for Inter with 12 league goals this season and three more goals in the Champions League.
However, it will be interesting to see whether Inter coach Simone Inzaghi will choose to start Dzeko, whose lack of pace saw him unable to punish Liverpool’s high defensive line.
Joaquin Correa will be an option to start in place of Dzeko. The Argentine forward recently returned from his injury layoff and can provide an additional burst of pace up front.
Meanwhile, wing-back Robin Gosens is also back to provide a more attacking option on the left. The German played the last half-hour against Salernitana and provided the assist for Dzeko’s first goal.
History
Inter have made two prior trips to Anfield. The most recent was in 2008 in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie. Liverpool ran out 2-0 winners thanks to two late goals from Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard. The Reds won the tie 3-0 after winning 1-0 in Milan. Liverpool also won 3-1 at Anfield back in their 1965 meeting.
Overall, Inter have won just four of their 16 matches away to English opposition in European competition, with 11 defeats.
Meanwhile, Liverpool remain unbeaten at Anfield this season. That includes three wins out of three wins in the Champions League group stage, with seven goals scored.
SBOTOP odds have Liverpool priced as heavy 1.56 favourites to win the second leg at home. Inter are pegged at 5.40 to win, while a draw is 4.10.
Inter will have no choice but to go out and attack at Anfield since they must win by two or more goals to stand any chance of qualifying.
But that need to score could leave Inter vulnerable to Liverpool counterattacks, so the advantage is still very much with the home side. Klopp will be keen to keep the positive momentum from Liverpool’s win streak going, so look for the Reds to claim another victory over the Nerazzurri at Anfield.
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Champions League: Can Salzburg Spring the Biggest Surprise in Munich?
Bayern Munich vs Red Bull Salzburg
Red Bull Salzburg head to Munich to face FC Bayern in a Champions League second leg on Tuesday night, and Matthias Jaissle’s underdogs are still in the tie after holding the German champions to a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
But it is a huge challenge.
Julian Nagelsmann’s Bayern are third favourites to win the 2022 Champions League at odds of 5.50, while Salzburg are the third least likely team to lift the trophy at odds of 251.00. But the Austrians come into the game in good form; beating SCR Altach 4-0 at the weekend while Munich were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Bayer Leverkusen.
Champions League: Bayern vs Salzburg isn’t a foregone conclusion but at a price of 1.06 to advance, anything other than a safe passage through to the quarter finals would represent a major shock for the Germans.
Talking Points
Bayern seeking perfection
A home game against Bayer Leverkusen was a good workout for the Champions League but the Bavarians didn’t have it all their own way. Niklas Sule gave Bayern an early lead but Leverkusen equalised through an unusual source as Munich striker Thomas Muller slid the ball past his own keeper when he was trying to clear a dangerous ball from Kerim Demirbay. But Bayern are still well in command in the race for the league title, nine points ahead of Borussia Dortmund who have a game in hand.
Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane celebrates after scoring against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga
The champions have been relentless in their pursuit of perfection in recent seasons and have come pretty close at times, but there have been signs recently that they are falling short. Nagelsmann’s team were off the pace in the first leg against Salzburg and were trailing until late in the game when Kingsley Coman equalised after Chukwubuike Aadma had given Salzburg a first half lead. But the 90th minute leveller gave Bayern that crucial away goal and swung the tie in their favour. The Bundesliga champions won all their group games and are in the knockout phase for the 18th time.
Key man Robert Lewandowski is the favourite, at odds of 1.72, to win the Champions League Golden Boot. The lethal Pole has nine goals already in the competition and he is likely to start alongside Muller up front, with Leroy Sane sitting in behind. With five goals and four assists Sane is enjoying a superb competition and he is in his best form since his high profile transfer from Manchester City.
Red Bull must be brave
The latest Bayern vs Salzburg betting odds price Salzburg at a huge 11.08 to win in Munich so how could the underdogs match or even beat their illustrious hosts? Well, Salzburg are unbeaten in ten games and when they met Bayern in Austria the Bulls acquitted themselves well, very nearly taking advantage to Bavaria. They finished second in Group G, picking up ten points from a tough group containing Lille, Sevilla and Wolfsburg to open up the knockout phase for the Austrians for the first time. They have won the last eight Austrian Bundesligas in succession and so Salzburg are not used to losing and so will travel to Germany without fear.
The visitors will be without Swiss midfielder Noah Okafor who is struggling with a hamstring injury; and that’s a blow for Red Bull as he has scored three goals in the competition, top scoring alongside striker Karim Adeyemi who is likely to line up alongside Adamu.
Bayern showed their fallibility in a shock 4-2 defeat to Bundesliga strugglers Bochum just three weeks ago. And Red Bull are 19 points clear at the top of the Austrian Bundesliga and with their domestic business all but wrapped up, they can throw everything they have at this chance for glory.
History
FC Bayern have had plenty of tussles with Salzburg’s sister club Red Bull Leipzig but they have met the Austrian side just five times, winning two, losing one and drawing two.
The 1-1 result in the first leg has given Salzburg some hope, but Bayern have won all five games they have played at home against Austrian teams, scoring 15 times, including a 3-1 win over Salzburg in the 2020-21 Champions League. Meanwhile Salzburg have lost nine of their last 15 away games in European competition.
While the Austrian league is not as strong as the German Bundesliga, Salzburg have the edge in terms of recent form, winning four and drawing two of the last six games while Bayern have won three drawn two and lost one.
I’ll be back on Tuesday evening with the Bayern vs Salzburg updates but in the meantime let’s take a look at the SBOTOP football odds and make a call. A Draw at a price of 6.76 might be enough for the Austrians after their battling stalemate on home turf, and I can see this game being as tight as the first, most likely with a Bayern win but not by a big margin.
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Champions League: A Day out in Manchester is All Sporting Can Expect
Manchester City vs Sporting Lisbon
Sporting Lisbon will arrive at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night with the improbable task of overturning a five-goal deficit when they meet Manchester City for a Champions League Round of 16second leg.
After being totally outplayed by the Sky Blues in the first leg, Sporting’s primary aim must be to restore some pride on the European stage but that will be easier said than done.
While the Lisbon giants come into the match on the back of a 2-0 league win over Arouca, their hosts had a resounding victory in the Manchester derby. The Portugal fans will be travelling in their numbers and can only hope for a good day out…at least the weather forecast looks like they’ll avoid the customary Manchester rain.
But there may be little their team can do to stop another Sky Blue avalanche.
Talking Points
De Bruyne and Mahrez can be unplayable
The Sky Blues destroyed Manchester United in the Sunday derby, winning 4-1 with such ease as Kevin de Bruyne dictated the game in the first half, scoring a double and causing terror in the United defence every time he picked up the ball. He then teed up City’s third before being substituted on 80 minutes, and that may well mean he was being rested in anticipation of another run-out on Wednesday.
The third City goal was a thing of pure beauty as De Bruyne floated a corner right onto the foot of Riyad Mahrez, who was some 20 yards from goal as the hit the sweetest half volley into the bottom left corner. The Algerian wizard scored his second and City’s fourth when he beat the offside trap in injury time. He is the top scorer for the Sky Blues in the Champions League, already with six goals to his name.
Wing-back Joao Cancelo, with three assists, is a constant threat, while 2021 recruit Jack Grealish looked at his sprightly best against the Red Devils.
This City team is dripping with world-class talent and the latest Champions League 2022 betting odds rate the Sky Blues as favourites to win the 2022 trophy. While their biggest rivals, Liverpool, are unlikely to surrender a two-goal lead over Inter Milan, City fans will hope that Red Bull Salzburg can beat FC Bayern, after playing out a 1-1 draw in Austria. The Bavarians are third favourites at SBOTOPodds of 5.50 and are most at risk of the three front-runners.
Sporting farewell
Okay this game is 11 vs 11, but realistically, this is the last opportunity Lisbon have of contributing to the Champions League 2022 highlightsin this campaign. The chances of them keeping a clean sheet against the rampant Sky Blues is slim, so you’d have to say they need to score six or seven!
Currently sitting second in the Portuguese Primera Division table, Sporting are six points behind leaders FC Porto but have a Champions League 2022/23 place all but guaranteed with a 15-point cushion over fourth place.
Head coach Ruben Amorin has a galactico of his own in the side in the shape of midfield ace Pablo Sarabia. The 29-year-old Paris Saint-Germain star is on loan in Lisbon and has scored seven goals in 19 appearances, and he forms a good working partnership with fellow midfielder Pedro Goncalves, who is the top scorer for Sporting in the Champions League with four goals.
Portugal striker Paulinho has three goals in the Champions League and nine goals and four assists in the league, and he is sure to lead the line.
History
Manchester City star Bernardo Silva celebrates after scoring a double during Champions League last 16 first leg tie against Sporting Lisbon
These two teams have met on four previous occasions but, of course, the last meeting, three weeks ago, resulted in a thumping 5-0 win for Pep Guardiola’s team as Portugal star Bernardo Silva with two goals, Mahrez, Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling gave City an unassailable lead.
Lisbon are unbeaten in five away games but the Sky Blues are in better form, winning five of the last six games while their visitors have won two.
At a price of 1.13 to win the hosts are hot favourites, while Sporting can take pride in a draw at 8.20 or even a win at 12.52.
Most teams would fear a trip to the Etihad when City are in this kind of form, but this is a free hit for the Portuguese side with little to lose. That said, the Sky Blue defence will be keen to keep a clean sheet and every one of the hosts have that ruthless streak in them.
I think the visitors will emerge with some pride but Manchester City will ease through, possibly with the identical scoreline to their recent 2-0 FA Cup win over Peterborough United.
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Champions League: Footballing Superpowers Set to Sparkle
Real Madrid vs Paris Saint-Germain
It is THE clash of heavyweights in the Champions League and a contest which would grace the final of the competition.
In one corner you have Real Madrid, the most successful club in Europe with 13 European Cup/Champions League titles, including three on the bounce from 2016-18.
On the other side, you have PSG, a club that became a superpower when it was taken over a decade ago and is desperate to make an impression on the Champions League – hence its mega-money signings which have made Real’s most expensive acquisitions seem a snip.
Of course, only one can make this season’s quarter-finals, so this should be quite an encounter in the Bernabeu.
Talking Points
Paris Saint-Germain’s Lionel Messi during the first leg of the Champions League tie against Real Madrid
The onus is all on Real, who face a first-leg deficit thanks to a late moment of inspiration from Kylian Mbappe three weeks ago.
Most notably, former Madrid captain Sergio Ramos who scored 101 goals in 671 games for them in all competitions between 2005 and left for Paris last summer.
Another man returning to familiar territory is Keylor Navas, who was in goal for all of Real’s three successive Champions League triumphs from 2016 to 2018.
Both sides go into this tie on the back of mixed domestic results.
Madrid came from behind to beat Real Sociedad 4-1 on Saturday and moved eight points clear at the La Liga summit. Eduardo Camavinga and Luka Modrić struck shortly before the break to make it 2-1 with Karim Benzema’s penalty and Marco Asensio completing a resounding win.
Meanwhile, in Ligue 1, Andy Delort scored a late winner as Nice inflicted only a third league defeat of the season on PSG – although they are runaway leaders.
That counts for nothing in midweek though and, with so much at stake, if it’s Champions League 2022 highlights you are looking for, look no further.
Each of the sides now has four wins in their 11 meetings.
Although PSG turned the tables on a Real side in transition a couple of seasons ago, it is fair to say that Real Madrid have tended to win this fixture when it matters most.
In recent years in the knockout stages, Real have firmly put the Parisians in their place.
They first met in the group stages of the 2015/16 competition when a goalless draw in Paris was followed by a 1-0 Real success in Madrid, courtesy of a Nacho Fernandez goal. Los Blancos would go on to win the competition.
Fast forward to 2018 and many felt PSG were best placed to end Real’s European domination.
They travelled to Madrid having spent big on the likes of Neymar and Mbappe and critics thought they looked on course when Adrien Rabiot put them in front.
Of course, then Cristiano Ronaldo and co showed them why they were European champions.
At that point, Paris had not beaten Madrid since George Weah netted the only goal at the Bernabéu in their UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-final first leg in March 1994, a tie PSG won 2-1 on aggregate.
That changed in the 2019/20 group stage when Thomas Tuchel’s team got the better of a Madrid side coached by Zinedine Zidane, picking up four points from their two games.
Goals from former Madrid midfielder Angel Di María and Thomas Meunier secured a 3-0 home win at the Parc des Princes.
In the return game, a Benzema double put Madrid in the box seat until two goals in the final nine minutes from Mbappe and Pablo Sarabia rescued a point.
Champions League: Lewandowski Blows Salzburg Away!
Bayern Munich 7-1 (8-2 on agg.) RB Salzburg
Bayern Munich are through to the Champions League quarter finals after a thumping win over RB Salzburg at the Allianz Arena.
The prolific Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick within 23 minutes as the Austrian champions collapsed, and Serge Gnabry added another before the half time break. Thomas Muller with a second half brace and Leroy Sane piled on the Bayern goals while Salzburg’s Maurits Kjaergaard scored a superb consolation.
It was pure Bayern ruthlessness.
Highlights of the game
With Ajax striker Sebastian Haller leading the race for the Champions League Golden Boot with 11 goals, Lewandowski started the game two behind but still favourite to win that particular race, at odds of 1.72, though after tonight’s performance that price will have plummeted. Bayern’s top striker was so close to opening the scoring in the very first minute, when he collected a pass from Thomas Muller and fired a shot low towards the bottom corner but Salzburg keeper Phillip Kohn got down well to save.
A Salzburg win would have been the biggest Champions League 2022 newsof the week but they too started brightly as Nicolas Capaldo had a shot blocked on two minutes and then Rasmus Kristensen met a corner and guided his header narrowly wide. But it took only 12 minutes for Bayern to go ahead as Lewandowski won and converted a penalty. Kingsley Coman fired a cross in and as the Polish striker swivelled and prepared to shoot his legs were taken from under him by Maximilian Wober.
Spot kick given and spot kick taken, with Lewandowski’s customary efficiency.
But Wober didn’t learn. Five minutes later he tripped Lewandowski in the box. Spot kick given and converted again!
2-0, and then Lewandowski made it 3-0 from close range when he was alert to slot the ball home after an attempted clearance from Kohn hit him and bounced off the post. And that goal took Lewi to the top of the 2021/22 Champions League goal scorers list. Just on the half hour Gnabry made it 4-0 when he took a touch to take out a defender before sliding the ball past Kohn and that was pretty much game over.
Early in the second half Muller got in on the act when he found space in the centre of the penalty area and beat Kohn with a well taken left foot shot; and the big striker almost grabbed his second when he hit a sweet shot after good work from Joshua Kimmich, but this time Kohn saved.
And Salzburg grabbed their consolation goal when 18 year old Maurits Kjaergaard finished off a counter attack with a brilliant left foot strike into the roof of the net which will live long in his memory.
Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller celebrates scoring their sixth goal RB Salzburg
But Bayern weren’t done and Leroy Sane got into the act, first sliding through a great ball to tee up Muller’s second before adding the seventh with a fine finish from a tight angle.
Key statistics
The latest Champions League 2022 betting odds pitch the Bavarians as third favourites to win the 2022 trophy and on this evidence they could easily go all the way.
Bayern have won all six games they have played at home against Austrian teams.
This was the fourth time in eight Champions League games that Bayern scored four or more.
Robert Lewandowski’s opener was his 40th goal, in all competitions, in seven consecutive seasons.
There’s more Champions League action on Wednesday night when it’s the turn of Manchester City and Sporting Lisbon when the Sky Blues will surely finish the job with a 5-0 first leg advantage. But the tie between Real Madrid and PSG is in the balance after Kylian Mbappe gave the French side a narrow advantage with a 94th minute winner at the Parc des Princes. It’s a game SBOTOP will be covering, so keep it here for all the up-to-date news and the best action.
Back in the Bundesliga Bayern are the team everyone in Germany wants to beat and they have a tricky journey on the horizon to play TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday. Sebastien Hoeness has led TSG 1899 to fourth place in the league table thanks to four consecutive league victories, and fans of second placed Borussia Dortmund will be desperate to see his team beat the Bavarians.
Champions League: Liverpool Manage Match Despite Defeat
Liverpool 0-1 (2-1 on agg.) Inter Milan
There was a time early in Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool reign that this Champions League tie may have caused unnecessary tension. An inconsistent defence coupled with uncertainty could contribute to that.
But not anymore, for the class of 2022 is a very different beast.
This tie was a prime example and an ideal display of game management by the Merseysiders.
Leading 2-0 from the first leg after a classy final quarter in the San Siro, the hosts were so measured and controlled not once did reigning Italian champions Inter Milan look like they could even threaten to turn the tie around – even after cutting that advantage in half.
Yes, there weren’t that many Champions League 2022 highlights to write about, but all that mattered for Liverpool was getting the job done as they edged to victory without ever being overly exerted.
Highlights of the game
The home side made four changes to the team that started the weekend league win over West Ham with Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip returning from injury and illness respectively and young Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota also named in the starting line-up.
Inter made one change to the side that started the first leg three weeks ago with ex-Manchester City man Edin Dzeko dropping to the bench as another former Premier League man, Alexis Sanchez, started in his place.
With Liverpool ready to finish off their visitors, Inter had to silence a passionate home crowd and defy the SBOTOP Champions League 2022 betting odds.
Only one team in Champions League history has ever lost the first leg of a knockout stage tie by two or more goals at home and still gone on to progress, with Manchester United doing so against Paris Saint-Germain in the 2018-19 last-16.
Yet at no point did Inter look like repeating that feat as measured Liverpool managed the game. And they would have extended their aggregate advantage had Matip not headed a Trent Alexander-Arnold free-kick off the crossbar with Samir Handanovic helpless.
At the other end, Alisson pushed away a well-struck free-kick from Hakan Calhanoglu. But it was the home side who again went closest just before the break with the lively Alexander Arnold’s free-kick flying inches wide.
Seven minutes after the restart and Liverpool were denied by the woodwork for the second time when an unconvincing punch from Handanovic fell to Mohamed Salah, who struck the foot of the post.
Inter needed a moment of inspiration, and Lautaro Martinez provided it on the hour when he was played in by Sanchez and arrowed a super shot from the edge of the penalty area into the top corner.
However, if there was to be a chance for the home faithful to get nervous, it lasted merely a few minutes.
Sanchez, already on a booking, caught Fabinho on the ankle and, while harsh to some, was shown a second yellow card – much to the anger of the Inter bench where a member of coaching staff was also dismissed for taking his protests too far.
Liverpool may have been forgiven for thinking it wouldn’t be their night when Salah was denied again by the woodwork, this time the crossbar, after a pass by substitute Naby Keita.
Liverpool have progressed in all 35 of the European ties in which they won the away first leg – losing only four of those second legs but still prevailing on aggregate.
Until tonight, Inter had lost four of their previous five away games against English sides in the Champions League.
This was Sadio Mane’s 50th appearance in the Champions League.
Salah has scored eight goals in eight Champions League appearances for Liverpool this season.
Liverpool have reached the Champions League quarter-final stage for the fourth time in the last five seasons, failing only in 2019-20.
What’s next?
A busy period for Liverpool continues with trips to Brighton and Arsenal in the Premier League over the next seven days, followed by an FA Cup quarter-final at Nottingham Forest on March 20.
Inter are back in Serie A action at Torino on Sunday before hosting Fiorentina in the league the following weekend.
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The game of the last 16, a meeting between the competition’s most successful side and the new super-rich Parisians who crave to be kings of Europe for the first ever time.
The 22-year-old’s performance at the Parc des Princes was merely a continuation of his stunning Champions League campaign, in which he had scored six times and recorded six assists.
To give PSG a one-goal advantage was one thing though; to do so again in Madrid’s backyard and knock them out would be almost a symbol of what he is fast becoming and why Madrid want him to become their next megastar.
Something had to give – what would it be?
Highlights of the game
Madrid made four changes from the side that thrashed Real Sociedad in La Liga at the weekend as Toni Kroos started after recovering from a hamstring injury while Nacho, Asensio and Valverde also came in.
It was a strong side as Kylian Mbappe, Messi and Neymar all starting, although former Real captain Sergio Ramos was not in the PSG squad.
Two others were reunited though with goalkeeper Keylor Navas and Angel Di María among the substitutes.
Navas played in all three Champions League finals Madrid won from 2016-18, while Di Maria made 124 Liga appearances for the club between 2010 and 2015, scoring 22 goals and was named man of the match when they lifted their 10th European title in 2014.
On the flip side, Real boss Carlo Ancelotti was PSG manager for 18 months from 2011 and 2013, winning the Ligue 1 title in his only full season in charge.
A couple of days after their 120th birthday, Madrid needed to give themselves the best possible present by scoring at least twice and keeping a clean sheet.
That went out of the window five minutes before half-time when Mbappe raced onto a fine Neymar ball forward and his pace took him clear before he fired beyond Thibaut Courtois at his near post.
It was a strike which took Mbappe one ahead of Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the club’s second highest goalscorer (156 goals, behind only Edinson Cavani’s total of 200).
The SBOTOP Champions League betting odds favoured them and they had a distinct edge even after the hour mark approached.
No wonder as the Spanish giants had been eliminated from nine of their last ten knockout ties in the Champions League when losing the first leg.
However, PSG has long been accused of lacking leaders and discipline.
However, Real Madrid is literally the club inspired by ‘impossible’ and treats ‘unlikely’ with a sneer.
Crucially, they also possessed Karim Benzema, a man set to create his own Champions League highlights portfolio to put Mbappe in the shade.
First visiting goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma makes a mess of a clearance under pressure from Benzema and Vinicius Junior gained possession and picked out his strike partner who rifled in from close range.
Hope emanated around the Bernabeu which turned to belief when Benzema drove in a sumptuous pass from Luka Modric.
Two minutes later that belief turned to an eruption of sheer joy as the Frenchman pounced on a mistake from Marquinhos and completed a 16 minute hat-trick.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Lionel Messi looking dejected after the match
Not for the first time, rattled PSG had let slip a healthy lead on the biggest stage.
Something had given: Madrid had triumphed over Mbappe who may well make the Spanish capital his next destination.
Key statistics
This was Benzema’s third career Champions League hat-trick. Only Robert Lewandowski (five), Messi and Ronaldo (both eight) have scored more CL trebles.
Benzema now has 15 goals in his last 12 Champions League home matches. Overall, he has netted 67 goals for the La Liga side in the competition, one ahead of Raul (66) and behind only Ronaldo (105).
PSG have been eliminated from four of their nine Champions League knockout ties when winning the first leg. They have also won just one of their last nine Champions League away games against Spanish opposition (drawn two, lost six).
What’s next?
Madrid go to Mallorca in La Liga on Monday looking to maintain their lead at the summit before hosting Barcelona in El Clasico on March 20.
Runaway Lique 1 leaders PSG entertain Bordeaux on Sunday lunchtime.
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Champions League: Record-Breaking Ronaldo Ready to Rock Rojiblancos Anew
Manchester United vs Atletico Madrid
It’s still very much all to play for when Manchester United host Atletico Madrid at Old Trafford for the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie.
United salvaged a late 1-1 draw at the Wanda Metropolitano as Anthony Elanga equalised 10 minutes from time after Joao Felix had given the Rojiblancos an early lead.
But the Champions League 2022 betting odds still back the Red Devils to go through, as their own Portuguese No. 7 – Cristiano Ronaldo – will be soaring in confidence after his record-breaking performance on the weekend.
Talking Points
Ronaldo back with a bang
Manchester United bounced back from their disastrous derby defeat to Manchester City as they topped Tottenham in a thrilling 3-2 shootout this past weekend. The win snapped the Red Devils’ three-match winless run.
Cristiano Ronaldo returned from injury and fired home a hat-trick – the 59th of his incredible career – to set a new all-time record for the most goals with 807.
Ronaldo was relatively quiet in the first leg in Madrid, which was quite a surprise given his excellent goalscoring record in this season’s Champions League – six goals in six games – not to mention his amazing goal record against Atletico – 25 goals in 36 games. But he will surely be eager to make some Champions League 2022 highlights in the second leg.
Raphael Varane returned from a recent illness to boost their backline. But midfielders Bruno Fernandes and Scott McTominay missed out against Spurs – possibly due to Covid – and remain doubts to feature.
Paul Pogba played in the No 10 role in Bruno’s absence, while Nemanja Matic started in defensive midfield. However, it remains to be seen whether the 33-year-old can be able to start twice in the space of only a few days.
United are undefeated in the Champions League at home this season. After beating Villarreal and Atalanta – both in comeback fashion capped off by Cristiano Ronaldo goals – they drew 1-1 to Young Boys.
Joao Felix still on fire
Atletico Madrid’s recent resurgence continued as they beat Cadiz 2-1 at home this past weekend. It was the Rojiblancos’ fourth win in a row in La Liga, and they have scored 10 goals during that time.
Joao Felix once again sparked Atleti with an early goal after just three minutes. The young Portuguese has been in fantastic form of late, scoring five goals in his last five games.
Felix was outstanding in the first leg as he scored the opening goal and had five shots overall. He will almost surely start in the second leg, but it remains to be seen whether Diego Simeone will pick Antoine Griezmann or Angel Correa to partner the Portuguese.
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone gestures during their La Liga match against Real Betis
Although, Atleti have several injury concerns for the second leg, with Sime Vrsaljko, Matheus Cunha, Thomas Lemar, Mario Hermoso, and Daniel Wass all doubts to play.
Marcos Llorente filled in at right wing-back with Vrsaljko out, and he will likely have to do so again at Old Trafford.
Atleti won two of their three Champions League group games. They beat AC Milan 2-1 – albeit thanks to a very late Luis Suarez penalty – and defeated nine-man Porto 3-1.
History
Manchester United don’t have a great record against Spanish sides at home. They have won just 11 of 29 matches at Old Trafford, with 12 draws and six defeats. Although, they have won their last two matches against Spanish opposition: against Villarreal in the group stage and Granada in last year’s Europa League quarter-finals.
As for Atletico, they have won just three of 16 matches against English clubs, with seven draws and six defeats. They lost 2-0 to Liverpool in the group stage and also lost 2-0 to Chelsea in last year’s Champions League round of 16. Although, they did beat Liverpool at Anfield in the 2020 round of 16.
SBOTOP odds have Manchester United installed as 2.18 favourites to win the second leg at home. Atletico Madrid are priced at 3.45 to get the away win, while a draw is 3.10.
United don’t have much of an advantage with the removal of the away goals rule, but they should still have the slight edge at home. And with Ronaldo in raring form after his historic hat-trick, Atletico will be wary of suffering more heartbreak at the hands of the Portuguese superstar.
That’s exactly what I see going down at Old Trafford. With Ronaldo leading the way, United get the win they need to progress to the quarter-final.
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Champions League: Eagles Out to End Ajax’s European Adventure
Ajax vs Benfica
Ajax still have a lot of work to do to keep their Champions League adventure alive. The Dutch champions took the lead twice against Benfica in the first leg, but the Eagles came back to equalise twice to claim a 2-2 draw.
With away goals no longer in play, Erik ten Hag’s side must now win the second leg at home to advance to the quarter-finals for the first time since their incredible semi-final run in 2019.
The Champions League 2022 betting odds still back Ajax, but Benfica have proven to be a formidable foe and will look to exploit the Dutch giants’ suddenly shaky defence once again.
Talking Points
Ajax’s defence trending downward
Ajax were unable to escape the first leg against Benfica with an advantage to take back home after they twice squandered a lead to the Portuguese.
The worrying trend of Ajax’s fragile defence failing to hold onto leads has only continued in recent games. They surrendered two-goal leads in their last two Eredivisie games against RKC Waalwijk and Cambuur and needed late goals to win on both occasions. They have now conceded two goals in four of their last five games in all competitions.
Ajax’s Sebastien Haller celebrates after scoring his second goal during the Champions League round of 16 against Benfica
But the good news for Ajax is that they have more than enough firepower to simply outscore opponents. Sebastien Haller continues to be an unstoppable goal machine. He has scored three goals in his last two games, raising his total to 32 goals this season. That includes 11 goals in the Champions League, which is second only to Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski.
The likes of Dusan Tadic, Antony, Steven Berghuis, and Ryan Gravenberch are also quite capable of producing their share of Champions League 2022 highlights.
Ajax also have the advantage of being at home, where they have won their last seven games in a row. They have only conceded two goals during those seven games, while scoring an astounding 34 goals. They also won all three Champions League group games at home, scoring 10 goals and conceding just two.
Benfica bound to keep attacking
Benfica showed some terrific mettle as they battled back from a goal down twice to force a 2-2 draw with Ajax in the first leg at home. The Portuguese side displayed impressive bravery as they went at Ajax and outshot them, 17-11.
Since taking charge of Benfica in December of last year, Nelson Verissimo has set his Eagles side up to attack. Benfica have scored 24 goals in 14 games while conceding 17.
Darwin Nunez has been responsible for majority of those goals. The 22-year-old Uruguayan has scored 23 goals, three of which have come in the Champions League. He bagged a brace in Benfica’s famous 3-0 win over Barcelona in the group stage.
Nunez had a relatively quiet game in the first leg, but he will likely keep his starting spot. But it remains to be seen whether Verissimo will stick with 20-year-old Goncalo Ramos alongside Nunez or start Roman Yaremchuk. The Ukrainian came on as a substitute to score Benfica’s equaliser against Ajax and has made seven Champions League appearances, six of which were starts.
Benfica failed to win any of their three away games during the Champions League group stage. They drew 0-0 with both Dynamo Kyiv and Barcelona and were thumped 5-2 by Bayern in Munich.
History
This will be the ninth meeting between these two historical European giants. Ajax hold a 4-1 edge in terms of wins, with three draws.
Benfica’s one win against Ajax did come in Amsterdam in their very first meeting in the 1969 European Cup quarter-finals.
But Ajax have gone on to win their next two meetings at home, the most recent of which came in the 2018 Champions League group stage. They won 1-0 thanks to a stoppage-time winner from full-back Noussair Mazraoui.
SBOTOP odds have Ajax installed as significant 1.40 favourites to win the home leg and the tie. Benfica are priced at 7.40, while a draw is at 4.50.
With all the attacking weapons they have at their disposal, Ajax should have enough to make home advantage count and reach the quarter-finals.
But Benfica will not back down. They will not just sit back away from home, and with Ajax’s defence suddenly looking quite shaky, they could very well score a few more goals in Amsterdam.
It’s not entirely out of the question that Benfica stun Ajax. But at the very least, I expect the Eagles to push Ajax all the way and lose by a narrow margin.
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All roads lead to the Allianz Arena in Turin for the Champions League match of the week on Wednesday, when Max Allegri’s Juventus welcome La Liga aces Villarreal.
Unai Emery’s team held the Italians to a 1-1 draw in the first leg and the Yellow Submarine fans will travel in their numbers in the hope of completing a stunning upset. Both teams come into the match on the back of a league win and this is a clash of two sides in fine form. The hosts, by nature of home advantage and fewer injury concerns are strong favourites to make the last eight.
The Champions League 2022 betting odds say the Old Lady is going to do it at a price of 1.48 to proceed, but Villarreal will do all it can to say afloat.
Talking Points
Vlahovic has ignited Juve’s campaign
A 3-1 win away to Sampdoria made it four wins on the bounce for Allegri’s men and, after a disappointing first half of the campaign, they have an outside chance of regaining the Scudetto, now up to fourth place in Serie A and seven points behind leaders AC Milan. League favourites Inter Milan were in Turin at the weekend where they were held to a 1-1 draw by Torino and the Old Lady is now just three points adrift of the current champions.
Following the return of the master Allegri the team became better organised and results picked up, and in January the boss moved in the transfer market to add some stardust. The Bianconeri raided one of their favourite sources of talent, Fiorentina, for the services of hotshot 22-year-old Dusan Vlahovic. The talented Serb has scored four goals in six starts for his new club and he opened the scoring against Villarreal in the first leg, with just 33 seconds on the clock. It was the fastest goal by a debutant in the Champions League history and this time around Villarreal will have a close eye on Juve’s latest star from the very first whistle.
The energetic running of Vlahovic and his ability to find space has stretched defences, enabling team-mates Paulo Dybala and Federico Chiesa to create openings, while the January sales of Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur to Spurs don’t seem to have upset the balance of Juventus’ squad. And for this match Allegri is hopeful that Giorgio Chiellini and Dybala will be fit to return.
There is a good feeling around Turin at the moment but should the Bianconeri fail to make it through to the last eight the Champions League 2022 news headlines in the Italian press will be brutal. The country expects the Old Lady to deliver.
Villarreal short on numbers
Villarreal’s Dani Parejo celebrates after scoring against Juventus
This is game-on for Villarreal at a SBOTOP price of 2.61 to go through to the quarter finals, but while the Bianconeri have few new injury worries, Unai Emery has more on his plate. His defensive lynchpin Raul Albiol went off at half time during Villarreal’s 1-0 home win over Celta Vigo on Saturday and is struggling with his hamstring, while striker Paco Alcacer and wing back Albert Moreno are definitely out. There are also doubts over the fitness of midfield man Etienne Capoue and experienced forward Gerard Moreno.
Recent high scoring league wins, 5-1 over Espanyol and 4-1 away to Granada has lifted Villarreal up to seventh place in the La Liga table and the Yellow Submarine recovered from a 1-0 defeat away to Osasuna to record the win at home to Celta Vigo. Emery will hope to keep the momentum going and, in the absence of some key players, he’ll be relying heavily on the experienced Dani Parejo who was on target to earn Villarreal a draw in the home leg.
History
Juventus are twice Champions League winners but have struggled to make progress in recent seasons, going out at this stage in both the last two campaigns, and they have not progressed past the quarter final stage since 2017.
Villarreal’s best effort in the Champions League was a semi-final appearance in 2006, and they qualified for this campaign courtesy of a first Europa League title in 2021.
The two teams have met only twice before, the only occasion before the first leg of this tournament was a 2009 meeting in Turin, which the Yellow Submarine won 4-1.
This tie is beautifully poised; the draw is at odds of 3.35 and Villarreal are at 3.58 to win, but the hosts are unbeaten in 12 games and in ten at home, and with a few injury worries in the Spanish camp they are clear favourites.
With one of the big guns, Paris Saint-Germain, already out of the competition Juventus are one of a handful of teams which will have their eyes on a semi-final place at least, and a 1-0 win at odds of 5.51 would suit the Old Lady just fine.
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Champions League: Blues Out to Muzzle the Mastiffs on the Road
Lille vs Chelsea
Reigning champions Chelsea are seeking to move one step closer to defending their Champions League title when they’ll pay a visit to Lille at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy for the second leg of their Round of 16 tie.
The Blues built a two-goal lead during their first leg at Stamford Bridge and they’ll look to extend their unbeaten run amid the looming uncertainty surrounding their club due to unprecedented recent world events.
Just like in the first leg, the pre-match betting odds are favouring Chelsea to take home another win and it’ll be interesting to see how Lille will respond at home this midweek.
It’s been an up-and-down campaign so far for the defending Ligue 1 champions, although they’ve done fairly well since their first leg defeat against the Blues last February.
Most pundits may have written the Mastiffs off already, so this should motivate them to perform and give their home fans something to cheer about.
Talking Points
Chelsea ignoring the outside noise
Thomas Tuchel has done an excellent job on keeping his players in check amid the circumstances surrounding the club’s ownership.
There’s no doubt that the current events have dominated the talk around Stamford Bridge. But perhaps we may have overlooked their results lately as they’ve gone undefeated so far this March.
Since losing to Liverpool in the EFL Cup final, Chelsea have won against Luton Town in the FA Cup fifth round, and they’ve won over Burnley, Norwich City, and Newcastle United in the Premier League to further strengthen their position in the top four.
Kai Havertz has been the man of the hour for Chelsea since he has scored four goals in the said stretch and he’ll be featured once again up front alongside Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, and Christian Pulisic.
Despite their off-pitch problems, Thomas Tuchel assured everyone that his side will carry on no matter what even if it means him driving the bus if they aren’t allowed to take their usual business-class flights to the matches.
Lille finding their bite
Les Dogues went on a similar run to Chelsea’s for the month of March and Jocelyn Gourvennec is hopeful that they can turn the tie around at home.
Although they’re only sixth in the Ligue 1 standings right now, Lille have shown improvement as they’ve also gone undefeated in their last three league games.
Granted, that they went up against weaker opposition at the time, Lille showed what they’re fully capable of since their unbeaten run were all clean sheets.
Lille’s Burak Yilmaz in action with Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek during the first leg of their Champions League last-16 match
Jonathan David has been the main man for Lille up front, but Gourvennec might have to consider starting Burkan Yilmaz alongside him for better chances up front. Meanwhile, Benjamin Andre’s return certainly helps since their midfield ace Renato Sanches is out for a few weeks due to a thigh injury.
History
Lille have lost each of their last three Champions League games against Chelsea. Alongside Chelsea, Lille have suffered three losses too against Manchester United and Valencia, which is the most against any other side in the tournament.
After winning only one of their first eight Champions League road games against French opposition (D2, L5), Chelsea have now won each of their last two – albeit in the group stage (against Lille in 2019/20 and Rennes in 2020/21).
Chelsea are likely to progress whenever they win the first leg as shown in nine of their last 11 ties. Lille, meanwhile, have been eliminated from each of their previous three ties when losing in the first leg.
Their first leg ended with a 2-0 win for Chelsea as Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic had one goal each in the first and in the second half.
With their aggregate lead, Chelsea are unsurprisingly favoured to win the second leg, as per the Champions League 2022 odds. Chelsea are installed at 1.91, while Lille aren’t far behind at 3.85 and a draw is pegged at 3.45 in the 1X2 market.
We expect a similar outcome as in their first leg, although Lille have the capability to score and create Champions League 2022 highlights, making Total Goal 2-3 @ 1.90 another viable bet.
Lille are also known to have a strong rearguard. However, the Mastiffs might have to go out of their character in order to pull off the improbable comeback, which may leave them vulnerable at the back for Chelsea to exploit.
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Champions League: Eight Key Takeaways from Roller Coaster Round of 16
The Champions League round of 16 turned out to be quite a roller coaster ride. While favourites Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Chelsea claimed comfortable wins, the likes of Liverpool and Atletico Madrid were involved in tense ties.
Underdogs Benfica and Villarreal both pulled off shock upsets away from home, and of course, there was Real Madrid’s classic Karim Benzema-inspired comeback over Paris Saint-Germain.
Read on below as SBOTOP shares the key takeaway from each of the eight Champions League round-of-16 ties.
Man City the most complete team
There wasn’t much to take away from City’s comfortable 5-0 aggregate win over Sporting Club. City took care of business in the first leg in Lisbon, which allowed Pep Guardiola’s side to go into cruise control en route to a second-leg draw at home.
With their dominant first-leg performance, City highlighted once again that they are the most complete team left in the competition. With their amazing attacking weapons, they can score in bunches. Meanwhile, their defence remains arguably the best in Europe.
Of course, the level of competition will jump considerably in the quarter-finals. But with the impressive balance they have in their side, City still appear to be the team to beat in this year’s competition.
Bayern still trying to find right balance
Speaking of balance, Bayern Munich still seem to be looking for it at this late stage of the season. After almost suffering a shock first-leg defeat away to Salzburg, Bayern unleashed their full array of attacking talent at the Red Bulls, which led to a 7-1 win at home featuring another Robert Lewandowski hat-trick.
Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann reacts during the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Salzburg
Julian Nagelsmann fielded a lopsided 3-2-4-1 formation as he threw on all his talented attackers. But while that strategy worked against arguably the weakest team left in the last 16, Bayern need a more balanced approach – notably, a more stable defence – to make it deeper in the competition.
Unlike fellow title favourites Man City and Bayern, Liverpool were handed a legitimate test in the round of 16 with Italian champions Inter – and the Reds just about passed.
Although, they won 2-0 in Milan despite being outplayed for most of the match and lost 1-0 at Anfield despite creating the better chances.
Those results show that even the very best teams are still subject to the whims of Lady Luck. And while fortune just about favoured Liverpool over the two legs, Jurgen Klopp and co. better be careful or they might not be quite so lucky next time around.
Madrid have Real shot with Benzema, Modric
Real Madrid were second-best for most of their last-16 tie against PSG. They simply sat back and defended in the first leg and were eventually punished by Kylian Mbappe. They were also on the ropes in the second leg thanks to another Mbappe goal.
At 34 and 36 years old, respectively, Benzema and Modric should not still be this good. But they are, and with the two old heads leading the way, Real Madrid have a very real shot at claiming yet another Champions League title this year.
World-class Oblak reemerges for Atletico
As for Madrid’s other team, this year’s Atletico have been far from a vintage Simeone side, with their defence crucially falling way short of past standards. The subpar form of goalkeeper Jan Oblak, arguably the best keeper in the world a few seasons ago, has been a key factor in that decline.
But Atleti and Oblak turned back the clock with a vintage performance in the second leg at Old Trafford as he made some crucial saves to preserve Atleti’s 2-1 aggregate win.
Atleti are still in the lower half of teams in the last eight in terms of overall quality, but if Oblak keeps up the form he showed at Old Trafford, they will be a tough out for any team.
Benfica cause another big surprise
The Champions League 2022 betting odds were very much against Oblak’s old side, Benfica, as they took on an impressive Ajax side that finished with a perfect record in the group stage.
But just like in the group stage when they progressed over Barcelona, Benfica caused another huge shock as they beat Ajax 1-0 in Amsterdam and knocked the Dutch giants out 3-2 on aggregate.
The Eagles will once again be massive underdogs against whomever they get matched up against in the quarter-finals. But they proved over two legs against Ajax that they will not back down against any team.
Pulisic steps up for Chelsea amid off-field crisis
Amid the ongoing uncertainty regarding their ownership status, Chelsea eased past French champions Lille 4-1 on aggregate. The reigning European and world champions put in a professional performance over two legs to keep their title defence alive.
Christian Pulisic proved to be a crucial player in the tie as he scored two of the Blues’ four goals. With Romelu Lukaku still struggling to make an impact, Pulisic figures to be an important player for Chelsea moving forward.
Old Lady stumbles in last 16 yet again
In a round full of surprising Champions League 2022 results, Villarreal’s 3-0 thumping of Juventus in the second leg in Turin has to go down as the most unexpected.
The Spanish side rode their luck a bit in the first half, but they eventually made Juventus pay for their wayward finishing by scoring three goals in the last 12 minutes, with two coming from the penalty spot.
But while Villarreal deserve much credit for their victory, this result is more of an indictment on Juventus, who have now lost in the Champions League round of 16 in each of the last three seasons to Lyon, Porto, and Villarreal – good teams, but hardly Europe’s elite.
This latest setback is another sign that the Old Lady has a long way to go to return to the top of the European ladder.
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Eight teams are left standing in the 2021/22 Champions League and now they know their route to glory after Friday’s nail-biting draw in Nyon, Switzerland.
And in a dramatic 10 minutes, the English head coaches had smiles on their faces as Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool can all see a route to the final. Arguably the Reds had the best draw of the day, pitched against Portuguese team Benfica while Bayern Munich will be happy enough with a draw against Villarreal.
After the chaos of the Round of 16, this draw all went pretty smoothly. And with no country protection in this free draw, the three English teams which were all highly fancied, were desperate to avoid each other and the gods were with them.
First out of the hat was Chelsea vs Real Madrid and that’s a mouthwatering tie to kick us off. Los Blancos head coach Carlo Ancelotti knows all about Chelsea and he’s a Champions League veteran and Thomas Tuchel knows he has drawn a tougher opponent than his Premier League rivals.
Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema celebrates scoring their third goal versus Mallorca
Madrid strikers Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior are in superb form, scoring 36 league goals between them and Los Blancos are 10 points clear at the top of La Liga.
Chelsea can concentrate on the cup competitions with a third place in the Premier League in hand, but their off-field problems mean that they may have to play home fixtures in an empty stadium and that could give Madrid a crucial edge.
The second fixture drawn was another English/Spanish affair as Manchester City vs Atletico Madrid came out of the hat and Liverpool breathed a sigh of relief.
The Champions League 2022 betting odds have backed the Pep Guardiola’s side from the start of the competition and this draw won’t change that for a moment. I took a sneaky look at the SBOTOP odds yesterday and Manchester City were at 3.00, Liverpool at 4.00, Bayern Munich at 4.50, and Chelsea at 9.00, with Real Madrid the next in line.
The Sky Blues look to be the most complete team in this competition and they should have too much quality over two legs for Los Rojiblancos. But they will not underestimate Diego Simeone’s Atleti who have already taken one Manchester scalp after seeing off United in the Round of 16.
With Liverpool still waiting the next two teams to be drawn, the league committee threw out Villarreal vs Bayern Munich and that’s a draw the German champions will be happy with.
The Yellow Submarine had a brilliant win over Juventus to make the last eight and with star striker Gerard Moreno coming back to form they will test the Bundesliga giants.
FC Bayern still have work to do in the Bundesliga with just four points clear of Borussia Dortmund who won away to Mainz on Wednesday and head coach Julian Nagelsmann knows that Villarreal can’t be taken lightly by anyone.
The Yellow Submarine did a real job on Juventus in the Round of 16, beating the Bianconeri 3-0 in Turin and they will be full of confidence as they’re playing freely with little to lose.
So the final match to be drawn was Benfica vs Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp will have no complaints about that. No game at this stage of Europe’s biggest competition is easy but their opponents are the rank outsiders.
Benfica are third in the Portuguese Primeira Division behind Porto and Sporting Lisbon and will probably have to settle for third place, but they overcame a talented Ajax side to make it to the quarter-finals and are here on merit.
But the Reds, still on target for a historic quadruple, are strong favourites to win this one.
The semi-finals were also drawn and the winners of Manchester City vs Atletico will face either Chelsea or Real Madrid. So it could be a Madrid Derby, or a repeat of the 2021 final, or something in between.
And that means Liverpool are likely to meet Bayern Munich, though Benfica and Villarreal will have plenty to say about that.
The first legs of the quarter-finals will be played on the 5th and 6th April with the return fixtures the following week on the 12th and 13th.
We’ll keep the Champions League 2022 updates coming over the weeks as the semi-finals start on April 26th and 27th with the second legs on the 3rd and 4th May.
And then on 28th May, the two finalists will meet at the Stade de France in Paris. Which two teams it will be remains to be seen, but I’m backing Manchester City and Bayern Munich.
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Champions League: Benfica Out to Restore Former Glories
Benfica vs Liverpool
Two former European Cup winners meet in Lisbon, but that is – on paper at least – where the comparison ends.
For this is the first time in six seasons that Portuguese giants Benfica have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League – a stage they have not progressed beyond since 1990.
On the flip side, Liverpool are in the last eight for the fourth time in five seasons and have a formidable recent record in Portugal, including 14 goals in their last three visits to Porto.
So can Benfica, third in the Primeira Liga and out of title contention, really cause the mother of all shocks in this first leg?
Talking Points
Certainly, the English club are firm favourites for a reason.
By contrast, Benfica, have only recorded three victories in their eight outings since their European opener in September, although they did surprise a few by edging out Ajax in the last round.
Domestically, Benfica are out of the running and their own nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions came to an end on Friday evening as they slipped to a 3-2 defeat at Braga.
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson celebrates after beating Inter to qualify to the Champions League quarter-finals
If the truth be known, no one realistically expects Benfica to create Champions League 2022 highlights and one of the surprises of the season by repeating their 2006 heroics.
After all, the Benfica class of 2022 is a long way from the side which won consecutive European Cups in the early 1960s.
Yet it will be an interesting barometer for a club which is said to be redrawing its identity with Rui Costa taking over as president last year and promoting the Benfica B coach, Nélson Veríssimo, to replace Jorge Jesus.
History
In their 10 meetings, there has never been a draw between Benfica and Liverpool, who have four and six victories respectively.
The most recent clash came in the quarter-finals of the 2010 Europa League, when two penalties from Oscar Cardozo earned the Portuguese side a 2-1 home first-leg win. But Liverpool ran out 4-1 winners at Anfield in the second leg for a comfortable 5-3 aggregate success – a contest in which Fernando Torres netted twice.
The last time they met at Europe’s top table, however, was in 2006 when Benfica ended Liverpool’s reign as Champions League holders in the last 16.
Luisão, now a club director, scored the only goal of the first leg in Lisbon six minutes from time before Simão and Fabrizio Miccoli secured a 2-0 win on Merseyside.
The other three ties all came in the former European Cup format and all in campaigns in which Liverpool went on to reach the final.
In 1984/85, an Ian Rush hat-trick in the second round first leg proved crucial as Liverpool won 3-1, progressing despite a 1-0 loss at Benfica in the second leg.
Rush had also scored in both legs of the 1984 quarter-final between the clubs, while in the 1977/78 quarter-finals, the English side beat Benfica en route to retaining the trophy, a 2-1 away win, preceding a 4-1 home victory.
The SBOTOP Champions League 2022 betting odds are massively in favour of Liverpool.
They are priced 1X2 @ 1.37, as well as -1.50 @ 2.14 with Asian Handicap options.
As for Benfica, 1X2 @ 7.40 and Asian Handicap +1.25 @ 2.11 shows why they are considered the weakest of the eight teams left in the competition,
Even the odds of 1X2 Draw @ 5.00 suggests it is not expected.
A repeat of their last meeting on Portuguese soil – Correct Score 2-1 – will pay out @ 28.00, whereas a re-run of Liverpool’s 4-1 win in their most recent clash is on offer @ 17.00 which, again, tells its own story.
I do think this tie could be over after the first leg if Benfica allow Liverpool to attack at will, as their domestic rivals Porto have done in clashes in recent seasons.
If they are more streetwise it could be a lot tighter which is why I am plumping for a bet of 2-3 goals to be scored in this match.
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Champions League: Favourites City Aware of the Madrid Threat
Manchester City vs Atletico Madrid
Manchester City are in Champions League action on Tuesday night when Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid head to the capital of the north for the second time in three weeks.
Pep Guardiola has had plenty of opportunity to weigh up the threat of the La Liga high flyers, having watched them beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in March with a typically ruthless performance. Of course Simeone’s team are the current Spanish Champions and are on a hot streak of form. And while the latest Champions League 2022 betting odds price Manchester City at 1.20 to navigate this tie Guardiola knows it will be far from easy.
The Sky Blues come into the game on the back of a comfortable victory over Premier League strugglers Burnley while Atletico Madrid thumped Alaves 4-1, and both teams will approach the tie with plenty of self belief.
This could quite easily turn out be the clash of the round.
Talking Points
City’s four big games
Manchester City’s 2022 campaign could be defined over the next 12 days as they prepare for four huge matches across the three competitions they are targeting. The sequence goes like this:
5th April – Atletico at home in the Champions League,
10th April – Liverpool at home in the Premier League,
13th April – Atletico away in the second leg,
16th April – Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final.
Win all four matches and they will be well on target for all three trophies. Lose and they could be out of two competitions and behind in the race for the Premier League. If they come through unscathed, with Brighton and Watford next up at the Etihad, the Sky Blues’ momentum could be unstoppable. City were efficiently personified on their trip to Turf Moor and were in total control throughout the game. Kevin de Bruyne scored a brilliant opener and Ilkay Gundogan added a second with a slight deflection to beat Burnley keeper Nick Pope. The two goal cushion was never in doubt as City bossed possession and had 18 shots to Burnley’s five to reclaim the top spot in the Premier League.
De Bruyne was substituted late in the game with an eye on this tie which he is sure to start, and we could see the return of Riyad Mahrez, who has six goals in the competition, as a replacement for either Jack Grealish or Phil Foden, who both laboured a little against Burnley.
The Sky Blues cruised through to the quarter final having slapped Sporting Lisbon 5-0 in Portugal, but they won’t make the mistake of expecting to ease through the quarter finals.
Atletico going for a Manchester Double
Atletico Madrid’s Jose Gimenez during their match against Deportivo Alaves at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano
At SBOTOP odds of 3.94 to make it through this two leg tie against the favourites, Atleti are outsiders but that’s a role they are happy to play and they will defend for their lives against one of the best attacking units in world football. Keeper Jan Oblak was back to his imperious best in the victory over the Red Devils to record a shutout, as Renan Lodi scored the only goal of the game for a 2-1 aggregate victory.
Uruguayan central defender Jose Gimenez and Stefan Savic have struck up a solid partnership at the heart of Los Rojiblancos’ defence. But, in worrying Champions League 2022 news for the Spaniards, Gimenez was substituted late in the game with Alaves and Simeone has not yet said whether the injury is serious, so there is an anxious wait ahead for Atleti fans.
At the other end of the pitch there is another nice partnership developing between Luis Suarez and Joao Felix who both scored twice in Atleti’s win over Alaves, so that gives plenty for the Sky Blues’ defenders to think about.
History
Atletico are three times runners up in the Champions League, most recently in 2014 and 2016, while the Sky Blues lost in their first appearance in the final, last season. Guardiola’s men went into the match against Chelsea as hot favourites but failed to turn up as the Blues ran out 1-0 winners.
In terms of recent form Atletico have the edge, with six wins on the bounce and eight unbeaten, while their hosts are seven unbeaten and have won four from six, drawing the other two.
City are at 1.36 to win this first leg, with Atleti at 7.72 and the draw us at 4.55. Los Rojiblancos have won their last four games on the road, but they will be cautious against the multiple threat of the Sky Blues and hard to break down.
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Champions League: Real Madrid Ready for Chelsea Rematch
Chelsea vs Real Madrid
Chelsea and Real Madrid are all set to square off in the Champions League knockout round for the second successive season.
The Blues beat Real 3-1 on aggregate in last year’s semi-finals as they went on to win the title. And now, they host the Spanish giants at Stamford Bridge for the first leg of their quarter-final clash.
Chelsea will not be in the best of form for this match as they are coming off a stunning 1-4 loss at the hands of Brentford in the Premier League.
But despite that defeat, the Champions League 2022 betting odds still give the hosts a decent chance of beating Real, who will be eager to avenge their defeat to the Blues last year.
Talking Points
Blues must bounce back after Brentford collapse
Chelsea could not have had a worse match in preparation for their quarter-final first leg with Real Madrid. The Blues were battered 4-1 by Brentford at Stamford Bridge over the weekend, which is by far Chelsea’s heaviest defeat of the campaign. Prior to that match, they had not lost by more than a single goal all season.
After taking the lead through an Antonio Rudiger wonder goal, Chelsea completely collapsed as they conceded three goals within a 10-minute stretch.
Chelsea’s Jorginho in action with Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron in their recent Premier League match
After such a disastrous display by his side, Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel is likely to make a number of changes against Real. Midfielders Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic, who both started on the bench against Brentford, could come in for Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Timo Werner. Meanwhile, Reece James is expected to take Cesar Azpilicueta’s spot on the right-hand side.
However, Christian Pulisic is a doubt to start, which would be a blow to the Blues. The American is coming off a terrific international break where he scored a hat-trick against Panama. He produced his share of Champions League 2022 highlights in Chelsea’s round-of-16 triumph against Lille as he scored two of their three goals. He also scored against Real Madrid in their semi-final tie last year.
Chelsea’s defeat to Brentford was just their second of the season at home. Their only other loss at Stamford Bridge was in September, when Manchester City won 1-0.
Benzema can’t stop scoring for Real
Real Madrid further strengthened their stranglehold at the top of La Liga with a 2-1 win over Celta Vigo this past weekend. Karim Benzema scored two goals from the penalty spot – although he missed another – to give Los Blancos a 12-point lead at the top of the table.
Real coach Carlo Ancelotti opted to start most of his first-choice players – including veteran midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos – despite their massive Champions League clash in midweek. But even with a mostly full-strength side, Real were still far from impressive against Celta, who controlled 55 per cent of possession.
Ancelotti caught many off-guard by having an overly defensive gameplan in the first leg against Paris Saint-Germain away from home. It remains to be seen if he will dare to play the same way against another of his former teams at Stamford Bridge.
Although, it should be noted that Benzema was not fully fit in that first leg against PSG, and he will be coming into this match against Chelsea in sensational goalscoring form. Since that PSG first leg, Benzema has scored 10 goals and provided four assists in his last six games. That includes a spectacular hat-trick in the second leg against PSG to knock the French giants out.
This will be the sixth time Chelsea and Real Madrid will match up against each other. Surprisingly, the Blues are still undefeated in European competition against the Spanish giants, with three wins and two draws in their first five matches.
Chelsea and Real Madrid drew 1-1 in the first leg of their semi-final last year in Madrid. Christian Pulisic had put Chelsea ahead, but Karim Benzema equalised for Real.
Chelsea outclassed Real in the second leg at Stamford Bridge, though, as they won 2-0 thanks to goals from Timo Werner and Mason Mount.
SBOTOP odds have Chelsea installed as 2.14 favourites to win the home leg against Real Madrid, who are priced at 3.30. Meanwhile, a draw is similarly priced at 3.35.
Chelsea’s weekend defeat to Brentford was definitely bad, but it’s hard to imagine a Thomas Tuchel side playing that poorly for a second straight game. In fact, that loss might end up being a good thing as it helps the team refocus ahead of their big clash against Real.
Benzema will certainly be a big threat, but Chelsea’s defence has the ability to keep the Frenchman quiet. That’s why I’m going with the Blues to get the crucial first-leg win at home.
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Champions League: Can the Yellow Submarine Stay Afloat?
Villarreal vs Bayern Munich
Unai Emery’s Villarreal welcomes FC Bayern to the Estadio de la Ceramica on Wednesday for a Champions League quarter final clash to set the pulses racing.
Julian Nagelsmann’s team are dominant in the German Bundesliga and one of the favourites to lift Europe’s flagship trophy, according to the latest Champions League 2022 betting odds. But the Yellow Submarine will take some sinking, particularly in the home leg and the Spaniards will hope the tie is alive and kicking when they head to Munich in a week’s time.
Villarreal had a bad day at the office on Saturday, losing to struggling Levante 2-0, so Emery will be looking for a response against much fiercer opponents who arrive on the back of a 4-1 victory over Freiburg.
At odds of 4.00 to win the tournament Die Bayern are one of the four teams which expect to make the semi-finals but they won’t take Villarreal lightly.
Talking Points
Emery vs Nagelsmann
One of the most fascinating match-ups in this tussle will be on the touchline, where the master tactician Emery will take on the ground-breaking Nagelsmann. Emery is a Europa League specialist, having won the competition three times on the bounce with Sevilla and once, last season, with Villarreal when they beat Manchester United on penalties. In the interim he also came close with Arsenal, finishing as runners up in 2019. Emery has the ability to find weaknesses in his opponents, and has guided his team to nine home games without a loss and draws with top quality sides, Real Madrid, Juventus and Atletico Madrid.
Of all the Champions League 2022 results to date, Villarreal’s 3-0 win away to Juventus in the Round of 16 was one of the biggest surprises; and it was a master-class in the art of smash and grab. In a first half dominated by I Bianconeri, keeper Geronimo Rulli kept Villarreal in the game with a string of fine saves, but they held out and when Gerard Moreno converted a 78th minute penalty the Juve heads dropped and the Spaniards’ exploited their weakness.
The young German coach Nagelsmann is full of ideas and he’s building a team in the same image, pushing the boundaries, full of pace and with flowing passing moves they have the ability to carve open any defence at will. And with the counter-attacking ability of the team to tee up goals for Robert Lewandowski it can give opposing defences nightmares. The 2021/22 Bundesliga is almost in the bag as Bayern lead Borussia Dortmund by nine points, but there was some controversy during Bayern’s victory over Freiburg, as they had 12 players on the pitch for around 20 seconds after Kingsley Coman didn’t leave the pitch immediately when he was hooked. Nagelsmann’s a brilliant manager but he can’t have planned that!
Lewandowski vs Torres
With 12 goals already at a rate of 1.5 per game Lewandowski is in the lead for the Golden Boot and he will take some stopping. Second placed Sebastian Haller is out of action following the exit of Ajax, so Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, with eight, is the only real threat. Lewandowski scored three goals and made one assist in Bayern’s Round of 16 destruction of Salzburg and, with an eye on this tie, he was substituted on the hour in the win over Freiburg.
Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick for Bayern against Salzburg
Alongside Leroy Sane, who has six goals and six assists, Lewandowski is a terror in the penalty area. And that is the challenge facing Villarreal centre back Pau Torres. He’s becoming one of the most respected defenders in La Liga, commanding at 6ft 3in (1.91m) tall and has a superb reading of the game, able to break up play and launch attacks. With 17 international caps and three seasons under his belt at Villarreal, the 25 year old is coming into his prime, and alongside Raul Albiol he forms a superb centre back partnership.
History
The two teams previously met in Group A of the 2011/12 Champions League when Bayern won both ties, 2-0 at the Estadio de la Ceramica and 3-1 in Munich. And there are three survivors from that game who may make an appearance on Wednesday; Bayern’s Manuel Neuer and Thomas Muller and Villarreal skipper Mario Gaspar.
Villarreal’s recent form has been patchy, with three wins and three defeats from the last six games, while Die Bayern have won four and drawn two.
Bayern are unbeaten in eight away from home while Villarreal are unbeaten in nine games at home, last losing in November to Barcelona.
The German giants are at 1.10 to navigate this test with the Yellow Submarine at a SBOTOP price of 5.16, but if the hosts can live with the Bavarians on home turf then Juventus can warn Bayern what may be around the corner! It’s a long shot and, at 1.56 to win, the Bavarians are highly fancied to take hold of this tie in the first leg, while Villarreal are 4.84 to win or 4.07 to draw. Villarreal striker Paco Alcacer is back from injury, he played 15 minutes against Levante, and that’s a timely boost which might just help the Yellow Submarine to stay afloat.
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Europa League: Streaking Barcelona Look to Soar Past Eagles
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Barcelona
Barcelona are the big favourites to win this year’s Europa League and based on their outstanding form of late, it’s hard to see who can stop them.
Eintracht Frankfurt will give it their best shot, though, as they host the Spanish giants for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie.
Frankfurt have proven to be quite formidable in this competition. They are just a few years removed from reaching the semi-finals, and they are coming off a surprise victory over another Spanish side in Real Betis in the round of 16.
However, the Europa League 2022 betting odds will still have them as big underdogs at home against Barca, who have been unbeatable in recent months.
Talking Points
Barcelona’s unbeaten run continues
Barcelona are looking unstoppable at the moment. The Blaugrana are unbeaten in their last 14 La Liga matches – the longest active unbeaten run in the top five European leagues – and in their last 13 matches in all competitions as Xavi has them looking like the dominant side that he played for in the past.
Barca beat Sevilla 1-0 in their big La Liga clash this weekend, which has seen them jump up to second spot in the standings. Ousmane Dembele was brilliant once again as he set up Pedri for the only goal of the game. The French winger has now provided eight assists in his last six La Liga games, which has prompted the club to renew contract talks.
However, Xavi has been hesitant to start Dembele in Europe. All four of his appearances in the Europa League this season have been as a substitute, and it remains to be seen whether his recent form is enough to get him the start. Adama Traore and Memphis Depay are contenders to start in Dembele’s place.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reacts after being fouled during Barcelona’s La Liga match against Sevilla
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is likely to start up front, though. The Gabonese striker had a quiet game against Sevilla, which brought his three-game scoring streak to an end. However, he is a big-game player who scored in the away leg against both Napoli and Galatasaray in the Europa League and in El Clasico, so Xavi is expected to stick with him as the main striker.
Barcelona have been in imperious form away from home of late. They have won six of their last seven away from the Camp Nou while scoring two goals in each of the last six. That includes four-goal eruptions in wins against Valencia, Napoli, and Real Madrid.
Frankfurt’s lack of firepower in question
Eintracht Frankfurt are riding their own unbeaten run into this quarter-final first leg. The Eagles have gone six straight games without defeat. That includes their two-legged triumph over Spanish side Real Betis.
Although, Oliver Glasner’s side suffered a disappointing goalless draw against bottom-side Greuther Fuerth this past weekend. The Eagles attempted 21 shots in total, but they just could not find a way to goal.
Unlike in past seasons when they had the likes of Sebastien Haller, Luka Jovic, and Andre Silva, Frankfurt simply lack a top-class striker this season. Rafael Borre is the team’s leading scorer with eight goals, but he has not delivered too many Europa League 2022 highlights, scoring just once in eight appearances.
Although, they do have a more than capable creative spark in Filip Kostic, who has provided eight assists in the Bundesliga this season. He also scored a crucial goal in the first leg against Real Betis.
But one big thing going against Eintracht Frankfurt is their horrible home record. They have won just one of their last seven home games in all competitions, including a run of four straight defeats in the league. Moreover, they’ve won just once in four Europa League home fixtures, with three draws.
History
This will be the first-ever competitive meeting between the two clubs. They had previously met in friendlies, the last of which came all the way back in 1976. Barcelona won 2-0.
However, Barca have not have a great record in Germany in recent years. They have won just one of their last visits, with two draws and three defeats.
SBOTOP odds have Barcelona installed as big 1.71 favourites over Eintracht Frankfurt, who are priced at 3.95 to get the home win. Meanwhile, a draw is 3.85.
Barcelona were held to a goalless draw at the Camp Nou by Galatasaray in the previous round, so they are not entirely unstoppable. Galatasaray had quite a defensive gameplan against Barca, and Frankfurt are likely to be conservative as well, even at home.
But still, Barca have the firepower to bring down Frankfurt like they did Napoli and Real Madrid away from home. Look for the Catalans to score a comfortable win in the first leg.
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Europa League: European Upstarts Hungry for Continental Glory
RB Leipzig vs Atalanta
The thrill of the Europa League returns this week and we’re treated to a banger of a match between two exciting sides given their swashbuckling style of play.
RB Leipzig and Atalanta have come a long way in these past few years as they’ve rose from obscurity, and now they’re in contention for one of Europe’s biggest prizes.
The Red Bulls played their first-ever match in UEFA competition in 2017. And since then, they’ve reached a Europa League quarter-final and a Champions League semi-final.
La Dea, meanwhile, have reached the Champions League knockout stage in both of their last two campaigns. However, they were booted out by Villarreal this time around.
Fast forward to today. the stage is now set in Bergamo for this fixture and the pre-match SBOTOP betting odds expect a highly-competitive encounter between these two clubs on Thursday.
Talking Points
RB Leipzig face a make-or-break stretch
RB Leipzig’s Willi Orban and Lukas Klostermann celebrate after the match
Since Domenico Tedesco replaced Jesse Marsch, not only they’re on course to return to the Champions League, but they also have two chances to bring home silverware in the Europa League and the DFB-Pokal.
That just goes to show the progress they’ve made from being a virtual unknown few years ago, and now they’re relishing the challenge of establishing themselves as part of Europe’s elite.
RB Leipzig are fresh from a comprehensive victory against a Borussia Dortmund side that were desperate to keep their Bundesliga title hopes alive. Konrad Laimer had a brace while Christopher Nkunku and Dani Olmo also scored in the 4-1 win.
Nkunku in particular is enjoying the best form of his life and he’ll keep Atalanta’s defence honest with his searing pace and creativity. The newly-minted French international has a direct hand in 42 goals on 40 appearances so far this season, which includes nine in their last 10 European games.
Atalanta lacking the cutting edge
It’s not a coincidence that Atalanta have been inconsistent when they struggle up front. They’ve only scored once in five of their last six matches in all competitions, which has resulted to two wins, two losses, and one draw.
Their growing list of absences hasn’t helped them at all as Josip Ilicic and Duvan Zapata have missed time for different reasons, and Gian Piero Gasperini is hopeful that they’ll be available this Thursday.
Zapata suffered an adductor tear since last December but he is reported to be weeks ahead of schedule. He might make his return this week to link up with Luis Muriel and Ruslan Malinovskyi up front, which means that Jeremie Boga will go back to being one of their bench options.
Furthermore, Teun Koopmeiners, Mario Pasalic, and Merih Demiral will also have increased roles since Josip Ilicic (mental health) and Rafael Toloi (groin) are still unavailable to play.
This Thursday marks the first-ever meeting between RB Leipzig and Atalanta here in Europe. The Red Bulls’ most recent match against an Italian side was when they eliminated Napoli in the Final 32 of this exact competition back in the 2017/18 season.
Meanwhile, Atalanta have fought against German opposition six times in the knockout phase of European competitions.
The first time was when they eliminated Koln during the Last 16 of the 1990/91 UEFA Cup, and their most recent was when they defeated Bayer Leverkusen sans Patrik Schick in the previous round of this year’s Europa League.
In terms of recent form, RB Leipzig has the edge since their last loss in all competitions dates back to February (3-2 against Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga).
However, Atalanta have won each of their last four fixtures in Europe. Should La Dea win again, it’ll be their longest-ever winning run in Europe at five.
RB Leipzig are favoured by the Europa League 2022 odds. They are priced to win at 1.88, while Atalanta are pegged lower at 3.45 and a draw is at 3.60 in the 1X2 market.
While RB Leipzig have been in better form lately, Atalanta are not to be counted out easily – making this a tough call to see who will win. One thing is for sure, though, we expect to be entertained by the number of Europa League 2022 highlights that will be generated from this match given the talented attackers from both sides. So, Over 2.50 @ 1.71 sounds like a plausible bet on Thursday.
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Two teams dreaming of Euro glory are set to meet in East London and France over the next nine days and both have a spring in their step.
For not only did West Ham and Lyon top their Europa League groups in the autumn, they have just come off the back of impressively knocking out former winners of the competition in the last 16.
Throw into the mix a potential cracker of a tie awaiting in the semi-finals (against tournament favourites Barcelona or Eintracht Frankfurt) and here are two sides daring to dream, my two teams to watch all primed to deliver Europa League highlights.
After a 1-0 reverse in southern Spain, David Moyes’ men prevailed 2-0 after extra time in the home second leg in what was arguably the best atmosphere since they moved to their new stadium in 2016.
Furthermore, it ended Sevilla’s dreams of playing in a home final in May.
Lyon, meanwhile, cruised through their group, finishing eight points clear of runners-up Rangers, and in the last round Peter Bosz’s side saw off 2011 winners Porto, a 1-0 win in Portugal preceding a 1-1 draw in France.
Their main danger man could well be Toko Ekambi (if fit) who is the joint top scorer in this season’s competition with six goals so far, all of which he struck in the group stage.
Don’t be distracted by their far from convincing domestic position as Lyon have pedigree in Europe as English clubs have discovered.
They may only lie ninth in Ligue 1 but in Ekambi, Moussa Dembele, Lucas Paqueta and Houssem Aouar they have players who can make quite an impact, as shown when they slew the dragons of Porto last month.
Ekambi, who has scored 23 times in 66 appearances for Les Gones, is an injury doubt however, alongside midfielder Maxence Caqueret. Bosz also remains without Lenny Pintor, Rayan Cherki and Sinaly Diomande for the long-term.
Lyon’s Karl Toko Ekambi tackles Porto’s Joao Mario during the Europa League round of 16 second leg match
Manuel Lanzini is suspended for the first leg and Moyes is also sweating over the fitness of right-back Ben Johnson, who missed the Everton win due to a minor hamstring problem and will need assessing.
Vladimir Coufal and Ryan Fredericks set to start at right-back if Johnson does not make it, while the likelihood is Alphonse Areola, the regular Europa League goalkeeper, will start again.
Across the Channel, Lyon edged a five-goal thriller 3-2 at home against Angers on Sunday, twice throwing away the lead in a topsy turvy game with Dembele – who was such a hit in Scotland with Celtic – netting twice.
The French club has also taken advantage of a FIFA loophole window to sign the talented Brazilian Tete from Ukraine club Shakhtar Donetsk.
Premier League clubs could have used the window to sign players but agreed it would impact the integrity of the competition and put the block on it in England.
With UEFA amending their rules, and the player signed before the special April 1 cut-off, it means he will be permitted to face West Ham.
What price him having an impact on this tie?
History
This will be the first time that West Ham United and Olympique Lyonnais have locked horns in Europe.
The Hammers’ one previous experience of French opposition in UEFA competition came against Metz in one of the 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup finals, when they lost the first leg at home before winning 3-1 away for an overall 3-2 aggregate success.
Champions League: Ace Ancelotti, Brilliant Benzema, Majestic Madrid
After his brilliance in the Champions League last 16, it would have taken a brave man to bet on lightning striking twice.
Yet that is exactly what has happened from a player who is arguably the best in Europe on current form.
Just under a month ago, Karim Benzema netted a 16-minute hat-trick to send Paris St Germain packing in a superb comeback which had the Bernabeu rocking.
Well hold the back page because brilliant Benzema has only gone and done it again.
In a re-match of last season’s semi-final, the Frenchman grabbed another treble with arguably an even greater all-round performance to leave holders Chelsea on the edge of elimination.
Benzema has now netted 70 goals for the La Liga giants in the competition, three ahead of club legend Raul (66) and behind only another club legend, Cristiano Ronaldo (105).
After his deft touch played in team-mate Vinicius, who rattled the crossbar, 10 minutes in, Real could have been left to rue failing to take advantage of a glorious early opportunity at Stamford Bridge.
First, he teamed up with the Brazilian before directing a superb header beyond Edouard Mendy. Then he pulled into space to guide another fine header into the bottom corner from a delicious Luka Modric delivery.
Two goals in three minutes and another masterclass from Benzema was well underway.
The home players and fans were stunned.
They are not European champions without pedigree, of course, and five minutes before the break it was the turn of Kai Havertz, the match-winner in last season’s final, to pull away from a defender to meet Jorginho’s delightful delivery which former Chelsea man Thibaut Courtois could not keep out.
Game on? Not really.
The one thing the hosts could ill afford was a poor start to second period but that is exactly what happened within a minute as Mendy, miles out of his penalty area, fluffed a pass intended for centre-back Antonio Rudiger and a gleeful Benzema rolled the ball into an empty net.
Yes, Chelsea should have reduced the deficit at least once in the second half, including a brilliant save from Courtois to deny Cesar Azplicueta, but from that very first minute of the half, Real Madrid managed the game, led from the sidelines by one of the best in the business.
It amazes me that a figure who is not only one of the greatest football managers of all time – but also someone who has restored some order back to life amidst the cosmopolitan capital that can be Real – is seemingly under threat.
For Carlo Ancelotti is on the verge of reclaiming the Spanish throne back from city rivals Atletico and has done so without breaking the bank.
Ancelotti is poised to become the first manager in history to win the title in each of Europe’s big five leagues and deserved to receive a warm welcome back at Stamford Bridge where he guided Chelsea to a league and cup double in 2010 – all this less than a year after a trophy-less season followed by the departure of iconic boss Zinedine Zidane, captain Sergio Ramos and his central defensive partner Raphael Varane.
At such a precarious time in terms of morale, club president Florentino Perez needed a safe pair of hands, someone to lead the short-term task of calmly guiding the team out of choppy waters.
That man has now guided a club supposedly in transition to within 90 minutes of the last four of the Champions League.
Oh yes, and only Ronlado (25) has scored more headed goals in Champions League history than Benzema (17).
Ace Ancelotti, Brilliant Benzema and Majestic Madrid keep on creating Champions League highlights.
If Benzema has one rival for the most deadliest marksman, it has to be Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski who, until tonight, had averaged a goal every 58 minutes in this season’s competition.
Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski looking dejected after their defeat to Villarreal
Yet on his 105th Champions League appearance, it was not his night in Spain as Bayern, appearing in the quarter-finals for a competition record 20th time, were deservedly beaten by last season’s Europa League winners Villarreal.
It took just eight minutes for Arnaut Danjuma to send the home fans wild with a poachers’ goal.
It would have been even more for the Yellow Submarine had Francis Coquelin not just strayed offside and Gerard Moreno seen a shot bounce back off the post.
The SBOTOP Champions League betting odds will still expect Bayern to overturn the deficit next week – but it may well be closer than many expect.
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After successive rounds of Europa League highlights, perhaps we should not have expected too much drama in the first leg of these quarter-final ties.
After all, this is where it starts to get serious; where eight clubs start to dream of potential glory and where genuine tension creeps into it.
Sure enough, there were elements of that and that will surely only increase as it remains all to play for ahead of next week’s second legs.
In fact, three of the ties remain deadlocked at 1-1.
One such contest came in the east end of London – an area starting to love the Europa League – where West Ham were playing in their first European quarter-final since 1981.
A night for the east end of the city to potentially savour; a game left-back Aaron Cresswell acknowledged before kick-off would be a new experience for most of the squad and was ‘arguably the biggest game of my career.’
Little did he know he would play such a pivotal role.
It was deep in first half injury time when he brought down Moussa Dembele near the edge of the box.
A foul undoubtedly but it was highly debatable whether the Frenchman had been denied a clear goalscoring chance.
So, the shock when Cresswell was shown a straight red card was palpable.
West Ham United’s Aaron Cresswell walks off the pitch after receiving a red card during their match against Lyon
If anything, that merely fired up the hosts who struck first seven minutes after the restart when former Manchester City defender Jerome Boateng failed to control the ball and Jarrod Bowen nipped in to fire home via a deflection off the German.
That lead lasted 13 minutes as a man no stranger to the capital, Tanguy Ndombele, pounced to level matters when Alphonse Areola parried a cross from Lyon substitute Tete – the new arrival who was allowed to sign for the club outside of the transfer window due to a loophole.
From this moment on Lyon – now unbeaten in their past seven meetings with English clubs in Europe – were favourites but the 10-men of West Ham held out.
Next week’s second leg looks so delicately poised.
So does the game between Eintracht Frankfurt and Barcelona which also finished one-apiece.
Frankfurt, who dramatically ended the hopes of another Spanish club in the last 16 in the shape of Real Betis (thanks to a last minute own goal in extra time, took the lead shortly after half-time through a fine long-range strike from Ansgar Knauff.
That raised the prospect of a first Barcelona defeat since December until Ferran Torres combined with Frenkie de Jong to equalise with a low drive.
Like in London, the hosts were then reduced to 10 men with defender Tuta sent off, although Barca could not capitalise.
It’s clear to see why the Spanish side, now unbeaten in 22 games and rejuvenated under manager Xavi, will still be favourites to advance to the semi-finals and indeed are favourites with the SBOTOP Europa League betting odds to win the tournament – the one major European trophy missing from their collection.
Yet write Frankfurt off at your peril after this spirited showing.
Germany are the only country with more than one club in the quarter-finals – it has been a decade since two Bundesliga sides made it this far.
Luis Muriel cut inside early on and rifled a superb opener into the top corner to give Atalanta the lead and the Colombian was only denied a second by the woodwork.
Fine goalkeeping from his team-mate Juan Musso kept the hosts at bay as he saved an Andre Silva spot-kick and also managed to palm away a follow-up header from Willi Orban.
However, the respite was brief as the shin of Davide Zappacosta diverted a cross into his own net moments later.
The winners of this tie will meet Braga or Rangers in the last four and it’s the former which holds the advantage after the first leg.
Abel Ruiz’s effort just before the break was the difference in front of a thunderous crowd as the youngest team left in competition, managed by former Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea City boss Carlos Carvalhal, secured a deserved win.
In fact, Rangers failed to register an effort on target against their highly-charged hosts.
The Scottish side knocked Braga out of the competition stage two seasons ago, coming from behind to win 3-2 in Glasgow before edging the contest in northern Portugal.
They will now need to overturn a deficit again if they are to become the first Scottish team since the Rangers side of 2008 to reach a major European semi-final.
Champions League: Yellow Submarine Face Big Mission in Munich
Bayern Munich vs Villarreal
Villarreal are closing in on another shock Champions League conquest. After defeating Juventus in the round of 16, the Yellow Submarine have a 1-0 advantage to defend against title contenders Bayern Munich in their quarter-final second leg at the Allianz Arena.
Unai Emery’s side delivered a masterclass in the first leg and took one step closer to their second Champions League semi-final berth in club history.
However, they still have a lot of work to do in Bavaria, where the Champions League 2022 betting odds will have Bayern as big favourites to overturn their first-leg deficit.
Talking Points
Bayern remain unconvincing
Bayern just can’t seem to string consistently dominant performances together this season. Take their last three games after the international break. After thumping Freiburg 1-4 away from home, they went and lost away to Villarreal – their first away defeat in the Champions League since 2017.
Bayern bounced back with a 1-0 win over Augsburg in the Bundesliga this past weekend, but they also did not look completely convincing in that match as they needed a late Robert Lewandowski penalty to pick up all three points.
Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann reacts during their Bundesliga game against FC Augsburg
Julian Nagelsmann picked a mostly first-strength side for that match, although left-sided defenders Lucas Hernandez and Alphonso Davies were both rested. The two look set to return to the starting XI, though, while winger Kingsley Coman could also take the place of either Serge Gnabry or Leroy Sane.
While Bayern’s recent run of form has been unimpressive, they have proven they can still turn it on when it matters most. They were also handed a first-leg setback in 1-1 draw against RB Salzburg in the last round, but they rallied to win the second leg at home 7-1 thanks to a Lewandowski hat-trick.
Lewandowski, who is on 12 goals, remains the 1.28 favourite to finish as the Champions League’s top scorer this season, although Karim Benzema is right on his heels.
Nagelsmann picked an incredibly attacking formation against Salzburg, with Gnabry, Coman, Sane, and Thomas Muller all starting in behind Lewandowski. While that formation provided plenty of Champions League 2022 highlights as expected, midfielder Leon Goretzka is finally fit, so look for Bayen to stay with their more conventional 4-2-3-1 in the second leg.
Yellow Submarine rest stars ahead of second leg
Villarreal will come into their second-leg match against Bayern on the back of another mediocre La Liga result, a 1-1 home draw with Athletic Bilbao, this weekend.
The Yellow Submarine have won just one of their last five La Liga fixtures, with three defeats. That poor run has seen them sink down to seventh in the table, just a point ahead of Athletic.
Although, it should be noted that Unai Emery rested several key players ahead of their big Champions League clash. All their first-choice defenders did not start, as well as top strikers Gerard Moreno and Arnaut Danjuma, who only came on as substitutes.
Emery’s side delivered a terrific tactical display against Bayern in the first leg. The Yellow Submarine defence stood up well to Bayern’s pressure, with central midfielders Francis Coquelin and Giovani Lo Celso putting in strong defensive shifts out wide. But they also created their fair share of chances on goal as well and could have won by more than one.
With a 1-0 lead to protect in the second leg, Villarreal will have the luxury of setting up how Emery likes to in big European matches, especially away from home: on the counterattack.
Moreno and Danjuma are both quite capable of hurting Bayern on the break. Danjuma, in particular, has been deadly in the Champions League this season with six goals in nine appearances.
History
Villarreal’s first-leg win over Bayern was their first in three meetings against the German giants. Bayern had won their first two matches, which came in the group stage of the 2011 Champions League.
Bayern have a strong record at home against Spanish sides in the Champions League. They have won 20 of 30 matches, drawing six and losing only four.
SBOTOP odds have Bayern priced as massive 1.25 favourites to win the second leg at home. Villarreal are huge 9.00 underdogs, while a draw is at 6.20.
As Bayern showed in the last round against Salzburg, they have more than enough firepower to overturn a one-goal deficit, especially at home.
However, Emery and his Villarreal side will certainly not make things easy for the hosts, who will have a battle on their hands in the second leg. I expect quite a competitive contest in Munich, one that is likely to finish with under three goals.
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Champions League: Chelsea Hope for a Miracle in Madrid
Real Madrid vs Chelsea
The 2021 Champions League holders are on their way out of the 2022 competition.
That is unless we see one of the most explosive turnarounds in European football when Chelsea visit Real Madrid for their second-leg quarter-final tie after they were humbled by Los Blancos at Stamford Bridge.
Real Madrid were majestic in the first leg, winning 3-1 as Karim Benzema helped himself to a hat-trick in front of the stunned Chelsea fans and their baffled head coach, Thomas Tuchel.
Los Blancos come into the game on the back of a comfortable home victory over Getafe, while Chelsea got back to winning ways, emphatically beating Southampton by six goals to nil. That performance has got them believing they can pull off a great escape, while serving notice to Madrid that this tie is not yet over.
At SBOTOPodds of 2.27, Carlo Ancelotti’s Blancos are favourites to win this second leg, but a draw or narrow victory will be enough, so Chelsea need a very special night in Madrid if they are to stay in the competition.
Talking Points
Stop Benzema and you have a chance
The latest Champions League 2022 betting oddshave welcomed Los Blancos into the top four at a price of around 7.00 to lift the trophy. With Paris Saint-Germain out of the competition and following Madrid’s epic performance in West London Ancelotti’s side are serious contenders.
And if Karim Benzema continues to score goals for fun then they could take some beating. The French striker is well in the hunt for the Golden Boot, his hat-trick in the first leg taking him to 11 goals, just one behind FC Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski. Bayern are in some trouble in their tie, losing their first leg to Villarreal.
Karim Benzema celebrates after scoring a hat-trick during the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie against Chelsea
Benzema brilliantly headed home a first-half brace to set the tone of this tie. And after Kai Havertz had pulled a goal back, the France striker restored the two-goal lead when he took advantage of a poor clearance by Edouard Mendy moments into the second half.
A home game against Getafe on Saturday night gave Real Madrid a chance to extend their lead at the top of La Liga to 12 points and they did so efficiently, with goals from Lucas Vazquez and Casemiro. Ancelotti rested Luca Modric and substituted Benzema, Vinicius Junior and Casemiro with more than an eye on the Champions League.
Chelsea won’t get travel sick
Tuchel was bewildered by the way his team returned from the international break, losing to Brentford and Los Blancos. But the Blues hit form in spectacular fashion on Saturday, thrashing Southampton 6-0.
Mason Mount and Timo Werner scored two each, and the German striker hit the woodwork three times as the Blues ran riot after Marcos Alonso had given them an eighth-minute lead. Havertz also got in on the act tapping home a rebound from one of Werner’s efforts.
This was a performance to have the Blues believing again and, while Madrid is a little further away than Southampton, their fans will be there in force, expecting more goals.
The midfield battles
While Benzema poses the biggest threat in either team, the midfield clashes will have a big outcome on the result, as each side tries to cut out the supply lines.
Kante vs Modric
France midfield lynchpin N’Golo Kante is one of the best in the business, sitting in front of the Chelsea defence to provide invaluable cover. And his ability to break up play and then find a creative team-mate has been instrumental in both Chelsea’s and France’s recent successes.
He will be up against one of the best attacking midfielders in football if Luca Modric makes a start as expected. Twice awarded the La Liga Best Midfielder award, the Croatian legend is in the twilight of his career, but Kante will be under no illusion, Modric’s vision and ability to split a defence is second to none on his day.
Casemiro vs Mount
With striker Romelu Lukaku likely out injured, Chelsea’s goals will come from elsewhere, and the red-hot Mason Mount will be a principal threat. While he scored a well-taken brace against the Saints, Mount also plays a pivotal role in the midfield, not unlike Modric, and he’ll come up against the 30-year-old Casemiro. The Brazilian ace plays in a more advanced position than Chelsea’s Kante, but he is a superb ball–winner, reads the game brilliantly and can frustrate Chelsea’s creative players.
History
While the Blues won their second Champions League in 2021, they are coming up against the competition’s kings who are dreaming of a record 14th title.
Both teams are in good form, Chelsea have won four and lost two of the last six games, while Real Madrid have won five and lost one. While Los Blancos have won eight of their last nine in all competitions, the Blues are unbeaten in eight away from home.
Chelsea are at odds of 3.01 to win this game, and they will go for it as they are in the last chance saloon… but I’ll be surprised if either goal-keeper keeps a clean sheet. We’ll be back in midweek with all the Champions League 2022 highlightsand this is a clash we’ll have a close eye on. If Chelsea can get an early goal it could be a spectacular night.
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Champions League: Reds Ready to End Benfica’s European Run
Liverpool vs Benfica
Liverpool are on the cusp of reaching the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since winning the tournament back in 2019. The Reds have a commanding 3-1 lead over Benfica, who face a massive uphill battle to keep their unexpected European adventure alive.
Because of their first-leg win, Liverpool can afford to draw or even lose by a single goal in the second leg at Anfield and still make it through.
Liverpool’s hopes of reclaiming the Premier League crown from reigning champions Manchester City took a big hit as they were held to a 2-2 draw at the Etihad.
The Reds deserve credit for coming back to equalise twice, but they missed their big opportunity to overtake City in the standings ahead of the crucial run-in.
Liverpool are in the midst of a tough stretch of matches that will also see them face City again in the FA Cup semi-finals on the weekend. And after that, they will face two of their biggest rivals in Manchester United and Everton in quick succession.
With such big games coming up coupled with the fact that they have a two-goal lead to defend, Klopp will most likely rotate his squad heavily for the second leg against Benfica.
Luis Diaz, who got a goal and an assist in the first leg, will almost surely get the start. Meanwhile, Roberto Firmino, Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi could also get rare Champions League starts to give the likes of Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota, and Mohamed Salah a break. Similar changes are also expected in midfield and defence.
But such is Liverpool’s strength in depth that even their second-string side has more than enough quality to defeat Benfica at Anfield. After clinching qualification to the knockout round, a weakened Liverpool side beat both Porto at home and Milan away in their last two group games. Although, Salah and Mane started both of those games.
Darwin Nunez still banging in the goals for Benfica
Benfica manager Nelson Verissimo coaches on the touchline during their Champions League match against Liverpool
Benfica’s Champions League 2022 odds of making the semi-finals are not looking good. The Portuguese did well to fight back after going down 2-0 in the first half of the first leg, and they pulled a goal back through Darwin Nunez. However, they surrendered a late goal to Luis Diaz, which all but ended the Eagles’ hopes of going through.
They now face the daunting prospect of going to Anfield to overturn a two-goal deficit, which will be very difficult to do. Benfica boss Nelson Verissimo will have to be brave and set up his side to attack the Reds. Although, they must also be wary of getting caught on the counter.
But beating Liverpool at Anfield is not impossible, as Inter showed in the round of 16 when they won the second leg 1-0, but it wasn’t quite enough to go through.
Benfica do have a prolific goalscorer in Nunez who is capable of providing plenty of Champions League 2022 highlights in the second leg. Nunez scored a hat-trick in Benfica’s 3-1 win over Belenenses this past weekend, pushing his season tally to 29 goals in all competitions. He has also scored in each of his last four matches.
History
With their first-leg win, Liverpool have now won seven of 11 total matches against Benfica, with the Portuguese side winning four.
However, one of the Eagles’ four wins over the Reds came at Anfield. They won 2-0 in the 2006 Champions League round of 16 thanks to goals from Simao and Fabrizio Miccoli and went through to the quarter-finals 3-0 on aggregate.
SBOTOP odds have Liverpool installed as overwhelming 1.27 favourites to beat Benfica, who have astronomical 9.50 odds to win at Anfield. Meanwhile, a draw is 5.60.
It seems like a foregone conclusion that Liverpool will field a less than full strength side to face Benfica for the second leg. With important fixtures coming up in the next few weeks, it’s their chance to give their stars some much-needed rest.
Therefore, look for both Liverpool and Benfica to go through the motions and play out a match that is unlikely to see too many goals.
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Champions League: Two Old Foes Set for Spanish Clash
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City
The Champions League quarter-finals and a (relatively) new stadium designed for nights like this; a most fitting setting to stage games at the highest level in the 21st century.
The scene is certainly set, now for the key question.
Can a team which has punched above its weight to become a regular at Europe’s top table turnaround a narrow deficit against a club whose rise to the top shows no signs of easing?
It’s 2014 and 2016 finalists Atletico Madrid against last year’s beaten finalists Manchester City.
Talking Points
Both come into the contest on the back of differing domestic results.
In the Premier League, meanwhile, City drew 2-2 at home with title rivals Liverpool, a match they edged while also knowing a point ensures they still have the edge in the title race.
So back into Europe we go and, after last week’s first leg, all the pressure is on the hosts to show more ambition as they aim to overturn a 1-0 reverse.
This will actually be City’s 100th game in the Champions League and a fitting venue it is too as they become the 25th club to reach that milestone and the fifth from England.
It is also a meeting of two of the best managers in the game and two former foes as players.
Indeed, Diego Simeone and Pep Guardiola were regular opponents as players, meeting in 10 matches when Simeone was with Atlético and Sevilla and Guardiola at Barcelona.
As managers, their biggest clash to date was in the semi-finals of this tournament in 2016 when Simeone got the better of Guardiola as his Atlético side eliminated Guardiola’s Bayern Munich on away goals.
Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne celebrates scoring their first goal with Joao Cancelo
The one time they were in opposite dugouts in La Liga saw Guardiola’s Barcelona see off Simeone’s Atlético 2-1 in Madrid in February 2012.
That European encounter is said to have provoked doubt in the mind of Guardiola, yet the Atletico class of 2022 – although reigning Spanish champions – is not close to being as talented as that side.
From a purely footballing point of view, City should win relatively easily.
Of course, it doesn’t work like that which is why we could be in for another night of Champions League highlights
One thing is certain, the first goal on Wednesday night (if there is one) will be crucial in deciding the tie.
The onus is all on Atletico.
History
This is just the second ever meeting between the teams, eight days after their first ever clash.
What happened in the first leg in Manchester was actually what many expected to happen.
City dominated possession (68%) and Atletico did what Atletico do; they were compact, organised and resilient.
The SBOTOP Champions League betting odds favour City 1X2 @ 1.86 and Atletico 1X2 @ 4.10. The draw is on offer @ 3.50.
Likewise, with Asian Handicap odds, the obvious bets for me are either Atletico +0.25 @ 2.49 or City -0.75 @ 2.11.
Then there’s goals – you get no guarantee of any with the way this Atletico team can often line up.
The best options appear to be over 2.75 goals @ 2.33 and total goal 0-1 @ 3.10 – with a nod to total goal 2-3 @ 1.90 and 4-6 @ 3.85.
Another 1-0 City success will pay out @ 6.00 with Correct Score, whereas if the hosts are to turnaround the tie in normal time, Correct Score 2-0 is available @ 28.00.
I do think Atletico will have to come out at some stage – although not in the initial stages – and that should allow City to counter to deadly affect. That is why I am expecting them to prevail.
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Europa League: Barca Ready to Shoot Down the Eagles
Barcelona vs Eintracht Frankfurt
Barcelona welcome Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League match of the week on Thursday, and I’m backing the Catalans to have another big night.
Since the arrival of Xavi. there has been a different look about the Camp Nou. Gone are the miserable faces and furrowed brows; now the post-Messi era is starting to look much brighter.
While Real Madrid are running away with La Liga, the Blaugrana have improved massively, up to second place, and they enjoyed thumping Los Blancos 4-0 in the recent El Clasico.
Their German guests are having a disappointing campaign in comparison, sitting ninth in the Bundesliga table after an inconsistent run of league form.
The tie is nicely balanced following a 1-1 draw in Frankfurt last week where Ansgar Knauff scored a first-half screamer to put the Eagles in charge, before Ferran Torres levelled for the visitors to preserve an unbeaten run of 22 games, stretching back to December.
With a tie against the winners of West Ham vs Lyon the prize, Thursday’s result will set up another mouth-watering clash in the semi-finals.
Barca come into the game on the back of a 3-2 win away to Levante while Eintracht suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to SC Freiburg. The hosts are at odds of 1.21 to make it through to the next round, while Oliver Glasner’s Eintracht are still in the tie at a SBOTOP price of 3.85
Barcelona made hard work of beating an understrength Levante at the weekend, but they came through 3-2 to keep the bandwagon rolling.
Xavi hopes his team’s form will lead to a trophy in his first year in charge. They looked unusually off the pace in the first half against Levante and conceded a remarkable three penalties, the first of which was converted by Levante skipper Jose Luis Morales on 53 minutes.
When Eric Garcia handled, the referee pointed to the spot again, but this time Roger Marti’s spot kick was stopped by Marc-Andre ter Stegen. That shifted the momentum as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang immediately levelled for Barca before teenager Pedri gave Barca the lead.
But when Clement Lenglet tripped Dani Gomez, Gonzalo Melero took his turn from 12 yards and converted for 2-2. But Luuk de Jong headed home the winner deep into stoppage time to give Barca the three points they needed to pass Sevilla and take the second spot.
It was their seventh consecutive victory and it’s no coincidence that Barca’s January signings have done so well. Aubameyang and Torres have two goals each in this competition, while Torres has two assists alongside De Jong and fellow new signing Adama Traore. While Traore may start on the bench against the Eagles, I expect Auba and Torres to start alongside Ousmane Dembele in Barca’s quest for silverware.
Kostic is key for Eintracht
Filip Kostic was on target in the Eagles’ defeat to Freiburg last weekend
They had a chance to derail SC Freiburg’s top-four ambitions on Sunday, but Frankfurt came out on the wrong side of an entertaining match in which they won the shot count by 18 to 12 and five to four on target.
Serbian midfield ace Filip Kostic is a player we expect to feature in the Europa League 2022 highlights this week. He usually plays on the left wing, but he drifts inside and has a fierce shot on him which has yielded 18 goals for the club at a rate of one in five. Kostic scored Eintracht’s goal against Freiburg and he has made four assists in the Europa League.
The Serb will provide a ready supply for bustling striker Goncalo Paciencia, who has scored two goals in the competition, while picking up four yellow cards. Barca will also be aware of the threat of midfielder Daichi Kamada, who has scored four Europa goals. But the Eagles will be without young Brazilian defender Tuta, who was sent off late in the first leg.
History
Of course Barcelona are European football royalty, winning 26 La Liga titles and five Champions Leagues, but the Eagles do have one achievement over their opponents, they were Europa winners in 1980. More recently, Frankfurt have enjoyed domestic success winning the DFB Pokal Cup in 2018 but they were last German league champions in 1959.
There is a stark contrast in recent form with Barcelona winning five and drawing one (against Frankfurt) of the last six games, while Eintracht have drawn five and lost one.
At a price of 1.42 the Europa League 2022 betting odds are right behind the Catalans to finish off Eintracht at the Camp Nou on Thursday. A draw at odds of 4.40 cannot be ruled out, though a Frankfurt victory at 5.20 might be a step too far.
A correct scoreline of 2-0 will pay a price of 6.60, and a goal in each half would see the Blaugrana ease through to the last four.
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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 12-Apr-2022 at 5:33 PM
The second leg of the EuropaLeague quarter-finals tie between Lyon and West Ham United promises to be another banger given how their previous meeting went just a few days ago.
Intensity and drama were the theme during their reverse fixture in London as both sides traded punches en route to a 1-1 draw, and we expect more of the same on Thursday at the Groupama Stadium.
With a date against the winners of the other quarter-final tie between Eintracht Frankfurt and Barcelona being the prize, this result will set up another blockbuster affair in the final four.
The pre-match SBOTOP betting odds have heavily favoured neither side for this contest, although certain signs point to a close victory for the hosts.
Lyon are fresh from a disappointing 1-1 draw against Strasbourg in Ligue 1 yesterday. The result in itself was bad since it pushed them out further to 10th in the Ligue 1 table, but what’s more concerning is the fact that some of their key players hobbled off with injuries during the fixture.
First-choice goalkeeper Anthony Lopes, Houssem Aouar, and Tanguy Ndombele – who scored the equalizer in the last time out vs. West Ham – are the newest additions to Peter Bosz’s injured list alongside Rayan Cherki, Maxence Caqueret, Sinaly Diomande, and and Thiago Mendes.
The absence of Ndombele is arguably the biggest x-factor heading into the second leg as the former Tottenham man was one of their best performers in the first leg.
It’s not all bad for Les Gones, though, as a key member is set to make his Europa League return on Thursday. Karl Toko Ekambi – who is the team’s leading scorer with 14 goals and five assists – should be ready to go in the second leg.
The Cameroonian looked spry in the last time out as he scored the equaliser to save a point against Strasbourg, and Lyon will need him to be at his sparkling best against West Ham.
West Ham United’s backline in jeopardy
West Ham United’s Aaron Cresswell walks off the pitch after being sent off during the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie with Lyon
The Hammers, on the other hand, suffered a brutal 2-0 loss at the hands of Brentford for their second Premier League defeat in their last three. During the said game, the Hammers only had one shot on target compared to the Bees’ 15.
A key reason why Brentford got their way is because West Ham were depleted at the back when Kurt Zouma was taken off due to an ankle injury.
With Aaron Cresswell already suspended, losing Zouma as well would truly be a massive blow for West Ham at the backline.
Arthur Masuaku and Issa Diop are likely to replace Cresswell and Zouma in the starting XI. However, both will be understandably rusty since they haven’t been starting for the team lately.
History
Lyon and West Ham United met for the first-time last week and it was only the sixth time ever that Les Gones have drawn away from home in the first leg of a European knockout tie, although they went on to advance in three of the last five instances.
The said match ended in a 1-1 stalemate as the Hammers showed great resilience despite being reduced to 10 men before the halftime break when Aaron Cresswell was red-carded.
Jarrod Bowen clipped in a shot via a deflection off Jerome Boateng to give the Hammers the lead. However, Les Gones restored parity when Tanguy Ndombele found the equalizer midway through the second half.
Lyon (W6, D3) join Eintracht Frankfurt as the only sides that have yet to taste defeat in the Europa League so far this season. Meanwhile, West Ham United have lost each of their last three knockout stage away matches in major European tournaments while failing to score in all three of them.
The Europa League 2022 odds are slightly favouring the hosts to win on Thursday. Lyon are installed at 2.08, while West Ham United aren’t far behind at 2.95 and a draw after 90 minutes is at 3.35 in the 1X2 market.
It’s hard to pick a clear winner for this one just like in the first leg. So instead, we’re playing it safe and we’ll recommend to go for Under 2.50 @ 1.91 here.
With both sides expected to miss several key players, perhaps this tie is going to be decided on penalties where it’s all up for grabs for the coveted berth in the semi-finals.
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Europa League: Atalanta and Red Bulls Brace for Barnburner in Bergamo
Atalanta vs RB Leipzig
Atalanta and RB Leipzig played arguably the most entertaining first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals. Both of these European upstarts hit the woodwork twice, Leipzig had a penalty saved, and Atalanta conceded an own goal in an action-packed 1-1 draw.
The two sides are now set to battle it out in Bergamo with a spot in the semi-finals still very much up for grabs.
The Europa League 2022 betting odds are tilted ever so slightly in Atalanta’s favour due to home advantage. However, the Red Bulls remain quite a dangerous side that possesses the weapons to defeat La Dea.
Talking Points
Atalanta still have attacking spark
This season’s Atalanta have not been nearly the same attacking force that they’ve been in past seasons. But they rediscovered their attacking verve in their 1-1 draw in the first leg in Leipzig. Atalanta outshot their hosts 20-14 and hit the woodwork twice in a terrific display away from home.
Unfortunately, Atalanta couldn’t quite recreate that performance on the weekend as they lost 2-1 to Sassuolo, their second straight defeat in Serie A.
Luis Muriel, who scored the opener against Leipzig, came off the bench to grab a late consolation in stoppage time. With fellow Colombian Duvan Zapata playing the entire 90 minutes against Sassuolo, Muriel looks likely to get the start again in the second leg.
Although, it’s anyone’s guess which of Atalanta’s several attacking midfielders Gian Piero Gasperini will pick. But Teun Koopmeiners has started each of their last three European matches and had a team-leading seven shots in the first leg, so it’s a good bet that he keeps his place.
It also remains to be seen whether Gasperini will stick with the back four he played with in the first leg or return to a back three. Captain Rafael Toloi, who missed the first leg in Leipzig, made his return against Sassuolo and should be fit to lead the defence. Berat Djimsiti also looks set to return after missing the weekend match.
Red Bulls continue remarkable unbeaten run
RB Leipzig continued their remarkable run of form by beating Hoffenheim 3-0 in their Bundesliga showdown this past weekend. Domenico Tedesco’s side has now gone unbeaten in their last 12 games in all competitions, with eight wins and four draws.
Christopher Nkunku, who added a goal and assist against Hoffenheim, now has 28 goals and 13 assists in a sensational campaign. The French forward had a quiet game in the first leg, but he will be keen to create more Europa League 2022 highlights in the return leg.
RB Leipzig manager Domenico Tedesco watches his team from the sideline during their Europa League match against Atalanta
Similarly, striker partner Andre Silva will be keen to make up for his first-leg showing. The Portuguese striker hit the post and had a penalty saved.
Silva was rested against Hoffenheim but is expected to return to the starting line-up. Meanwhile, Dominik Szoboszlai shone in place of Silva and could play a part in the second leg as a substitute. The Hungarian had a fine game against Hoffenheim as he scored a goal – his first since January – and got an assist.
Leipzig have been superb away from home this calendar year. They have won seven of eight matches in 2022, with their only loss coming against Bayern Munich. Moreover, they have scored four or more goals four times during that stretch, including four away to Borussia Dortmund.
History
Atalanta have not made the semi-finals of a European competition since reaching the final four of the European Cup Winners’ Cup back in 1988. They lost both legs to eventual champions Mechelen of Belgium.
As for RB Leipzig, they will be gunning for their second European semi-final berth in the span of three seasons. They made the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League under Julian Nagelsmann in 2020 after beating Atletico Madrid in a one-legged tie. They lost 3-0 in the semis to Paris Saint-Germain.
The SBOTOP odds for this second leg are remarkably close. Atalanta are very narrow 2.42 favourites to win at home, while Leipzig are not too far behind at 2.47. Meanwhile, a draw is 3.30.
As Atalanta showed in the first leg in Leipzig, they are still a dangerous side that can cause some trouble in attack.
However, it’s hard to look past the rampaging Red Bulls, who are in fantastic form and have the superior weapons to get the win they need to seal a semi-final spot.
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Champions League: Does an All-English Final Loom Large?
It’s hard to escape the feeling we may be heading for an all-English Champions League Final this season.
That’s not to be disrespectful to either the mighty Real Madrid or Europa League holders Villarreal.
But the chances of Manchester City and Liverpool locking horns in the Stade de France at the end of May is potentially 180 minutes away after another night of Champions League highlights.
In truth, the two ties they were involved in could not have been any different.
Just 24 hours after Real Madrid showed their character to complete a 5-4 aggregate win over reigning European champions Chelsea – who threatened to secure an almighty turnaround following a superb Real showing in the first leg – this was tension of a different kind in the Spanish capital.
Yet on this occasion the Spanish side would not prevail.
Amidst a cacophony of noise, the clash of two old foes in the Spanish capital was actually mildly amusing in the final stages as Atletico – a side known for gamesmanship and eating up every moment – came across a side who held firm against the hosts’ histrionics and refused to buckle.
This was a showing of real character from the English champions in a goalless encounter that was anything but dull, although perhaps we should not be surprised there were no goals as Atletico’s recent matches in the Champions League haven’t seen many scored – less than 2.5 per match have been netted in six of their last seven matches in the competition.
There was no doubting that the best team triumphed over two legs but what few expected was that Atletico – a team which failed to muster a single first leg effort on target– would be doing most of the attacking in the latter stages against a team renowned for beautiful football.
City have now kept clean sheets in their last four Champions League encounters, while Atletico – who had Felipe sent off for a crude challenge in the closing minutes – are winless in their last eight home games in the tournament (drawn five, lost three).
They will be back in the city of Madrid very soon when I expect far more football and less of the dark arts from the hosts.
The only question that remains is: why didn’t Atletico play this well in the first leg?
Over at Anfield, it was far less tense and, in many ways, far less dramatic, although Benfica can take some heart after twice coming from behind to earn a 3-3 draw on the night.
Trailing 3-1 from the first leg, the SBOTOP Champions League betting odds were firmly in the favour of Liverpool who had progressed from each of their past 12 ties in the knockout stages after winning the first leg.
Furthermore, Benfica had won only one of their past nine away games in the competition.
For those of a superstitious nature, the Portuguese outfit are only one of two teams to have won by more than one goal away to Liverpool in the knockout stages of the Champions League (a 2-success in the last 16 in 2006).
The Merseysiders, who had won each of their last five games against Portuguese sides by a combined scoreline of 16-3, went ahead when centre back Ibrahima Konate headed home a corner from Kostas Tsimikas.
To their credit, Benfica went into the break level through Goncalo Ramos’ excellent turn but, even at 1-1, there was never any chance of them threatening a comeback in the tie.
Roberto Firmino celebrates scoring Liverpool’s second goal against Benfica at Anfield
That was confirmed through a quickfire double from Roberto Firmino whose close range finish and volley put them 6-2 in front overall.
Again, the visitors showed spirit and substitute Roman Yaremchuk broke through to beat Alisson before Darwin Nunez scored a late equaliser.
Overall, there were three goals disallowed (one for Liverpool, two for Benfica) as both sides showed attacking menace without the outcome ever being in doubt.
After seeing off the lowest ranked team left in the competition, awaiting Liverpool in a fortnight’s time are the second lowest ranked side of the quarter-finalists in Villarreal.
Again, Jurgen Klopp’s men will begin as red hot favourites, although as Manchester United can attest last season, the Spanish side are resilient and, in former Arsenal boss Unai Emery, have a manager with real pedigree in European football, winning the Europa League twice with Sevilla as well as with the Yellow Submarine.
Well, this was a night of unexpected Europa League highlights!
Although I caveated it was all to play for following last week’s first leg, it appeared Barcelona, Lyon and Atalanta held slight advantages.
Well, what do we know!
On a night of high drama, home advantage was wiped out as Eintracht Frankfurt, West Ham and RB Leipzig stormed the hosts’ barricades.
Nowhere was this more surprising than in the Nou Camp where Barcelona, tournament favourites with the SBOTOP Europa League betting odds, came into the encounter as the most in-form team in Europe’s top-five leagues (on a run of 11 wins and four draws from their last 15 La Liga outings), not to mention their Euro exploits.
Clearly Frankfurt had not read the script and they had something to cling onto inside three minutes when Jesper Lindstrom was fouled in the penalty area and Filip Kostic coolly converted the spot-kick.
Expected surges of Barca pressure soon followed but a combination of dogged defending and the calm handling of goalkeeper Kevin Trapp kept them at bay.
Then, seven minutes before the break, and moments after loanee Ansgar Knauff tested Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Kostic squeezed a pass to Rafael Borre who powered a shot into the top corner from 20 yards.
We all waited for the second half onslaught but Frankfurt refused to buckle, not least when Trapp was out in a flash and got a foot to deny Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a certain goal.
The prolific frontman’s night was over when he was substituted soon afterwards and it was also curtains for Barcelona midway through the second half when Kostic produced another superb finish, this time finding the bottom corner, and Frankfurt were in dreamland.
When Sergio Busquets got the Catalans on the scoresheet in the final minute –six minutes having had a goal disallowed – it was no more than the briefest of ripostes.
Even when Evan Ndicka was shown a second yellow card for conceding a penalty, which Memphis Depay, converted in the 11th minute of stoppage time, it mattered not a jot.
Leipzig are through to the semi-finals of a European competition for the second time since gaining promotion to the Bundesliga in 2016. They also made it through to the Champions League last four in 2020.
If German sides had reason to celebrate, so did a club which has embraced the Europa League with a passion.
David Moyes’ West Ham were magnificent in Lyon with three goals in effectively 10 minutes sealing a memorable victory.
West Ham United players celebrate after winning against Lyon
Two goals in six minutes before the break set the Hammers on their way, beginning when centre back Craig Dawson met a Pablo Fornals’ delivery and nodded in from close range before Declan Rice rifled the ball home with the aid of a defection.
Three minutes after the restart and it was all over as Lyon over-committed and Fornals released Jarrod Bowen who, in acres of space, raced forward and slotted in the third.
They had swept Lyon aside to reach their first major European semi-final since 1976 and Frankfurt await.
After all that excitement, it seemed the most straightforward Europa League tie of the night would come in Glasgow.
This time it was Ibrox that was rocking from the moment captain James Tavernier squeezed in a second-minute opener to level the tie.
After Kemar Roofe had a header ruled out by VAR and then struck the crossbar from close range, he was fouled in the box by Vitor Tormena who was promptly sent-off.
Tavernier duly fired in from the penalty spot, Rangers were ahead on aggregate and they were never looking back.
Or at least they shouldn’t have until Braga won a corner out of nothing seven minutes from time and David Carmo planted a stunning header into the far corner.
It should not have been that difficult but Rangers required extra-time before Roofe tapped in the simplest of finishes.
When visiting substitute Iuri Medeiros collected two quick yellow cards for a late challenge on Leon Balogun followed by dissent, even Rangers were not going to concede again against nine men (although they should have scored more!). They can ill afford to be so naïve and lax against Leipzig in the last four.
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Champions League: Two Games, One Winner as New Force Meets Superpower
Manchester City vs Real Madrid
The Champions League has reached the semi-finals stage and there is literally no room for error now.
The history books show this is a clash between an established superpower and a new power as Manchester City bid to reach a second successive final against Real Madrid, who are in the semi-finals of the competition for the 10th time in 12 seasons.
However, the new money and new era mean it is the English champions who start as favourites with the SBOTOP Champions League 2022 betting odds.
Talking Points
You can never rule Real Madrid out, of course, because whenever they are involved, there tends to be Champions League 2022 highlights.
They have won 16 European Cup semi-finals overall, including four of the previous nine they have been involved in since 2011, and their route to the last four this term has been thrilling.
In the last 16, they were 2-0 down on aggregate to Paris St Germain with half an hour of the second leg remaining.
What duly followed was impressive as Karim Benzema hit a 16-minute hat-trick which will be unforgettable for anyone of a Los Blancos persuasion.
He then headed the decisive goal of the return in extra time as Madrid fought back from 3-0 down on the night to go through 5-4 on aggregate.
Benzema has now netted 71 goals for the La Liga giants in the competition, five ahead of club legend Raul (66) and behind only another club legend, Cristiano Ronaldo (105).
He will be the man City have to stop as they, like Madrid, seek a domestic league and Champions League double.
While Madrid had the weekend off, City – who showed character and class to send the other Madrid club, Atletico, packing in the quarter-finals – were ensuring they stayed top of the Premier League by thrashing lowly Watford 5-1 at home, an encounter in which Gabriel Jesus netted four goals.
Perhaps he is the player Real need to be wary of for the Brazilian often goes under the radar when people discuss City.
His stats are impressive, though. In all competitions, Jesus has scored 93 goals in 230 games and made 41 assists. His trophy haul is not too shabby either – he is chasing his fourth Premier League title this season and has already collected four domestic cups.
Will this prove a shoot-out between two strikers? Probably not as there is far too much talent in all other areas of the pitch.
Yet don’t be surprised if either of these frontmen grab a crucial goal over the two legs.
History
Karim Benzema in action during Real Madrid’s La Liga match against Osasuna
These sides have had some key clashes in the past decade.
They met in the 2016 semi-finals, drawing 0-0 in Manchester before Fernando’s own goal at the Santiago Bernabéu took Real to the final, where they beat city rivals Atletico on penalties.
I billed that as the match of the week anywhere in world football and this Tuesday’s clash is exactly the same.
The sides’ only other competitive fixtures came in the 2012/13 group stage when Madrid twice came from behind to win 3-2 in Spain on Matchday 1. City led twice through Edin Džeko (68) and Aleksandar Kolarov (85) but Madrid responded through Marcelo (76) and Benzema (87) before Cristiano Ronaldo snatched a 90th-minute victory.
The return in Manchester ended one-apiece with Sergio Agüero’s penalty cancelling out Benzema’s 10th-minute opener.
Those four points helped José Mourinho’s Madrid finish second in Group D, behind Borussia Dortmund; City, then managed by Roberto Mancini, ended bottom with three points having not won a game.
City are clearer favourites with our odds than I realised.
For example, you can back the Citizens 1X2 @ 1.51 or Asian Handicap -1.25 @ 2.20, with Madrid adrift, unusually, as far out as @ 6.00 and Asian Handicap +1.00 @ 2.04.
The draw will tempt many, especially with odds of @ 4.10.
Another 2-1 City success, meanwhile, will pay out with Correct Score @ 6.80.
This is not expected to be a low scoring affair judging on the odds which include Total Goal 0-1 @ 4.10 and Over 2.75 goals @ 1.93. I do think City will edge this and lead at the break and at full-time.
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Champions League: Liverpool on Red Alert as Yellow Submarine Visit Anfield
Liverpool vs Villarreal
Liverpool are back in the semi-finals of the Champions League after a two-year absence and are red-hot favourites to return to the final for the third time in five years.
But the Reds must be on red alert as they host a very dangerous Villarreal side at Anfield for the first leg of their semi-final tie.
Unai Emery’s side have already delivered some major shocks in this season’s tournament as they knocked out two European heavyweights in Juventus and Bayern Munich in the previous two rounds.
However, facing this in-form Liverpool side at the fortress that is Anfield will be by far the Yellow Submarine’s toughest test to date.
Talking Points
Reds ready for Villarreal visit after toppling top rivals
Liverpool are coming off quite a memorable last week or so. The Reds faced three of their biggest rivals – Manchester City in the FA Cup, then Manchester United and Everton back-to-back in the Premier League – in the span of just eight days, and they won all three matches in rather convincing fashion.
Liverpool surprisingly had a bit of a tough time breaking down Everton in the Merseyside derby, as the Toffees delivered a valiant defensive display. But the Reds put Everton under pressure all match long – they had 82 per cent of possession and 18 total shots – and eventually got the 2-0 win.
The Everton match should serve as a good preview for what Liverpool should expect against Villarreal in the first leg at Anfield. The Reds will likely dominate possession once again at home and must find a way to break down a well-organised Villarreal defence.
Luckily, Liverpool possess plenty of weapons that can do just that. The first-choice front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Diogo Jota started against Everton and all three are likely to keep their places in midweek.
Although, Luis Diaz, who come on as a substitute and assisted on Divock Origi’s clinching second goal, made a strong case to start. The Colombian winger has already provided four goals and three assists in 13 appearances for Liverpool since he arrived from Porto.
Liverpool have not won at Anfield in their last two Champions League matches as they lost 1-0 to Inter and drew 3-3 with Benfica. Although, it should be noted that they were protecting first-leg leads in both ties.
The Reds have been simply dominant at home in the Premier League, where they have won 12 consecutive games and have conceded just two goals in that time.
Villarreal must cope without Moreno
After defying the Champions League 2022 odds in back-to-back rounds, Villarreal find themselves in the Champions League semi-finals for only the second time in their history.
Unai Emery, who failed to make it past the round of 16 with Paris Saint-Germain, is finally finding success in the Champions League as his excellent tactics brought down both Juventus and Bayern Munich.
Emery has done a magnificent job of getting his Villarreal side organised defensively and playing the devastating counterattacking style that has led to much of his success over the years.
However, Emery’s task of getting a positive result at Anfield against tournament favourites Liverpool has been made much harder by the fact that star striker Gerard Moreno will miss the match after picking up another muscle injury. Moreno was a key contributor in their quarter-final win over Bayern and will be sorely missed.
Villarreal’s Arnaut Danjuma celebrates after scoring against Bayern Munich in their Champions League quarter-final tie
Arnaut Danjuma must now carry a major attacking burden in Moreno’s absence. But the young Dutchman has shown he can step up in the big moments. He has made plenty of Champions League 2022 highlights with six goals in the competition, including one in each round against Juve and Bayern. Danjuma also bagged a brace as Villarreal beat rivals Valencia 2-0 in the Derbi de la Comunitat.
History
This will be the second semi-final tie between Klopp’s Liverpool and Emery’s Villarreal. The two sides first met in the semis of the 2016 Europa League. Villarreal stunned Liverpool with a 1-0 first-leg win at home thanks to a stoppage-time Adrian Lopez winner. But Liverpool recovered to win 3-0 at Anfield as they moved on to the final.
Meanwhile, Villarreal also faced an English side in their first trip to the Champions League semi-finals in 2006. They lost the first leg to Arsenal 1-0 in London and were held to a scoreless draw at home after Juan Roman Riquelme infamously missed a late penalty that would have sent the tie to extra-time.
SBOTOP odds have Liverpool installed as overwhelming 1.28 favourites to beat Villarreal, who are massive 10.50 underdogs to snatch a shock victory at Anfield. A draw is 5.00.
But despite the massive odds in Liverpool’s favour, this match may not be so easy for the hosts. Unai Emery has proven once again how well he can set his side up defensively, particularly away from home. Villarreal will make things as tough as possible for Liverpool, although with Gerard Moreno out, they will not be quite as potent an attacking force.
As Liverpool showed against Everton, they can and often do eventually get the breakthrough. But they will once again have to work for the win in what is likely to be a low-scoring first leg.
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We’re at the Europa League semi-final stage, folks, and on Thursday night the London Stadium will be packed as West Ham welcome Eintracht Frankfurt for the first leg of a mouth-watering clash.
David Moyes’ Hammers beat Lyon to make it to the last four while Oliver Glasner’s Eintracht pulled off the biggest of all Europa League 2022 results by dumping Barcelona out of the competition, and they will be determined to extend their run in the hope of securing European football next term.
The Eagles have had a modest Bundesliga campaign and are in ninth place, ten points behind a European place with three games to play, and so Europa glory remains their clear focus.
In seventh place in the Premier League, it’s beginning to look like a Europa Conference League place is the Hammers’ best hope, and so they too are reaching for a higher prize.
The Europa League 2022 betting odds are backing Moyes’ boys at odds of 1.56 to make it through to the final, with Eintracht at 2.42. The victors will play the winner of RB Leipzig and Scottish club Rangers, and it’s the Bundesliga side which is leading the odds to win the tournament, with West Ham in pursuit.
But nobody will be ruling out the Eagles after they beat the Blaugrana in the last round.
Talking Points
West Ham hoping for a big finish
An East/West London clash with Chelsea on Sunday was a tough warm up for this Europa clash and, after it looked for so long that the Hammers would snatch a vital point, it all went pear-shaped in the last five minutes.
First, centre-back Craig Dawson hauled down Romelu Lukaku to give away a penalty, but even then West Ham thought they’d got away with it when Jorginho poked his spot-kick straight at Lukasz Fabianski. But as the match went into injury time, Marcos Alonso crossed and Christian Pulisic fired in a last-gasp winner.
The Hammers have been flirting with a top-four place all season, but they have recently stuttered and there is a danger their domestic campaign is about to fizzle out. Eighth-placed Wolves would have drawn level had they not lost at Burnley on Sunday and they still have a game in hand.
So not only is Moyes pushing for a fast finish in the Premier League, he wants to keep up his club’s momentum in Europe. West Ham were simply magnificent in their quarter-final tie against Ligue 1 side Lyon. Having drawn the first game after Aaron Cresswell had been sent off, they flew to France and dismantled their hosts with goals from midfielder Declan Rice, Dawson and attacker Jarrod Bowen.
Bowen and Rice have scored three goals each in the competition while the excellent Dawson is always a danger at set pieces, and those three will be the first names on the Hammers team sheet.
Kostic is Eintracht’s danger man
Serbian winger Filip Kostic is the player Moyes will have watched the most in his preparation for this game as, while Eintracht have no shortage of quality, Kostic is the man who can create mayhem in opposing defences.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Filip Kostic celebrates after qualifying to the Europa League semi-finals by beating Barcelona
Kostic is tied for sixth in the Bundesliga with nine assists and has made five assists and scored three goals in this competition. A flying left winger, he has 45 international appearances for Serbia and he was the player who terrorised Barcelona in the quarter-finals.
After drawing 1-1 in Frankfurt, Kostic converted a fourth-minute penalty and added another midway through the second half after Rafael Borre blasted in the second. Injury-time goals from Sergio Busquets and Memphis Depay, with a 101st-minute penalty, only reduced the margin to 4-3 as the Eagles silenced the Camp Nou crowd.
But Frankfurt’s league form has been poor of late, they recently hosted top-four hopefuls Freiburg and lost 2-1, before losing 2-0 away to Union Berlin, and they come into the game on the back of a hard-fought 2-2 draw with Hoffenheim.
As three-time winners of the FA Cup and twice champions of England’s second tier, this is West Ham’s biggest adventure in European football, while the Eagles were UEFA Cup winners in 1980 and have also been runners up in the Champions League, in 1960. Frankfurt have been big players on the domestic front too, as Bundesliga champions in 1959 and five times DFB Pokal winners.
This is the first meeting between these two clubs but, in terms of recent form, the Hammers have a slight edge with two wins, two draws and two losses in the last six games, meanwhile Eintracht have won just one, drawn three and lost two.
West Ham are favourites to win the first leg, at SBOTOP odds of 1.93, the draw is at 3.20 and Eintracht at 3.64, and as recent form and Europa progress for both sides have shown, this could go either way.
I think we’ll see an entertaining tussle, with goals but not an avalanche.
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They also have arguably the best player in world football right now in Karim Benzema.
City made four changes for the 11 that began the 5-1 win over Watford on Saturday with starts for John Stones, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden.
Neither Joao Cancelo (suspended) nor Kyle Walker (injury) were in the squad.
The Champions League betting odds did not expect this to be goalless with such attacking talent on both sides.
But it didn’t predict two goals in the first 11 minutes either which set the scene for a compelling seven goal thriller which was as breathless as it was attackingly relentless.
Little more than 90 seconds were on the clock when Kevin de Bruyne bravely headed home a Mahrez delivery.
If that start stunned Los Blancos, they were shell-shocked when young Foden found de Bruyne whose low cross was slotted home by Gabriel Jesus.
The visitors could not cope yet they refused to budge and, out of nothing, Benzema – who else – produced a beautifully cushioned finish 12 minutes before the break to drag them back into the tie.
Into the second half and there was simply no let-up with a further two goals in three minutes.
City restored their advantage through Foden as he headed home unmarked from a superb cross by Fernandinho – on for the injured Stones – only for Real to hit back immediately as the ever improving Vinicius ran clear and converted smartly into the bottom corner.
City deserved to be further ahead and were rewarded when play was continued, despite Oleksandr Zinchenko being fouled on the edge of the area, and Bernardo Silva rifled a superb finish into the top corner beyond a helpless Thibaut Courtois.
Still Real rallied and when Aymeric Laporte handled in the box, the moment of the match arrived as the sublime Benzema pulled off the “Panenka” and chipped his penalty down the middle.
Some nerve, some style. Some tie.
Key statistics
Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema celebrates after scoring against Manchester City at Etihad Stadium
This was the joint-highest scoring ever Champions League semi-final, along with Ajax 5-2 Bayern Munich (April 1995) and Liverpool 5-2 Roma (April 2018).
Benzema is the first player to score 40+ goals in a single season for Real Madrid since Cristiano Ronaldo left them in 2018, with Ronaldo the last to do so for the club in 2017-18 (44).
He is also the first player in Champions League history to score as many as five goals away from home in the knockout stages against clubs from a single nation in a season.
No English player has scored more goals in the Champions League while aged 21 or younger than Man City’s Phil Foden (nine, level with Wayne Rooney).
Real have not won any of their previous fur trips to face Manchester City in European competitions (drawn two, lost two).
City manager Pep Guardiola has eliminated Real Madrid from the knockout stages of the Champions League on two previous occasions – once in the 2011 semi-finals with Barcelona and again in last 16 in 2020 with City.
What’s next?
Ahead of next Wednesday’s second leg (May 4), both sides have important league games – particularly City who travel to Leeds on Saturday teatime.
That takes place a few hours after Real entertain Espanyol in La Liga knowing they require just a point to be crowned Spanish champions.
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Europa League: RB Leipzig and Rangers Want That Next Big Step
RB Leipzig vs Rangers FC
A rare chance for continental glory beckons both RB Leipzig and Rangers as they’re slated to clash in the Europa League semi-final starting this Thursday at the Red Bull Arena.
It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Rangers rubbing shoulders with some of the best sides in the world considering their history in competing at European competitions, and now they’re possibly a few games away from immortality.
On the other hand, RB Leipzig still consider themselves as an upstart club despite their enormous progress in these past few years. But unlike before, they’re considered as the Goliaths for this tie.
With a lot on the line and when they’ll meet for the first time ever in this tournament, football fans are in for a treat since there will be numerous Europa League 2022 highlights from this matchup.
So continue to read below as we share key talking points in today’s SBOTOP preview.
Talking Points
RB Leipzig want trophies
The Red Bulls are the only German side who are still in contention for two trophies this season. Other than competing in the Europa League, they’re also in the DFB-Pokal final against SC Freiburg.
The trajectory of RB Leipzig has skyrocketed since the arrival of Domenico Tedesco in December, and fans are left to wonder on whether what could’ve been if he was their head coach earlier.
One can argue that they might be in contention for the Bundesliga trophy too if that was the case, or at least they’ll give champions-elect Bayern Munich a run for their money.
Well, it’s better late than never as his results speak for itself. Under Tedesco, the Red Bulls have notched 16 wins, three losses, and five draws from 24 games in all competitions. They are also poised to make a return to the Champions League next term since they’re the Bundesliga’s fourth seed with 54 points.
With fixtures coming in thick and fast, RB Leipzig are expected to rotate their lineup for this make-or-break stretch.
Andre Silva celebrates after scoring RB Leipzig’ first goal against Union Berlin during their DFB-Pokal clash at Red Bull Arena
Christopher Nkunku is the in-form man as of the moment with 27 goals and 14 assists, while he’ll be joined by either Andre Silva or Yussuf Poulsen. Since Yussuf Poulsen started against Union Berlin and he has a niggling injury, Andre Silva – with 14 goals and three assists – is likely to get the nod here.
Leipzig have numerous suspensions to deal with since Willi Orban, Mohamed Simakan, and Kevin Kampl are all unavailable, which opens an opportunity for Nordi Mukiele, Tyler Adams, and Lukas Klostermann to reclaim their starting XI spots.
Rangers have an injury crisis
Giovanni van Bronckhorst has done well as Rangers boss since they’re also in contention for at least two trophies. They’re the frontrunners in the Scottish Premiership and they’re also in the cup final, all while competing here in Europe.
However, the Rangers’ four-game winning streak is in serious jeopardy as they’ll be missing several key players against RB Leipzig.
Top strikers Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe won’t be available, while Juventus loanee Aaron Ramsey continues to deal with a hamstring strain. With the three of them sidelined, Fashion Sakala, Ryan Kent and John Lundstram should replace them in the starting XI.
History
This Thursday marks the first-ever European meeting between RB Leipzig and Rangers.
This will also be the Red Bulls’ second major semi-final within their first five seasons in European competition, having also reached the Champions League semis in 2019-20 against PSG. On the other hand, the Rangers have reached their seventh semi-final of a major European competition overall – which is level with their Scottish Premiership rivals Celtic.
When the Rangers last made it to the final four in 2007-08, they eventually finished as runners-up to Zenit St. Petersburg in the UEFA Cup.
Rangers have had a rough time in away fixtures against German opposition in European competition (L13, D9), only winning twice in their last 24. One of their wins, though, was back in February where they defeated Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park with a 4-2 scoreline.
It’s no surprise that RB Leipzig are being favoured to win by the Europa League 2022 odds as they are priced at 1.37, while Rangers are pegged at 8.00 and chances for a draw are at 4.40 in the 1X2 market.
It doesn’t help that the Rangers have suffered key injuries ahead of this contest, so it’s hard to see them staying competitive for the whole 90 minutes against an in-form RB Leipzig squad, at least for the first leg of this tie.
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Champions League: Yellow Submarine Crushed by Crimson Tide
Villarreal’s hopes of springing yet another Champions League shock look all but over as Liverpool claimed a commanding 2-0 win in their semi-final first leg at Anfield.
After surviving wave after wave of Liverpool pressure in the first half, the Yellow Submarine eventually succumbed to the Crimson tide as two second-half goals in quick succession have put Jurgen Klopp’s side firmly in the driver’s seat to make the final.
Read on below for SBOTOP shares three key takeaways from Liverpool’s dominant first-leg victory over Villarreal.
Villarreal deserve all the credit in the world for overcoming two European giants in Juventus and Bayern Munich to make it into the semi-finals of the Champions League.
But the first leg showed that Liverpool are simply on another level from the Yellow Submarine and even Europe’s other elite teams.
As expected, Jurgen Klopp’s side dominated from the opening whistle and immediately put Villarreal under the cosh with their persistent pressing.
To the visitors’ credit, they once again defended expertly, keeping Liverpool scoreless at half-time. But just like in the Merseyside derby, the Reds’ pressure eventually told early in the second half as they got the go-ahead goal, albeit in fortuitous fashion after Pervis Estupinian deflected Jordan Henderson’s cross into his own goal.
After the Villarreal dam finally broke, Liverpool wasted little time to deal what could be the decisive blow in the tie as Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane combined for the second.
Liverpool didn’t let up despite building a two-goal lead, either, as they held Villarreal to a single shot on goal and none on target.
Emery admitted post-match that it could have ended up being much worse for his side, and it’s hard to argue with him. Liverpool are simply a different class at the moment and it’s tough for any club to compete with them, especially one with such limited resources like Villarreal.
Valiant Villarreal miss Moreno
Just about everyone knew what Unai Emery was going to do at Anfield – sit deep and defend – and Villarreal executed his tactics as well as anyone could have expected. They kept a clean sheet into half-time amid Liverpool’s constant pressure.
But Emery’s plan was crucial missing a cohesive counterattacking component that was always going to make it much tougher to avoid defeat at Anfield. They simply had no counter for Liverpool’s suffocating press, which kept the Yellow Submarine from springing any attacks.
Villarreal manager Unai Emery instructs from the sidelines during the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie against Liverpool
Gerard Moreno’s absence was obviously a big reason why Villarreal couldn’t create anything offensively. While Liverpool’s excellent defending deserves a lot of credit as well, having Moreno – a Spanish international striker – instead of the inexperienced Samuel Chukwueze could have produced at least a few more Champions League 2022 highlights for the visitors.
With Moreno’s fitness for the second leg still a doubt and a two-goal deficit to overcome, Villarreal’s Champions League 2022 odds of reaching the final are remote, to say the least. Emery can no longer use his conservative counterattacking approach at home and must open up to stand any chance of going through.
Liverpool’s recent signings continue to pay off
Liverpool’s transfer business over the past two years has been impeccable. Diogo Jota has been brilliant since arriving from Wolves last year, while Luis Diaz – who started in place of Jota against Villarreal – has made an immediate impact after coming over in the winter.
But against Villarreal, it was their two high-profile signings from the Bundesliga – Thiago Alcantara and Ibrahima Konate – who shone in the semi-final first leg.
After a somewhat underwhelming debut season sidetracked by his usual injuries last year, Thiago is now hitting his best form and is showing why so many were excited by his arrival from Bayern Munich. The Spanish midfielder was masterful against Villarreal; he completed 99 out of 103 passes, made 10 ball recoveries and had five interceptions. He also hit the post as he turned in an all-around performance.
Meanwhile, Konate – who started both legs against Benfica and even scored two goals – again got the nod ahead of Joel Matip, with Klopp likely preferring the young Frenchman’s pace to prevent counterattacks. And the 22-year-old didn’t disappoint as he hardly put a foot wrong while playing alongside Virgil van Dijk and seems to be growing more and more in confidence.
Liverpool’s savvy transfer signings are just one of the many reasons why the Reds have been so dominant this year and are on the cusp of yet another trip to the Champions League final.
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Champions League: Villarreal Still Hoping For Big Scalp Number Three!
Villarreal vs Liverpool
Liverpool head to Spain for their Champions League semi-final second leg tie with Villarreal on Tuesday, two goals to the good but head coach Jurgen Klopp and his players will be taking nothing for granted
Villarreal have already registered some pretty impressive Champions League 2022 results, beating Juventus and FC Bayern and, despite going into their home leg two goals adrift, head coach Unai Emery will remind his team that they fired three past the Old Lady in the last 15 minutes of that Round of 16 clash. And the fans at the Estadio de la Ceramica will be in full voice in the hope the Yellow Submarine can pull off another miracle.
The Reds come into the game on the back of a hard fought 1-0 win over Newcastle United while Villarreal lost 2-1 away to Alaves, but the Yellow Submarine are a different prospect at home.
Talking Points
Villarreal’s back line must stay resolute
Emery’s side, which won the Europa League last season, has plenty of goals in it. Netherlands attacking midfielder Arnaut Danjuma has scored six in the competition while centre forward Gerard Moreno has weighed in with two goals and four assists.
The Spaniard’s midfield was overrun a little in the first leg, and the attack was isolated at times, but in this game they need to keep a solid rearguard to stay in the game as long as possible and hit Liverpool when they get their chances. Emery will pack his midfield and there will be a pivotal role for former Watford star Etienne Capoue. Now 33 years of age, the French defensive midfielder is a powerful runner and a superb reader of the game. With a pass accuracy of 89 per cent he uses the ball with care and he has a big engine, averaging around 11 km per match.
While Capoue is a defensive midfielder he has contributed two goals and two assists and will be a key man at both ends of the pitch. And behind him, experienced Spanish defender Raul Albiol will marshal the defence. The 36 year old has picked up 58 caps with Spain and he skippers the Yellow Submarine with great authority, while forming a fine centre back partnership with Pau Torres.
Albiol was imperious in the second leg against FC Bayern and he will be determined to keep the brilliant Liverpool attack at bay.
Top four talk won’t leave Liverpool
For all Jurgen Klopp and his players talking down the possibility of an historic quadruple the murmerings are audible around Anfield and why not? The latest Champions League 2022 betting odds are backing Liverpool to lift the trophy and, here at SBOTOP, we’re pricing the Reds as slightly odds on at odds of 1.90. The Carabao Cup is in the bag, and Liverpool have an FA Cup final date with Chelsea when they will be favourites to pick up their second trophy of the campaign.
Naby Keita celebrates with Liverpool teammate Luis Diaz after scoring against Newcastle United
With four games to play Klopp’s side is one point behind Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title and they are in a great position to qualify for the Champions League final. Mohammed Salah has eight goals from 11 appearances in the competition and Roberto Firmino has five from six and both were rested at the start of Liverpool’s victory over the Magpies; but they were both thrown on as the Reds chased a second goal after Naby Keita had given them an early lead.
I expect Salah to start in attack, with two of Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz alongside him, and that’s a frightening enough prospect for any defence.
History
Of the four meetings between the two teams, Liverpool have won the last two and drawn one and lost one, back in 2016 and 2008.
In terms of recent form the hosts have won two, drawn two and lost two of the last six games while Liverpool have won five and drawn one over that period.
The Yellow Submarine are unbeaten in 12 games at home, and they beat Valencia 2-0 last time they were in front of their own fans.
Villarreal are at 4.36 to win this game, with the draw at 3.59 and a Liverpool victory is at 1.70. The Yellow submarine showed they can live with the very best when they matched FC Bayern in Munich and they will believe they can push Liverpool all the way too. The Reds will be happy with a draw in Spain and a comfortable passage through to the final, but I think there will be goals in the game and for an alternative bet, Over 2.75 goals is priced at 1.86.
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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 03-May-2022 at 4:42 PM
Champions League: Real Madrid, Man City Battle for Final Berth at the Bernabeu
Real Madrid vs Manchester City
The Champions League semi-final between Real Madrid and Manchester City is still finely poised as it heads to the Santiago Bernabeu for the second leg. The Citizens have a slight advantage after a thrilling 4-3 home win in the first leg, although they will be disappointed not to have built a much bigger lead after their dominant display.
City had their chances to kill off the tie but couldn’t convert, which is why Real Madrid’s Champions League 2022 odds of making it to yet another final are still quite decent.
The brilliant Karim Benzema again came to Real’s rescue with two goals in the first leg to keep them in the tie. And all eyes will once more be on the in-form Frenchman, who has promised more magic in Madrid and will be on a mission to fire Real back into the final.
Talking Points
Real Madrid rest stars in Spanish title-clinching win
Real Madrid’s morale heading into the second leg should be quite high after they clinched their 35th La Liga title over the weekend with a thumping 4-0 win at home against Espanyol.
As expected, Carlo Ancelotti opted not to start a number of his key players, including Benzema and Vinicius Jr, to save their legs for the crucial second leg against City. Although, the two did come on in the second half and combined for Real’s fourth goal.
Benzema is now up to an astonishing 42 goals in 42 games, 14 of which have come in this amazing Champions League run.
Karim Benzma celebrates after scoring Real Madrid’s fourth goal against Espanyol in La Liga
Casemiro came back to the side after missing the first leg due to suspension and played at centre-back against Espanyol with David Alaba still nursing a hamstring injury. Alaba is a doubt to play in the second leg, but Casemiro is expected to return to the heart of Real’s midfield alongside Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.
Meanwhile, it will likely be down to Fede Valverde and Rodrygo for the final starting spot. Valverde played in midfield in the first leg in Casemiro’s absence and is likely to occupy the defensive winger role on the right.
Although, Rodrygo has been in fine form of late with four goals in five games, including a brace in the title clincher against Espanyol, and he could yet play a crucial role in this tie like he did against Chelsea.
Man City can’t stop scoring
Manchester City had a perfect build-up to their key second-leg clash against Real Madrid as they thrashed another team donned all in white, Leeds United, 4-0 over the weekend.
The in-form Gabriel Jesus once again started at centre-forward, and he had another great game as he scored for the third game running. Meanwhile, Phil Foden played in the No 10 role and was fantastic as he set up two of the four goals.
City have now scored four or more goals for the third game on the trot, with Jesus contributing six of their 13 total goals.
Jesus and Foden made plenty of Champions League 2022 highlights in the first leg in Manchester and will likely keep their places in Madrid. Meanwhile, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva are expected to return to the midfield after getting rested at Leeds.
On the other end of the pitch, Kyle Walker is still a doubt to feature in the second leg due to injury, as is John Stones. But Joao Cancelo is available once again after being suspended for the first leg and should get the start at right-back.
History
History will not be on Real Madrid’s side in this must-win second leg. Despite their remarkable dominance in the European Cup, Los Blancos have never come back to win a semi-final tie after losing the first leg in eight tries.
Moreover, Manchester City came to the Bernabeu to beat Real 2-1 in their most recent visit back in 2019-20. After Isco scored on the hour mark for Real, Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne scored two late goals as City came from behind to win.
SBOTOP odds have Real Madrid as 3.15 underdogs to win the second leg at home. Manchester City are2.12 favourites, while a draw is 3.55.
The first leg was a seven-goal thriller, and with all the attacking talent on display, the second leg figures to be another high-scoring affair as well.
Real will obviously give it their all at home, but even with Benzema’s brilliance, City should still have enough to get the result they need to return to the Champions League final.
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Europa League: Red Bulls in the Driving Seat for Final
Rangers FC vs RB Leipzig
Move over, Max Verstappen, because the Red Bulls of Leipzig are in the driving seat to make their first European final in club history. They have a 1-0 lead to protect as they head to Ibrox for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final tie.
Rangers’ resilient defensive effort in the first leg away from home almost paid off, but a brilliant goal by Angelino five minutes from time gave the Germans a crucial advantage.
The Europa League 2022 betting odds still won’t be in the Scottish side’s favour for the second leg. But the Gers have been excellent at home, and they will be hoping the Ibrox crowd can provide them with the energy to overcome the Red Bulls.
Talking Points
Rangers hoping for Roofe return
Rangers were so close to getting a goalless draw in the first leg in Leipzig, which would have been a fine result for them. They had held RB Leipzig out for 85 minutes with a terrific defensive display.
But unfortunately for Gers, Angelino popped up with a fabulous volley – without a doubt one of the top Europa League 2022 highlights to date – to give the Germans a late winner.
Rangers’ Giovanni van Bronkhorst made a wise decision to switch to a back five in order to neutralise Leipzig’s 3-4-1-2 system, and it worked for the most part. Despite surrendering over 70 per cent of possession, they allowed just 10 total shots and four on target.
van Bronkhorst’s side only mustered one shot on target themselves, though, as they missed their top two strikers, Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe.
Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst before the match with RB Leipzig
Rangers have a terrific scoring record at home in the Europa League this season. They have scored 13 goals in seven games at Ibrox, with five wins, a draw and a loss.
Captain and right-back James Tavernier is the team’s leading scorer in this Europa League campaign with six goals, five of which have come at home.
Red Bulls more dangerous on the road
RB Leipzig will come into their semi-final second leg against Rangers on the back of a disappointing 3-1 defeat away to Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga. The Red Bulls have now suffered back-to-back defeats in the league for the first time under coach Domenico Tedesco.
Tedesco fielded more or less his first-choice side against Gladbach, but his players were perhaps a bit distracted by their big semi-final second leg.
On the bright side for Leipzig, Christopher Nkunku finally got a goal to snap his four-game drought. The French forward is now on 31 goals on the season, with 14 assists. Nkunku was lively in the first leg with a team-high four shots, and he will once again be Leipzig’s danger man in Glasgow.
Dominik Szoboszlai partnered Nkunku in the first leg, but it remains to be seen whether Tedesco will pick the young Hungarian again. Andre Silva started against Gladbach and is returning to a bit of form with a goal and an assist in his last two starts.
Prior to their loss to Gladbach, Leipzig had won each of their last eight away games, scoring four or more goals on four occasions. They comfortably won their two Europa League away legs against Real Sociedad (1-3) and Atalanta (0-2).
History
Rangers have a fine home record against German opposition. They have won 13 of 24 games in Glasgow, with seven draws and four defeats. They drew 2-2 with Borussia Dortmund at home, but they still went through 6-4 on aggregate after their stunning 2-4 win in Dortmund.
As for Leipzig, this will be only their second trip to Glasgow. They faced Celtic in the Europa League group stage in 2018 and lost 2-1.
SBOTOP odds have Leipzig priced as 2.03 favourites to continue their fine away form and win the second leg. Rangers have 3.45 odds to win at home, while a draw is 3.35.
As great as Rangers have been in this year’s tournament, they will have an uphill battle against Leipzig. They can’t afford to be as defensive as they were in the first leg and need to go out and look for a goal. But with Roofe possibly out or likely not fully fit even if he does play, they will once again have a tough time.
And if they leave any space at the back, the Red Bulls’ quality attackers – Nkunku, Silva, Dani Olmo – have the quality to punish them. That’s exactly what I see happening in the second leg as Leipzig beat Rangers to reach their first-ever European final.
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Yet if the competition has taught us anything this season, then it is far from over.
Talking Points
Nowhere was this more surprising than in the Nou Camp in the quarter-finals where Barcelona, tournament favourites with the SBOTOP Europa League betting odds, came into the encounter as the most in-form team in Europe’s top-five leagues (on a run of 11 wins and four draws from 15 La Liga outings), not to mention their Euro exploits.
They simply made everyone sit up and take notice as they went to Catalonia and raced into a 3-0 lead and the result was never in doubt, despite Barca scoring two late goals.
Nor had they read the script in last week’s first leg in east London which means they are taking a 2-1 lead back to what should be a raucous Deutsche Bank Park.
With Filip Kostic blazing a trail at one end of the field and both Kevin Trapp and Martin Hinteregger running a tight ship at the other, Frankfurt’s pursuit of a second European trophy is in good shape.
There are many reasons why they are being backed.
For a start, with five assists in 10 games, Kostic is currently the assist king in the competition, while the Serbian winger also took his tally of goals to three with his brace in Barcelona.
There’s also Ansgar Knauff who reminded parent club Borussia Dortmund what they’re missing with a pair of effervescent displays on the right wing against Barcelona, including a stunning volleyed goal in the first leg. He then backed that up by heading home the opener against West Ham and the 20 year-old appears to be getting better and better with each passing week.
As they chase more Europa League highlights and a European success to add to their 1980 UEFA Cup triumph, it is clear this is their prime focus – as shown by the fact they rested a number of key men and made eight changes for their Bundesliga clash with Bayer Leverkusen on Monday night (a 2-0 defeat).
In fact, the 1991 FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest is the last time I can remember the Hammers dreaming of reaching a major final (I never thought they had a chance in the 2014 League Cup semi-final).
Aiming to reach their first European final in 46 years, they go to Germany with trepidation.
Yet if they can sharpen up defensively from last week’s first leg, not to mention have a bit more luck in front of goal – they hit the woodwork three times – then perhaps their dreams of reaching the Seville final later this month can become a reality.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Almamy Toure celebrates with fans after their match against West Ham United
It was evident to me how much they miss centre back Craig Dawson when he is not playing. Dawson is someone who has impressed me ever since he featured for Bolton in the 2012-13 Championship campaign. It was clear even then that he was a player deserving of being at a higher level.
There can be few higher levels than a European final.
David Moyes deserves much credit for the way he has improved the east Londoners during his second spell in charge at the club.
A European final would earn him a mini place in club folklore and he also mixed and matched with his team selection in their weekend defeat to Arsenal with Tomas Soucek and Michail Antonio on the bench.
All in all then, this is the biggest match of the season for both these clubs. Expect no quarter to be given.
History
Until last week, their only previous European encounters – and West Ham’s most recent against German opposition – was in the 1976 European Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final.
Frankfurt won the first leg 2-1 at home before the East London side came back to take the tie with a 3-1 victory at Upton Park when Trevor Brooking scored twice. The Hammers would go on to lose the final, 4-2 to Anderlecht in Brussels.
Betting Tip
Don’t forget to check out the odds as these suggest it will be a close-run thing.
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Champions League: Stunning Comeback Or Late Collapse? This Was One For The Ages!
For the third time in four years, the Champions League Final will be an-all English affair.
That is the line I had penned in my head for so long of an encounter in which Manchester City were, for 90 minutes, secure and disciplined, deterring whatever the home team and their raucous fans could throw at them and on the brink of a place in the showpiece.
In fact, they ensured Real Madrid did not manage a solitary effort on target.
That is, until the clock struck 90, and the most amazing turnaround occurred.
The action was certainly compelling as a City side, which welcomed back Kyle Walker (he lasted 72 minutes) from injury and Joao Cancelo from suspension, frustrated the hosts who had Casemiro back in their starting line-up but were without centre back David Alaba – deemed only fit enough for the bench.
The closest to a goal was when Bernardo Silva’s angled shot was superbly pushed away by Thibaut Courtois but then, 17 minutes from time, came what appeared to be the decisive moment.
Silva was involved, running clear and holding the ball before perfectly finding Riyad Mahrez who lashed it beyond Courtois to send the away fans into raptures.
That seemed that and we could not complain but, in this battle between the champions of England and the newly crowned kings of Spain we were, yet again, to be treated to more Champions League highlights.
The announcement for six minutes of stoppage time was about to be signalled when Karim Benzema flicked the ball into the middle and Rodrygo applied the decisive touch from close range.
Even then, even accounting for Real’s never-say-never spirit which had helped see off Paris St Germain and reigning European champions Chelsea in previous rounds, City would surely see out the contest.
The SBOTOP Champions League betting odds were still stacked in their favour.
Yet somehow, unbelievably, Real sensed City vulnerability and the same player headed home almost instantly to bring the tie level on aggregate.
City, who had won their last three Champions League matches against Real, were stunned.
Furthermore, by then arguably their best player, Kevin De Bruyne, had been substituted.
Madrid, who had been eliminated in all five previous Champions League semi-finals when they lost the first leg, had the momentum psychologically and mentally.
They also had, to state the obvious, Benzema.
So great are the Frenchman’s figures that the 14 goals with which he arrived in the second leg has only three higher total records: the 16 scored by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2015-16 and the 15 scored by Robert Lewandowski (2019-20) and the infallible Ronaldo again in 2018-19.
Three minutes into stoppage time, he was caught by Ruben Dias and duly dusted himself down and slotted what proved the winning goal Ederson from the penalty spot.
Manchester City players Fernandinho and Joao Cancelo looking dejected after their semi-finals defeat against Real Madrid
After Phil Foden’s glanced header was tipped away by Thibaut Courtois, substitute Fernandinho was inches away from hauling City level.
Yet Benzema, who now has 15 goals in 10 Champions League games this term (just three short of his 17 in 2013-14), had delivered the telling blow again.
Meanwhile, Rodrygo became just the fourth player to score multiple goals in the 90th minute or later of a Champions League match, after Emil Forsberg for RB Leipzig (November 2019), Gareth Bale for Spurs (October 2010) and Nilmar for Lyon (November 2004).
A stunning comeback by Real or a late collapse by City? Probably a bit of both in truth. One which Real will always remember fondly and one which City need to recover from instantly.
Real Madrid will now face Liverpool in a repeat of the 2018 final.
The Yellow Submarine reached only the second ever Champions League semi final after knocking out Juventus and Bayern Munch to reach the last four.
Emery’s side turned in a spirited performance despite a two goal deficit from their first leg and threatened an upset as they earned a 2-0 first half lead in Castellon.
However, a ruthless second half showing ended their chances of a fairytale final slot in Paris.
So it is off to the French capital on May 28. Whatever happens, though, it will take some doing to beat the drama of this tie. This was one for the ages.
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Europa League: Glasgow Passion and Cresswell Folly Provide Mixed Fortunes For Brits
Glasgow Rangers saw off the Bayern Munich of Franz Beckenbauer, Paul Breitner and Gerd Muller in front of 80,000 folk at Ibrox to make their way to the European Cup Winners’ Cup Final 50 years ago last month.
Not once did I think this game would have the capacity to equal it but how wrong I was.
A Europa League semi-final against another German outfit RB Leipzig was actually Rangers’ 60th game of a season that will now bring five more – three Scottish League matches plus two cup finals (the Scottish Cup and Europa League).
65 games will be an historic high. But only if they lift the trophy will there be a feeling higher than the one this victory provided.
Regardless of the result in Seville on May 18, though, reaching the Europa League Final is a better achievement for Giovani van Bronckhorst and his players than winning the Scottish title last season.
Amid a cauldron of noise, the depleted hosts completed their remarkable run from the play-offs to final and had turned the tie on its head within 25 minutes through goals from James Tavernier and Glen Kamara.
Tavernier has now scored seven goals in the Europa League, which is the outright most by a Rangers player in a single season in European club competition. Indeed, he’s also the third Englishman to score at least 10 goals in the Europa League with only Jermain Defoe and Harry Kane netting more (both 11).
Christopher Nkunku’s 32nd goal of the season levelled the tie again as he applied a smart first-time finish from Angelino’s delicious cross.
However, despite Leipzig cranking up the pressure against a team which has played 11 more games than them – more than 16 hours this season – Rangers had one moment of magic to add to their Europa League 2022 highlights.
And with 10 minutes left, the lively Ryan Kent beat his marker and delivered a cross which hung in the night air and was met by John Lundstram who drilled home to send Ibrox rocking from its foundations.
A night which began with a slightly subdued atmosphere and a minute’s silence due to the sudden death of Rangers’ kit man of more than three decades in Jimmy Bell, the game had ended just as Bell would want it.
Rangers will now meet another Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt after they also continued their own amazing journey in this season’s competition.
West Ham were aiming to reach their third European final after victory in the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965 and also reaching the Cup Winners’ Cup final in 1976, while Frankfurt were bidding for their first Euro showpiece since winning the 1980 UEFA Cup.
The Hammers, who welcomed Alphonse Areola, Craig Dawson, Tomas Soucek, and Michail Antonio back into the starting line-up following Sunday’s 2-1 defeat by Arsenal, started brightly. But in truth, they were always unlikely to recover after seven devastating minutes.
Left-back Aaron Cresswell had already been sent off harshly in the first leg of their quarter-final with Lyon.
This time, though, he could have no complaints as he pulled down Jens Petter Hauge when he would have been clean through and was shown a red card.
Only 19 minutes were on the clock.
Six minutes later, the unmarked Rafael Borre hammered home Ansgar Knauff’s low ball and Frankfurt, who made six changes from their Bundesliga loss to Bayer Leverkusen on Monday, were 3-1 up on aggregate against 10 men.
David Moyes follows the action from the sidelines during the second leg of West Ham United’s Europa League semi-final tie against Eintracht Frankfurt
It was a sad end to what has been a truly exciting campaign for West Ham and their frustration was clear when manager David Moyes booted the ball at a ball boy in the closing stages and was shown a straight red card.
An unsavoury end to a tie which had an unsavoury start last week when some German commentators were reportedly attacked by home fans after they took a lead inside 49 seconds.
In truth, the better team won over the two legs and Frankfurt are the tournament favourites with the SBOTOP Europa League 2022 betting odds.
Now we head for Seville.
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Champions League: The Reds’ and Real’s Semi-final Heroes
The 2022 Champions League final is set, with Liverpool and Real Madrid ready for their rematch of the 2018 final.
The Real Madrid-Manchester City semi-final was an all-time classic, with action from start to finish and a comeback for the ages. Liverpool-Villarreal was not nearly as dramatic, but it still produced some fantastic football over two legs.
Before looking ahead to the final in Paris, SBOTOP would like to pay homage to the semi-finals’ heroes, who made those matches so memorable with their brilliant performances on the big stage.
Karim Benzema, Real Madrid
Benzema promised magic in Madrid, and he and Real delivered. The Frenchman wasn’t at his finest in the second leg, but he still played a crucial part in their comeback as he set up Rodrygo’s first goal and scored the winning penalty in extra time to send Real through.
With three more goals in the semi-finals, Benzema is now at an incredible 15 goals in this Champions League campaign, only two shy of former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo’s single-season record of 17. And with the way he’s been playing, you wouldn’t bet against Benzema’s Champions League 2022 odds of tying or even breaking that amazing record in the final.
Rodrygo, Real Madrid
Rodrygo’s time with Real Madrid has been rocky, to say the least. The highly touted Brazilian has mostly struggled since his big-money move to Madrid in 2018, but he has finally found top form in recent weeks. And he stole the show in the semi-finals with two stunning strikes in the 90th and 91st minutes of the second leg to shock City – and write himself into Real Madrid lore.
First, he scored a real poacher’s goal as he beat Ederson to Benzema’s ball in and expertly finished with the outside of his right boot. And for his second, he rose high and scored a beautiful header that even the great Benzema would be proud of.
The 21-year-old, who also scored a crucial late goal against Chelsea, has been a major part of this amazing Real Madrid run and could yet make more Champions League 2022 highlights in Paris.
Ferland Mendy, Real Madrid
While Benzema and Rodrygo got the plaudits with their goals, Mendy also made some key contributions over the two legs that ended up being so massive.
The French full-back supplied the assists in both of Real’s open-play goals in the first leg. And in the second leg, he made a spectacular goal-line clearance on Jack Grealish’s goal-bound shot in the 87th minute, which kept Real in the tie.
That clearance turned out to be huge in the end as Real eventually forced extra time through to Rodrygo’s late goals, and they had Mendy to thank for being in that position.
Riyad Mahrez, Manchester City
Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez celebrates after scoring their first goal against Real Madrid during their Champions League semi-finals
If not for Real Madrid’s amazing comeback, Riyad Mahrez would have been hailed as Manchester City’s semi-final hero.
The Algerian was arguably City’s best player over the two legs. He provided an assist and hit the woodwork in their 4-3 first-leg win, although he was also berated by Pep Guardiola on the sidelines after he opted to shoot instead of passing to Phil Foden for a possible tap-in.
Mahrez seemingly made up for that mistake by scoring City’s goal in the second leg. Guardiola subbed off Mahrez with five minutes left to try and preserve their lead, but Real improbably came back to force extra time.
Without a doubt, City would have had a better chance to get another goal in extra time if Mahrez, their most influential player of the semi-finals, had been on the pitch.
Luis Diaz, Liverpool
Luis Diaz’s impact since arriving at Liverpool in January has been incredible, and the Colombian continued his impressive form in the Villarreal tie. While he failed to score in their 2-0 first-leg win, he was still quite lively as he finished with a team-leading five shots.
Diaz added four more shots – including a goal – in just 45 minutes of action in the second leg as his introduction at half-time gave the Reds the spark they needed to run out 3-2 winners.
Diaz will no doubt play some part in the Champions League final, either from the start or as a game-changing super sub.
Sadio Mane, Liverpool
But as good as Luis Diaz was, Sadio Mane was Liverpool’s main man over the two legs against Villarreal. The Senegalese striker has been banging in the goals at the tail-end of the season, and he added a goal in each leg of the semi-finals to sink the Yellow Submarine.
It was Mane who scored Liverpool’s goal in their 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the 2018 final. And in the form he’s in at the moment, he will once again be one of the Reds’ main goal threats against Real in Paris.
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Europa League: Rangers Face Eintracht Frankfurt in Surprise Final
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Rangers FC
Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers will meet in one of the more unexpected Europa League final matchups in recent years.
Frankfurt, one-time winners of the competition in 1980, sprung some big surprises as they brought down Real Betis, Barcelona, and West Ham United on their way to the final.
The Eagles were the significant underdogs in those ties, but the Europa League 2022 betting odds now have them as slight favourites against Rangers.
The Scottish giants also know a thing or two about shock upsets, as well as overcoming German opposition. They beat two Bundesliga powerhouses in Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig to reach their first European final since 2008, and they will have their sights set on celebrating in Seville.
Eintracht Frankfurt certainly earned their spot in the Europa League final. They are still unbeaten in this year’s competition, with seven wins and five draws in 12 games.
That feat is even more impressive given the fact that they have faced some tough teams in the knockout rounds: Real Betis, Barcelona, and West Ham United.
Their quarter-final victory over Barca will go down in history as one of the greatest moments in the club’s history. After drawing the first leg 1-1 at home, they went into the Camp Nou and outplayed the Catalans in a 3-2 win.
Frankfurt will not have any form to speak of heading into the final, though. They failed to win any of their last eight Bundesliga matches, with five draws and three defeats.
Although, coach Oliver Glasner had begun to concentrate more on the Europa League knockout rounds during that time and their lack of league form did not seem to detract from their performances in Europe, which remained stellar.
It’s a testament to Frankfurt’s impressive teamwork that they’ve managed to reach a European final despite lacking a true star, particularly up front.
Rafael Borre is the team’s leading scorer with just 11 goals on the season. Although, he has found his best form late in the season. Aside from producing one of the top Europa League 2022 highlights with his wonder goal against Barcelona, he also got a goal and an assist in the semi-finals against West Ham. The Colombian now has three goals and an assist in his last five games.
Gers keep knocking out German clubs
Glasgow Rangers are back in the Europa League final for the first time in 14 years. And the Gers had to go through a couple of German clubs during their unexpected run to the final.
First, they stunned Borussia Dortmund 6-4 on aggregate in the Europa League knockout play-offs. And then, they overcame a 1-0 first-leg deficit to beat RB Leipzig 3-2 on aggregate in the semi-finals.
James Tavernier was a massive reason for Rangers’ success against those two German clubs. The Gers captain scored four of his Europa League-leading seven goals in the four games against German opposition.
Rangers captain James Tavernier celebrates after winning against RB Leipzig to reach the final of the Europa League
Joe Ayodele-Aribo has been deployed as the centre-forward in Morelos and Roofe’s absence, and the young Nigerian could be called upon again to play that crucial role in the final if Roofe fails to return for the final.
Meanwhile, Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey has finally returned to full fitness as he played and started Rangers’ last two Premiership games. With his quality and nose for goal, Ramsey will be a handy weapon for coach Giovanni van Bronkhorst off the bench.
History
Each of these two clubs has made the UEFA Cup/Europa League final once in their history. Eintracht Frankfurt made their lone final in 1980 and faced fellow German club Borussia Monchengladbach. Despite finishing 3-3 on aggregate, Frankfurt won on away goals.
As for Rangers, they made their lone final in 2008, but they lost 2-0 to Zenit St Petersburg at the City of Manchester Stadium.
Frankfurt and Rangers have met each just twice before, and those came in the semi-finals of the 1960 European Cup. Eintracht Frankfurt won a remarkably high-scoring semi-final tie 12-4 on aggregate as they scored six goals in both legs.
SBOTOP odds have Eintracht Frankfurt installed as narrow 2.35 favourites to win the Europa League final after 90 minutes. A Rangers win is priced at 2.82 while a draw is 3.35.
Both teams will no doubt be feeling a bit of nerves as they play in this European final. As such, they could very well play quite cautiously to avoid making any costly errors.
With that in mind, I expect this final to be a closely contested affair, one that will likely not be settled within 90 minutes.
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Eintracht Frankfurt are Europa League champions for the second time in their history after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Rangers in Seville.
Rangers had taken the lead just before the hour mark as Joe Aribo capitalised on a Frankfurt defensive error. But the Eagles equalised through Rafael Borre in the 69th minute to force extra time and eventually, penalties.
Unfortunately, it was Rangers’ star substitute Aaron Ramsey who missed the decisive penalty, while Borre converted the final spot kick to complete the Frankfurt fairy tale.
Read on below as SBOTOP recaps all the drama that went down in the 2022 Europa League final between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers.
Highlights of the game
Eintracht Frankfurt were on the front foot early on, and they got the first real chance of the final on 12 minutes. Daichi Kamada somehow got through a couple of Rangers defenders, but Gers goalkeeper Allan McGregor came out to smother the shot.
The ball eventually broke to midfielder Djibril Sow at the edge of the box, but his curling effort was comfortably caught by McGregor.
McGregor was called upon to make another crucial save on 20 minutes to deny Frankfurt wing-back Ansgar Knauff.
It took Rangers until the 26th minute to register their first shot of the match. Joe Aribo turned quickly and shot from distance, which sent Frankfurt keeper Kevin Trapp flying, but the shot went just wide.
Frankfurt remained in command for majority of the first half. Danger man Filip Kostic got a couple of chances on goal, although neither threatened McGregor too much.
Into the second half, Frankfurt came close to the breakthrough goal as Lindstrom’s shot took a deflection and just whistled wide.
A defensive miscue from Knauff gave the Gers a good chance on 55 minutes, but Ryan Kent failed to hit the target.
Rangers FC’s Joe Aribo celebrates after scoring the first goal in their Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt
However, Frankfurt committed another grave error just moments later, and this time it cost them dearly. Tuta’s untimely tumble allowed Aribo an opening on goal, and the Rangers striker took his chance expertly as he slotted past Trapp.
Frankfurt had a glorious chance to equalise on 67 minutes as Rangers’ own defensive miscue, forced by Eintracht’s excellent pressing, allowed Kamada through on goal. But the Japanese international’s attempted lob ballooned well over the bar.
Frankfurt would find themselves level just minutes later, though. Kostic’s hopeful cross into the box found Borre, who got ahead of his marker and poked the ball past McGregor in the Gers keeper’s near post.
After an uneventful extra time, it was on to penalties. Both teams were perfect after the first three rounds. But then stepped former Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey, who came on three minutes from the end of extra-time, presumably in preparation for penalties. Unfortunately, the Welshman’s kick was wayward as Kevin Trapp made the crucial stop with his legs.
Kostic and Rangers substitute Kemar Roofe both converted the next two penalties, which left Borre with the chance to seal the title for Frankfurt with the final kick. And the Colombian did so in style as he fired the ball into the top corner, sparking wild celebrations from the Eintracht Frankfurt faithful.
Key statistics
While the Europa League 2022 betting odds for this final were quite close, Eintracht Frankfurt looked like the better team and were worthy winners. The Germans finished with a significant 22-14 edge in shots over Rangers, although the Scottish side still finished with more shots on target (6-4).
Borre, who came into the final in fantastic form, once again made Europa League 2022 highlights with his crucial contributions. The 26-year-old finished the season scoring in Frankfurt’s last three games and had three goals and assist in Frankfurt’s last four Europa League matches.
Frankfurt have now won the UEFA Cup/Europa League twice, with their first title coming in 1980. They also became the first German side to win the competition since Schalke claimed the title in 1997.
Frankfurt also became just the third club – after Chelsea in 2018-19 and Villarreal in 2020-21 – to start the Europa League in the group stage and win the title without suffering a single defeat. They went unbeaten in 13 matches, with seven wins and six draws.
What’s next?
With their Europa League victory, Eintracht Frankfurt will now be heading to the Champions League for the first time since 1960, when they famously made the final but lost to Real Madrid, 7-3.
As for Rangers, they must pick themselves up from their Europa League final disappointment as they face Hearts in the Scottish Cup final in a few days’ time. Rangers will be playing in their first Scottish Cup final since 2016, when they lost 3-2 to Hibernian. The Gers haven’t won the cup since 2009.
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Europa League: The Top Games of the 2021-2022 Season
The 2021-22 Europa League certainly had no shortage of exciting games. This year’s two finalists – Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers – delivered their fair share of drama, most notably away from home against big-name opposition.
Meanwhile, a couple of Spanish sides – Real Betis and Barcelona – were involved in some high-scoring shootouts before falling to the eventual champions.
Read on below as SBOTOP looks back at the top five matches of the 2021-22 Europa League season.
Real Betis 4-3 Celtic, Group stage
Real Betis and Celtic were hands down the most entertaining sides of the Europa League group stage. Betis’ six group-stage games resulted in 24 goals, while Celtic’s had 28!
Unsurprisingly, their meetings in Group G were absolute goal fests, with a total of 12 goals scored in just two games. Seven of those came in an epic shootout in Seville, which Betis won 4-3.
Celtic looked to be in complete command as they went up 2-0 inside half an hour thanks to goals from Albian Ajeti and Josip Juranovic. But Betis came storming back with quick goals from Juan Miranda and Juanmi to enter half-time level at 2-2.
Then, two more goals from Juanmi and Borja Iglesias in the space of just a few minutes to start the second half but Betis back in the driver’s seat.
Celtic made the last few minutes a bit nervy as they pulled a goal back three minutes from time, but Betis held on to claim a thrilling 4-3 victory.
Borussia Dortmund 2-4 Rangers, Knockout play-off 1st leg
Rangers were unfortunately this year’s beaten finalists as they fell to Frankfurt on penalties. But despite their dramatic defeat, the Gers fans will forever remember this incredible cup run, which featured one of the most unforgettable nights in the club’s illustrious history.
The Europa League 2022 odds had Rangers as major underdogs as they went into Signal Iduna Park to face Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the knockout round play-offs. However, the Scots sprung a massive surprise as they went 2-0 up by half-time and eventually won 4-1.
Captain James Tavernier, who set the tone with his opening goal through the penalty spot, scored twice more in the second leg in Glasgow as the Gers went through and made it all the way to the final.
Napoli 2-4 Barcelona, Knockout play-off 2nd leg
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates after scoring Barcelona’s 4th goal against Napoli in their Europa League knockout round
There was another 4-2 match during the knockout play-off tie, and it took place in the second leg of Barcelona’s blockbuster matchup with Napoli. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Camp Nou, Barca had to win in Naples to go through to the quarter-finals.
But victory looked all but assured for the Spanish giants just a quarter of an hour into the match as they went 2-0 up thanks to Jordi Alba and a fantastic goal from Frenkie de Jong.
Napoli pulled a goal back through a Lorenzo Insigne’s penalty. But that goal would end up being the Napoli captain’s last European goal for the club as a dominant Barca side scored twice more through Gerard Pique and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to put the game well beyond Napoli’s reach.
Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Real Betis, Round of 16 2nd leg
Eintracht Frankfurt won the Europa League final in dramatic circumstances as they beat Rangers on penalties. However, their 1-1 draw in the round-of-16 second leg against Real Betis was arguably the most dramatic match of the entire campaign.
After grabbing a shock 2-1 win in Seville in the first leg, Frankfurt were mere minutes away from going through as the second leg remained scoreless heading into full time.
However, Betis’ Borja Iglesias popped up with a brilliant goal in the 90th minute to force extra time. And just as the match was seconds away from heading into penalties, it was Frankfurt’s turn to pop up with their own late goal.
Although, they had some help from Betis’ keeper, Rui Silva, as he failed to clear a free kick. The ball then bounced off of Betis midfielder Guido Rodriguez and into the unguarded net for an own goal.
It was a cruel way for Betis to lose, but it was remarkable fortune from Frankfurt’s perspective, and they capitalised on that good luck to claim their first-ever European championship.
Barcelona 2-3 Eintracht Frankfurt, Quarter-final 2nd leg
As dramatic as Eintracht Frankfurt’s triumph against Betis was, though, their 3-2 win against mighty Barcelona at the Camp Nou will still go down as the signature performance of their title-winning run.
The Eagles did well to hold Barca to a 1-1 draw at home in the first leg of their quarter-final tie, but no one could ever have expected them to come into the Camp Nou and just dominate a Barca side that had been in fantastic form at that time.
The Germans made a great start as they went up after just four minutes through a Filip Kostic penalty. And they were in dreamland when Rafael Borre unleashed one of the best Europa League 2022 highlights with his wonder strike to give them a 2-0 lead.
Despite a late Barca rally, Kostic’s second goal on 67 minutes had already sealed one of, if not the most famous victory in Eintracht Frankfurt’s history – and one of the best games in the Europa League 2021-22 season.
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Champions League: There’s so Much to Look Forward to in this Final
Liverpool vs Real Madrid
When Liverpool and Real Madrid step out for the Champions League final in Paris, the eyes of the world will be watching as two of the finest teams in world football battle it out for European supremacy.
The showcase final brings together clubs which are banging in form. Liverpool are enjoying a remarkable season and, at the time of writing, are still on course for an historic quadruple.
The Premier League showdown takes place on Sunday but Real Madrid have already been crowned La Liga champions and they are seeking a record 14th title, which is twice as many as any other club and the fifth in a decade.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are marginal favourites here at SBOTOP to win within 90 minutes at a price of 2.09, while Los Blancos are priced at 3.16.
When the two teams met in Kyiv in 2018, Real Madrid ran out 3-1 winners. But this game is a decider as Liverpool won the European Cup by beating Real Madrid in the 1981 final again in Paris.
History will be made one way or another. But in the meantime, let’s see what we have to look forward to.
Benzema vs Van Dijk
One of the hottest strikers in world football will come up against arguably the best defender on the planet when Karim Benzema comes face-to-face with Virgil van Dijk.
French hitman Benzema has been sensational in Los Blancos’ league triumph, top scoring in La Liga with 27 goals and his movement and finishing ability is second to none in the Spanish league.
But he will meet a commanding presence at the heart of Liverpool’s rearguard in Van Dijk. The Dutch centre back has marshalled a defence which has conceded just 25 league goals this term and he is class personified on the biggest stage.
Luka Modric’s ageless genius
There will be a galaxy of stars on the pitch next Saturday when Real meet the Reds. As well as Benzema and van Dijk, we have Mohamed Salah, Vinicius Junior, Andrew Robertson, Rodrygo, and Alisson. But one player I’m really looking forward to watching is Los Blancos’ creative midfielder Luka Modric.
Since he joined Real Madrid in 2012 for a fee of £30-M, he has been one of the club’s most influential players as the team has picked up four Champions Leagues and three La Liga titles.
Real Madrid’s Luka Modric controls the ball during their match against Espanyol
And at 36 year of age, the Croatian playmaker is as good as ever. With a beautiful poise on the ball, quick feet, and a fantastic array of passing, Modric is one of Europe’s finest players in a generation.
He has won 18 trophies in total with Real Madrid and in 2016 was voted the best midfielder in La Liga. And he is his nation’s most capped player, leading Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final.
Always a pleasure to watch, I hope this is not Modric’s last appearance in a major final.
Is this Liverpool’s destiny with history?
Whatever the outcome of the Premier League shootout on Sunday, this will be a phenomenal campaign for Liverpool. Klopp’s Reds have already won a domestic Cup double, beating Chelsea in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals, both times on penalties.
The Reds are at home to Wolves on Sunday, and if they win, then they will hope that old friend Steven Gerrard can guide his Aston Villa to a shock win over Manchester City to hand them the league treble.
And then it’s down to the Champions League final in Paris where the Reds could become immortal.
Or will Los Blancos make it a Premier League hat-trick?
Of course, there are a couple of huge if’s in the way of Liverpool’s dream outcome, and one is that they have to beat a Real Madrid side capable of beating the best in the world since Los Blancos have already seen off two of the Premier League’s finest.
While Liverpool had a relatively calm path to final, Carlo Ancelotti’s side had to pull out some spectacularChampions League 2022 resultsto make the Paris date.
In the quarter-final, they overcame the luckless Chelsea in extra time as Benzema scored a 96th minute winner to make if 5-4 on aggregate.
And then in the semi-final, Los Blancos launched a stunning comeback to beat Manchester City. The Sky Blues were seemingly coasting through to an all-English final with two goals to the good and as injury time began, Rodrygo struck twice to take the tie to extra time and, of course, Benzema scored the winner in a 6-5 aggregate victory.
One thing the Champions League 2022 betting odds can confirm is that we’re going to see a sensational final which could go either way. But I can’t resist making a call, though I won’t side with either team. Salah and Benzema will lead two exciting attacks against some of the best defenders in the world and the goal scorers will have the upper hand.
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Champions League: Can Real Madrid Take All Three Premier League Giants?
Liverpool vs Real Madrid
Liverpool meet Real Madrid at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday night to fight for the title of European Champions, and the Spaniards might just, in the process, pick up a mightily impressive treble.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men have already beaten defending champions winners Chelsea, and the Premier League champions Manchester City on the way to the Champions League final and now they must fancy their chances against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
The Premier League is commonly acclaimed to be the best league in the world so, if successful, surely Los Blancos fans can claim their team is the best on the planet!
This is one of the most eagerly awaited Champions League finals in recent history and it’s the third time these two teams have met in the competition finale. Liverpool won when they met Real Madrid in the 1981 final while Los Blancos came on top just four years ago in Kyiv.
So, in Paris on Sunday, we have a monumental decider…
Talking Points
Diaz and Konate can start for Liverpool
While much of his side picks itself, Klopp has two interesting choices to make in his starting 11, the first being who should line up alongside Mohamed Salah up front. With eight goals in the competition and a share of the Premier League Golden Boot, the Egyptian is a shoo-in. And, recently linked with a move to Los Blancos in the European press, the eyes of the world will be on Salah.
Senegalese hit man Sadio Mane will pick up one place alongside him, and the other is likely to go to Colombian striker Luis Diaz who has made a brilliant impact since arriving at Anfield in the January transfer window. With two goals in six Champions League appearances, and a superb performance against Villarreal in the semi-final, Diaz has done enough to edge out Portuguese striker Diogo Jota.
Liverpool’s defence is sure to feature the colossus Virgil Van Dijk and the excellent full-back pairing of Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold. And centre-back Ibrahima Konate is likely to pick up the place alongside Van Dijk, ahead of Joel Matip. The France star has started most of Liverpool’s European games and has bags of pace, which could be crucial up against the livewire Vinicius Jr and the deadly Karim Benzema.
Klopp’s only injury doubt is midfield ace Thiago Alcantara, and Jordan Henderson looks set to step in.
And that is some back up in the centre of the park.
Real Madrid midfield picks itself
Liverpool are at odds of2.12 to win the game with Real Madrid out at 3.25, but then the Champions League 2022 betting odds on Los Blancos getting past Manchester City were longer. And the victory over the Sky Blues could quite easily have taking up the full package of Champions League 2022 highlights as Rodrygo, with two injury-time goals and Benzema, with an extra time winner turned the tie, spectacularly, on its head.
Benzema has scored a staggering 15 goals in the competition and he is surely destined to win the Golden Boot, with Mo Salah on eight. The Egyptian is good…but he’s not that good!
Real Madrid’s Luka Modric celebrates after reaching the 2021/22 Champions League final by beating Manchester City in the semi-finals
Madrid’s strikers have the comfort of knowing which three players will sit behind them, and they could hardly be a more experienced and classy collection as Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric will patrol the middle of the park. What they lack in terms of youth, these three make up for in an abundance of skill, each with superb vision and an excellent range of passes.
If the match is won in midfield then the Whites have a strong chance.
History
Real Madrid have had the better of Liverpool over the last seven meetings, winning four, losing two and drawing one.
The Madrid side put Liverpool out of last year’s quarter-final with a 3-1 home victory and a 0-0 draw at Anfield, and they beat the Reds 3-1 in the 2018 Champions League final. Salah left the field injured in that clash and he has vowed revenge on the Spaniards this time around.
The Reds’ recent form is marginally better, with five wins and a draw from the last six, while Los Blancos have won three, drawn two and lost one. But in fairness to Ancelotti’s men, they had won the La Liga title before they began to drop points.
This game is a really tight call to make over 90 minutes, with Liverpool at 2.20 to win, Real Madrid at 2.96 and the draw at the longest SBOTOPprice of 3.25.
Liverpool are unbeaten in 18 games but this is the biggest threat they have faced in that run, and with 1-1 at 5.99 the most likely scoreline I can see some extra time looming.
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Champions League: A Night for Heroes as Real are Champions of Europe Yet Again!
Liverpool 0-1 Real Madrid
And so for the 14th time, Real Madrid are champions of Europe again!
But what an achievement for Carlo Ancelotti’s giants, who have beaten Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester City and now Liverpool.
No-one can say they haven’t done it the hard way. No one can say they do not deserve to win the 2022 Champions League.
On a special night in Paris for all connected with Los Blancos, there were two big Champions League heroes – Vinicius Jr, who scored the winner just before the hour mark, and the outstanding Thibaut Courtois.
Yet everyone from Ancelotti down is a hero in the Spanish capital tonight after Real Madrid defied the Champions League betting odds once again.
Both sides had emerged victorious from dramatic semi-finals at the start of the month, each with their own heroes, and it was one in red who came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 16th minute when a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross was met by Mo Salah who was denied by Courtois from close range.
Five minutes later, Sadio Mane, who scored for the Merseysiders against Madrid in their 2018 final defeat, rifled a shot which the diving Courtois pushed onto the post before it rebounded to safety.
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah looks disappointed as he receives a first-runner up medal in the 2021/22 Champions League season
The one-sided nature of the contest continued but again the Belgian goalkeeper was on hand when Salah headed straight at him.
Although the spirit of the law was correctly applied on this occasion, the inconsistency in which that particular rule has been used all season has been frustrating for many.
Into the second half and again Liverpool made the better start but, just before the hour, came Real’s decisive attacking moment as Federico Valverde cut inside and drove a low cross shot that was turned in from close range by Vinicius.
Real were in raptures and sensed an incredible 14th European Cup.
Still there was half an hour to go. but Courtois was just getting started.
First, he charged across his line to block a Salah shot, then he changed direction to push behind a Salah effort redirected towards goal by substitute Diogo Jota. Then, he showed world-class reactions to divert yet another Salah shot wide of the far post.
Real would simply not be breached and while a team effort – Eder Militao was almost faultless – it was exceptional Courtois who took all the plaudits with his nine saves the most on record (since 2003-04) of any keeper in a single Champions League final.
As for the guy in the dugout, Ancelotti was already assured of a place in history amongst the game’s great managers before tonight but to win the La Liga and Champions League double with a Real side which lacks some of the world-class talents of its previous champions has cemented his place to a new level.
The veteran Italian has reinvigorated the class of 2022 and guided them to achievements greater than the sum of their parts. What a legacy.
After another campaign of Champions League 2022 highlights – some of which this SBOTOP observer has been fortunate to witness – Ancelotti and Real Madrid are the kings of Europe again.
Key statistics
Ancelotti has won the Champions League more than any other manager (four times) with AC Milan in 2003 and 2007 and Real Madrid in 2014 and in 2022.
Vinícius Jr (21 years, 320 days) is the fifth-youngest player to score in a Champions League final after team-mate Marco Asensio (21 years, 133 days in 2017), Borussia Dortmund’s Lars Ricken (20 years, 322 days in 1997), Carlos Alberto of Porto (19 years, 167 days in 2004) and Ajax’s Patrick Kluivert (18 years, 327 days in 1995).
With four goals and six assists, he is also the first South American player to be directly involved in 10 or more goals in a single Champions League campaign while aged 21 or under since Lionel Messi in 2008-09 (nine goals, five assists).
This was Toni Kroos’ fifth appearance in a Champions League final – only former team mate Cristiano Ronaldo and Paolo Maldini have featured in the European showpiece more (six).
What’s next?
And that concludes a successful 2021/22 season for both clubs – especially Real Madrid.
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Champions League: Lewandowski and Haaland to Meet Their Former Teams
Two of the world’s best strikers are to reunite with their former teams here in the Champions League as Robert Lewandowski’s Barcelona are bunched alongside Bayern Munich, while Erling Haaland’s Manchester City are in the same group as Borussia Dortmund.
Elsewhere, many have dubbed Group C as the Group of Death, but Groups A and H aren’t far behind talent-wise. Overall, SBOTOP football fans are in for a huge treat once more.
Group A: Ajax, Liverpool, Napoli, Rangers
Liverpool are going through their worst start in the Jurgen Klopp era and they must improve quickly. They’ve yet to win in the Premier League this term, although they should be able to snap their winless streak against Bournemouth this weekend.
Ajax, meanwhile, started their campaign in similar fashion – losing to PSV in the Dutch Super Cup – but they’ve been doing pretty well in the Eredivisie so far.
Napoli are the most in-form club as of the moment with impressive wins against Hellas Verona and Monza, while Rangers – who made it back here for the first time in 12 years and were last season’s Europa League finalists – are out to disrupt this group.
Group B: Porto, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Club Brugge
Atletico Madrid are expected to top this group, but the second spot is going to be fought over between Porto, Bayer Leverkusen, and maybe Club Brugge.
Los Rojiblancos made it to as far as the quarter-finals last term, only to lose to Manchester City by one goal, and they’ll be ambitious to go all the way.
Porto and Club Brugge have lost key players this summer, but both can cause problems, although the Portuguese side has the better chance.
Bayer Leverkusen had a shocking start to the season with three consecutive Bundesliga defeats and Gerardo Seoane is under immense pressure to turn things around.
But what hasn’t changed is that the reigning Bundesliga titlists are still formidable and they’re the favourites in Group C, according to the Champions League 2022 odds. Despite losing Robert Lewandowski to their groupmates Barcelona, they haven’t skipped a beat at all.
Barcelona continue their reconstruction under Xavi, but their financial situation has been one of the sagas this summer.
Inter Milan are rejuvenated with the return of Romelu Lukaku, while Czech side Viktoria Plzen are probably just here for the experience.
Group D: Eintracht Frankfurt, Tottenham, Sporting CP, Marseille
There are no standout teams in Group D, but Tottenham are likely to prevail given their quality. Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son have made it to the final in 2019 and they know what it takes to thrive in this tournament.
Following their Europa League triumph, Eintracht Frankfurt’s mettle will be tested, while Sporting and Marseille are no strangers at the group stage and they all believe that they have a real chance of advancing to the knockouts.
Group E: AC Milan, Chelsea, RB Salzburg, Dinamo Zagreb
AC Milan and Chelsea are likely to advance while RB Salzburg and Dinamo Zagreb will have to settle for third and fourth places respectively.
We’re particularly looking forward to the matchup between the Rossoneri and the Blues since few former Chelsea players return to Stamford Bridge for the first time and will have something to prove – namely Fikayo Tomori, Olivier Giroud, and Tiemoue Bakayoko.
Group F: Real Madrid, RB Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk, Celtic
Real Madrid’s Luka Modric and Marcelo celebrate with the trophy after winning the Champions League
Los Blancos have won the Champions League five times in the last nine seasons and there’s no doubt that they’ll cruise through Group F.
The second spot is up for grabs between the other three clubs, with RB Leipzig more likely to join Real Madrid given their recent experiences in this competition.
Group G: Manchester City, Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund, FC Copenhagen
Manchester City are hopeful that former Borussia Dortmund man Erling Haaland is the missing piece to their Champions League puzzle. The Norwegian striker is expected to have his share of Champions League 2022 highlights.
The battle for second place is likely to be between Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla, with the La Liga side having the slight edge since BVB are still learning to cope without Haaland.
On the other hand, FC Copenhagen are happy to be back in this position for the first time since 2016/17.
Group H: PSG, Juventus, Benfica, Maccabi Haifa
PSG are also aiming to finally win the Champions League once and for all. And with a frightening front three of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, and Lionel Messi, this is quite possible.
Juventus and Benfica will pose a challenge in this group, but the Bianconeri should advance comfortably with their retooled lineup.
Maccabi Haifa are out to prove that they belong in this stage as they’ve only made it here before in 2002-03 and 2009-10.
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Champions League: Inter vs Bayern Is a Brilliant Start!
Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich
Two of Europe’s biggest clubs come face to face in the Champions League on Wednesday when Inter Milan welcome FC Bayern to the San Siro Stadium.
It’s a fantastic curtain-raiser to the Group C campaign, the most exciting foursome in the competition which also contains Xavi’s Barcelona. And the heavyweight make-up of the group means that neither team can really afford to lose this opener. It will be tense from the outset and the atmosphere in the packed Milan stadium will be electric.
Neither team arrives with a win to give them a pre-match boost; Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan come into the game on the back of a 3-2 defeat in the Derby di Milano, while Julian Nagelsmann’s Bayern drew 1-1 away to Union Berlin. But they are both habitual winners and on Wednesday the focus will be intense.
Talking Points
Who can emerge from the Group of Death?
When the draw was made there were gasps around the auditorium as the Group C lineup was announced. Only Viktoria Pilzen officials could be excused for raising an enigmatic smile, while the representatives of FC Bayern, Barcelona and Inter Milan had a sharp intake of breath.
So who is going to make it through?
The pre-tournament Champions League 2022 betting odds have placed FC Bayern as fourth favourites to win the entire competition at SBOTOP odds of 7.50. Meanwhile, Barcelona are in eighth position at odds of 21.00 while Inter, one of Italy’s Scudetto challengers, are at a big price of 51.00, or 21.00 to reach the final.
The Bavarians are favourites to win the group at a price of 1.42, with the Blaugrana at 3.25 and Inter at 9.00, but a win for I Nerazzurri at the San Siro will change these odds considerably.
Bayern brutal on the road
Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane in action during their Bundesliga clash against VfL Wolfsburg
In their three away games prior to Saturday’s draw in Berlin, Nagelsmann’s side won all three, scoring a whopping 18 goals and conceding one. Die Bayern opened their Bundesliga campaign with a 6-1 victory away to Eintracht Frankfurt, before thumping Bochum 7-0 and then winning their Cup match away to Viktoria Cologne 5-0.
Despite the loss of Robert Lewandowski, die Bayern have been scoring for fun and overall they had a good transfer window, bringing in Matthijs de Ligt in defence, Marcel Sabitzer in midfield and Sadio Mane up front. And the Senegalese striker is sure to make plenty of Champions League 2022 highlights this season; he has already scored three league goals, opening his account in Bayern’s opening-day destruction of Frankfurt.
Midfield ace Joshua Kimmich continues to set the pace of Bayern’s play, with his assured performances from midfield and he weighed in with the Bavarians’ leveller in their draw with FC Union Berlin.
Inter solid at home
I Nerazzurri have been impressive at the San Siro, winning both their home league games comfortably, 3-0 over Spezia and 3-1 against Cremonese. The return of Romelu Lukaku set the pulses racing in Milan, but it is his strike partner Lautaro Martinez who has continued his form of 2021/22, kicking off with three goals from Inter’s opening five games.
Veteran striker Edin Dzeko and midfield ace Marcelo Brozovic scored in the Derby di Milano on Saturday, while Martinez was on the mark in the midweek win over Cremonese. With Joaquin Correa starting the season in strong form, this is a dangerous attack and one which will fire Inter up the Serie A table from their current seventh position.
This is a clash of European royalty, two sides at the top of their domestic games and with a rich tradition of success.
Bayern are one of the most successful clubs in history, winning 32 Bundesliga titles while picking up six Champions Leagues – only Real Madrid and AC Milan have won more. Meanwhile I Nerazzurri are the seventh-most successful club in European history, winning three Champions Leagues and 19 Scudetti.
There is nothing to choose between the two teams in terms of head-to-heads with four wins each and a draw in their nine encounters on the European stage.
Recent form favours the Bavarians who have won four and drawn two of their last six games and are unbeaten in seven matches on the road, while I Nerazzurri have won three and lost three of their last six.
Inter are at odds of 3.68 to win this Group C opener with Bayern at 1.89, and I think the two teams will cancel each other out. A draw wouldn’t be a disaster for either side, and that outcome would allow them to set their sights on Barcelona.
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And Haaland will be hungry to deliver more Champions League 2022 highlights; he has a sensational strike rate of 23 goals in 19 games in the competition.
Meanwhile, despite already conceding six goals this season, Guardiola’s side is playing quite well defensively. They have allowed just 1.83 shots on target per 90 minutes, which is by far the lowest in the league.
Guardiola has made surprisingly few changes to his starting lineup early in the season, although that is in part due to the recent injuries in his squad. Still, look for Pep to rotate against Sevilla, especially with a big Premier League match against Tottenham coming up on the weekend.
History
Manchester City and Sevilla have met just twice before in the UEFA Champions League. Those came during the group stage of the 2015-16 season.
The Cityzens won both matches. After a 2-1 win at home thanks to a stoppage-time Kevin De Bruyne winner, they were much more comfortable in Seville, where they rolled to a 3-1 victory.
Erling Haaland also faced Sevilla in the 2021-22 Champions League Round of 16 during his time with Borussia Dortmund. The Norwegian was utterly dominant as he scored four goals.
SBOTOP odds have Manchester City installed as massive 1.37 favourites to win away at Sevilla, who are priced at 7.80 to put an end to their recent slump. A draw is 4.70.
There’s a very real possibility that in their desperation to avoid getting hammered once again at home, Sevilla might decide to go overly defensive against City. But even if they do go defensive, Man City – with an in-form Haaland banging in the goals – are more than capable of unlocking what has been a fairly flimsy backline en route to another comfortable Champions League win.
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Indeed, a raucous Stadio San Paolo is a perfect setting for European nights.
With last season’s tournament runners-up Liverpool in town, that anticipation is only heightened as a new-look Napoli take their promising early season domestic form to the European stage.
It is form which as surprised as much as delighted, particularly for their avid fans who were angry earlier in the summer when star names like Dries Mertens, Lorenzo Insigne, David Ospina and Kalidou Koulibaly departed.
However, they were more reassured as reinforcements were brought in and boss Luciano Spalletti has since outlined where Napoli need to improve and defined the club’s ambition.
Napoli, third in Serie A last term, actually come into this tie in second place in the Italian top flight with Saturday night’s victory at the Stadio Olimpico against Lazio, and their former boss Maurizio Sarri (who came close to guiding them to their first ever league title since the days of the great Diego Maradona), particularly impressive.
It helped them regain top spot as new boys Kim Min-jae and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia turned the match around to secure fine away victory.
Mattia Zaccagni had given the Rome club the lead after only four minutes but Min-jae equalised seven minutes before the break and Georgian winger Kvaratskhelia netted the winner.
The only downside to that success was an injury sustained by Hirving Lozano.
The Mexico international was stretchered off following a clash of heads amid fears he had fractured his cheekbone which was visibly swollen when he was receiving treatment on the pitch.
By recent standards, Liverpool have had a mixed start to their domestic season but it must be remembered they have still lost only three times in 2022 – one of those a second leg when they still advanced. If some critics are calling it a blip, it’s the sort of blip most clubs would dream of.
The Premier League runners-up last term have not won in any of their three previous visits to Naples and, while they should have too much know-how to top the standings over six games, this could be the trickiest assignment they face in Group A.
With Ajax (who have also many of their top players this summer) waiting in the wings, a win for either team would be the perfect start in their bid to reach the knockout stages.
History
These teams have met six times in nine years – the only times they have faced each other competitively.
In the 2010 Europa League, the sides drew 0-0 in Naples before Liverpool won 3-1 at Anfield when captain Steven Gerrard scored a hat-trick in the last 15 minutes.
Then they met for two consecutive group stages in the Champions League.
It was the same score at Anfield in the rematch, a game which saw Liverpool qualify for the knockout stages at the expense of their opponents and go onto win the tournament.
The following season, holders Liverpool were beaten away, this time thanks to late goals from Mertens and Fernando Llorente in Italy, before the return match finished 1-1 at Anfield. On that occasion Mertens and Dejan Lovren were the marksmen.
European football is back on the agenda with Champions League and Europa League action underway. And on Thursday night, we saw some of Europe’s biggest sides open their Europa account and Arsenal new boy Marquinhos burst onto the scene with a goal and an assist as the Gunners opened with a victory.
FC Zurich 1-2 Arsenal
The early Europa League 2022 betting odds have installed Arsenal as favourites and they justified that position with a well-earned win over Swiss club Zurich.
Head coach Mikel Arteta made wholesale changes to his side in anticipation of another big weekend in the Premier League. And captained by former club skipper Granit Xhaka, the youngsters came through.
19-year-old forward Marquinhos announced himself to the Arsenal fans with a fantastic breakaway goal with just 16 minutes on the clock. Fabio Vieira started the move with a pass to Eddie Nketiah and he found Marquinhos is space and the debutant hit a beauty of a finish high into the net.
When Nketiah fouled Fidan Aliti, Mirlind Kryeziu levelled from the penalty spot just before the break. But Nketiah made soon amends, heading home the winner from a Marquinhos cross.
But the mood at Old Trafford was sombre on Thursday night as the crowd observed a minute’s silence following the sad news of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
Cristiano Ronaldo started for the Red Devils and he came close to scoring a few times, but he watched in dismay as the hosts went one down on the hour.
Lisandro Martinez was harshly judged by VAR to have handled in the penalty area and Brais Mendez smashed home a brilliant penalty.
Jose Mourinho’s Roma has made a decent start to their league campaign with 10 points from five games placing them fifth in the Serie A table. But they had a shocker in Bulgaria on Thursday night, going down to Ludogorets following a frantic final 20 minutes.
The Serie A side dominated possession and the shot count by 19 to 10 with six to three on target, but they had a shock when Brazilian midfielder Cauly fired home a clinical shot on 72 minutes.
I Giallorossi thought they’d grabbed a draw when Eldor Shomurodov headed home a cross from Lorenzo Pellegrini on 86. But two minutes later, Nonato sent the home fans wild with a well-aimed cross shot.
HJK Helsinki 0-2 Real Betis
HJK manager Toni Koskela and Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini during the Europa League
In other Europa League 2022 news, Real Betis had a more comfortable night in Finland as a brace from striker Willian Jose gave Los Verdiblancos a 2-0 win over Helsinki.
The La Liga high-flyers were totally dominant, firing in 20 shots on the Fins goal, but they had to wait until first half injury time when William Carvalho was fouled in the penalty area and Willian slotted the spot-kick home in the bottom right corner.
The 30-year-old Brazilian, who has just signed for Betis after a year on loan from Real Sociedad, doubled his tally and Betis’ lead when he reacted first to a cornerby finishing from close range.
Lazio 4-2 Feyenoord
Lazio’s recent Serie A clash with Napoli resulted in a 2-1 loss which left the Romans down in ninth place in Serie A, so a Europa League clash at home to Dutch side Feyenoord was a good chance to get back to work, away from the pressure of the Italian league.
And the players responded quickly, taking control of the game with two goals in the opening quarter of an hour. Luis Alberto opened the scoring, converting from a pass by Matias Vecino and when Ciro Immobile put Felipe Anderson through, the former West Ham man doubled the lead with a calm finish.
Vecino made it three before half an hour had passed, converting a corner from close range and the Uruguayan star slotted home his second and Lazio’s fourth when he latched on to a through ball from Luis Alberto.
And Vecino’s all-action night continued when he fouled Santiago Gimenez in the penalty area and the Mexican striker climbed to his feet to slam home the penalty.
Gimenez scored his and Feyenoord’s second with two minutes left on the clock and then he thought he had a chance for a hat-trick on 90 minutes when the referee awarded a second penalty, but VAR stepped in to ensure Lazio completed their two-goal win.
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Champions League: Atleti to do a Job on Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen vs Atletico Madrid
Top plays bottom in Champions League Group B on Tuesday when Atletico Madrid head north through Western Europe to visit Bayer Leverkusen for a fascinating clash at the BayArena.
Only one game has been played in the competition so far, but while Atleti picked up their first three points at home to Porto, Die Werkself lost their match against Belgian side Club Brugges. And another win for Los Rojiblancos will put them firmly in charge of their destination.
Atleti are ninth favourites to win the tournament at a SBOTOP price of 41.00, while Leverkusen are in the bottom half on the Champions League 2022 odds list but only just, and they could easily escape a wide open Group B, which also contains FC Porto and Club Brugge. But Bayer are stuttering at the moment; they have made a shaky start to the new Bundesliga campaign as well as losing their Champions League opener , while Atleti have made steady progress in La Liga.
Talking Points
Atleti’s crazy Champions League start
You’d have to watch the Champions League 2022 highlightsfrom last week to believe what happened at the Wanda Metropolitano. Los Rojiblancos won but that is only half the story. France star Antoine Griezmann climbed off the bench to bag a dramatic 101st minute winner as all three goals were scored in a frantic stoppage time. Mario Hermoso gave Atleti the lead and the world expected a Diego Simeone 1-0 special, but Mateus Uribe levelled with a penalty on 96 minutes. Griezmann popped up to head home the winner from an Axel Witsel corner as the crowd erupted for a second time.
Before the game entered extra time it had been a frustrating night for the home fans as their side failed to register a shot on target in the second half, but the game changed when Porto’s Mehdi Teremi was sent off for a second yellow card for diving.
That was a mad night, but Los Rojiblancos’ recent clash with Valencia revealed that Simeone’s side is still perfectly capable of a professional 1-0 win as Griezmann left the bench again to grab the winner. The France striker has featured in all five of Atleti’s games but hasn’t started any as the boss has preferred to start with Joao Felix and Alvaro Morata up front.
At the back, Uruguay centre back Jose Gimenez is marshalling a defence which has conceded just three goals in the league and they will be hard to break down again on Tuesday.
After Real Madrid picked up last season’s Champions League as well as the La Liga title last season, The Red half of the city will be hoping their team can recapture the form which took them to the 2021 league title.
Bayer not yet firing
Patrik Schick’s efforts to save Leverkusen are rendered useless against Club Brügge
Leverkusen head coach Gerardo Seoane cuts a frustrated figure at the moment as his team sits, surprisingly, in 15th place in the Bundesliga table with just three points from the first five games, though they have a chance to add to that with a match away to Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
He thought his team had finally got going when they picked up an impressive 3-0 win away to Mainz, two weeks ago, as defender Jeremie Frimpong scored twice, but they followed that up with a defeat at home to Freiburg. Star striker Patrick Schick levelled at 2-2 but Freiburg took all three points when Ritsu Doan scored the winner from close range.
Against Brugges Seoane’s team dominated possession and won the shot count by 14 to nine but failed to score and, with the likes of Shick and Moussa Diaby up front, that is a little hard to work out. The boss is hoping he will get some creativity from on loan Chelsea winger Callum Hudson Odoi, who arrived in Leverkusen just before the transfer window closed.
History
These two teams have met eight times since 2010 and there has been success for both sides with Atleti edging the head to heads by three to two and there have been three draws. They last met in the group stage of the 2019/20 Champions League when both teams won their home tie, Atleti won 1-0 in Madrid thanks to a late Alvaro Morata header and Leverkusen won 2-1 at the BayArena.
But in terms of recent form there couldn’t be a much bigger contrast. While Los Rojiblancos have lost just one of their last six games (at the time of writing), winning four and drawing one, Bayer have won just one and lost the other five.
And while Atleti have been unbeaten in their last six away games, Die Werkself have lost the last three at home, conceding eight goals in the process.
Bayer Leverkusen are at 2.81 to win this game with Atleti at 2.33 and the draw is available at 3.16. Bayer’s defence has been leaky at home but the odds on over 2.50 goals are at 2.05 with under 2.50 at 1.83. A 1-1 draw is the most likely result at odds of 5.03, but I’m backing Los Roijiblancos do their business with another 1-0.
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Champions League: Can Slumping Bayern Spoil Lewandowski’s Munich Return?
Bayern Munich vs Barcelona
In one of the most-awaited matches of the Champions League group stage, Robert Lewandowski will be making his return to Munich with FC Barcelona as the Catalans visit his former club FC Bayern at the Allianz Arena.
Lewandowski has looked every bit the superstar striker Barca had hoped they were getting after they lured him away from Bayern in the summer, and their Champions League 2022 odds of winning the title are looking good as a result.
Lewy will now be out to haunt his old club, who have suddenly lost the winning touch after they were looking so good without him to start the season.
Talking Points
Bayern suddenly missing Lewy
After looking like absolute world-beaters in their first few games of the season sans Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich suddenly seem to be missing Lewy and his goals as they’ve been held to three straight draws in the Bundesliga.
After draws against Borussia Monchengladbach and high-flying Union Berlin, the German champions were again held to a 2-2 stalemate by Stuttgart at home over the weekend as they conceded a stoppage-time penalty.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann shook up his starting lineup as he gave starts to Noussair Mazraoui, Leon Goretzka and teenager Mathys Tel, while giving Sadio Mane a rest.
Mazraoui and Tel did well as the former got an assist and the latter scored to become the club’s youngest ever goalscorer in the Bundesliga at 17 years and 136 days. Meanwhile, fellow teenager Jamal Musiala continued his terrific start with his fourth goal of the season.
But the Bayern defence remains surprisingly shaky as the new centre-back partnership of Mathijs de Ligt and Dayot Upamecano has been unable to shore up the backline.
Lucas Hernandez got the start in Bayern’s dominant 2-0 victory over Inter Milan in Matchday 1 of the Champions League, and he could be reinserted into the first XI against Barcelona.
Barcelona banging in the goals
Robert Lewandowski will head into his much-anticipated reunion with old club Bayern Munich in fabulous form. The Polish superstar continued his sizzling start at Barcelona as he scored a goal and had two assists after coming on as a substitute in their 4-0 win over Cadiz.
Lewy has now scored an incredible nine goals in his last five appearances and made a host of Champions League 2022 highlights with his hat-trick against Viktoria Plzen.
But Lewy is far from the only player in fine form for Barca, who have now won five in a row while scoring 20 goals. Ousmane Dembele has been equally excellent, with two goals and four assists in his last five appearances.
Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele during their Champions League opener against Viktoria Plzen
Barca manager Xavi made a host of changes to his size against Cadiz in order to rest some of his stars for the Champions League. Memphis Depay, Gerard Pique and Hector Bellerin were all handed their first La Liga starts of the season, while Marcos Alonso also made his debut off the bench.
Meanwhile, there is stilff competition for places with Raphinha, Frenkie de Jong, Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati also vying for playing time.
But the likes of Lewandowski, Dembele, Pedri, and Jules Kounde are all expected to return to the starting lineup against Bayern.
History
Bayern Munich have been Barcelona’s bogey team in the Champions League. The German giants have a significant 8-2 advantage in terms of head-to-head wins in their 11 Champions League meetings, including the last four in a row.
Those eight defeats are the most Barca have suffered against any club in the Champions League by a wide margin.
Moreover, Bayern have been absolutely dominant at home in this Champions League. They have won 35 of their last 37 group stage home games, with just one draw and one defeat.
SBOTOP odds have Bayern Munich installed as significant 1.79 favourites over Barcelona, who are priced at 3.60 to pull off a rare win over the Germans. A draw is 4.30.
Despite Bayern’s recent slump in form, they are still not to be underestimated even against a Barca side that has been looking unstoppable of late.
Nevertheless, Barca are decent value on the Asian Handicap market. With Lewandowski in sizzling form and extra motivated to play well against his old club, the Catalans are more than capable of coming away from Munich with at least a point, if not all three.
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Champions League: Liverpool Cannot Afford to Overlook Ajax
Liverpool vs Ajax
After suffering a stunning defeat to Napoli in their Champions League opener, struggling Liverpool will be looking for their first points of the group stage when they host Ajax at Anfield.
But even still, beating the Dutch champions will be easier said than done. Despite losing their coach as well as a number of key players this summer, Ajax remain as dominant as ever in the Dutch Eredivisie and are also coming off a 4-0 rout of Rangers in their Champions League opener.
Talking Points
Reinforcements coming for struggling Liverpool
All is not well at Liverpool. After back-to-back wins in the Premier League, including a record 9-0 battering of Bournemouth, the Reds have failed to win their last two. They were held to a goalless draw by Everton in the Merseyside derby and were then trounced 4-1 by Napoli in their Champions League opener.
The Napoli defeat was a culmination of the problems that had begun to pop up for the Reds early on this season.
Jurgen Klopp has been afforded a full week to address his side’s issues after the postponement of their weekend fixture, and that extra time has also allowed some of his key stars to return to full fitness.
Centre-back Joel Matip finally made his return from injury in the second half against Napoli, and he is almost surely set to replace Joe Gomez, who was disastrous in their defeat in Naples.
Liverpool’s Thiago Alcantara controls the ball against Napoli’s Hirving Lozano in recent Champions League game
Similarly, Thiago also came back to play the last half hour in the Napoli loss. The Liverpool midfield has been a shambles in his absence, so his presence should massively boost the Reds’ Champions League 2022 betting odds.
Elsewhere, either Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota is expected to start up front over Roberto Firmino, while Mohamed Salah will be desperate to snap his four-match scoring drought in all competitions.
Ajax still dominant despite key departures
Ajax have barely missed a beat this season despite losing head coach Erik ten Hag, as well as stars Antony, Lisandro Martinez, Sebastien Haller and Ryan Gravenberch in the summer.
New coach Alfred Schreuder has led the Godenzonen to a perfect start in the Eredivisie with six wins out of six, including 21 goals scored. And they looked equally dominant in their Champions League opener as they crushed last year’s losing Europa League finalists Rangers 4-0.
Ajax produced Champions League 2022 highlights aplenty as they controlled 75 per cent of possession and had 17 shots, 9 of which were on target.
Ex-Tottenham striker Steven Bergwijn has been outstanding thus far with six goals in six games. Meanwhile, midfielder Mohammed Kudus is thriving in his new role as a false 9 and has scored four goals in his last three appearances.
But as dominant as Ajax have looked in the early going, there are still a few question marks about their new-look defence. Ajax lost the Dutch Super Cup 5-3 against rivals PSV, and Liverpool will prove to be a significantly tougher test than that.
32-year-old Daley Blind has been starting at left-back for the injured Owen Wijndal, but his lack of pace could be a liability against the likes of Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
History
Liverpool and Ajax are two of the most storied clubs in Champions League history and both went through the group stage last season undefeated. But curiously, this will be just the fifth-ever meeting between the two European giants.
The two sides last met during the group stage of the 2020-21 season, with Liverpool winning both matches 1-0. Ajax’s defeat at Anfield was one of their two away defeats in their last 25 games in European competition.
Prior to 2020-21, they also faced off in the 1966-67 European Cup. That time, though, Ajax emerged victorious 7-3 over two legs, which a 5-1 win in the first leg in Amsterdam.
Despite their recent issues, SBOTOP odds still have Liverpool installed as massive 1.51 favourites to win at Anfield. Ajax are priced at 5.20, while a draw is 4.70.
Liverpool have never lost their first two games of a Champions League campaign, and with Matip and Thiago set to return to the fold, it’s hard to see them falling to Ajax.
But take a look at betting on the total as well. While both clubs are quite capable of scoring a few goals, look for this match to be quite competitive and low-scoring just like their last meetings a couple of seasons ago.
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Champions League: Los Blancos Can Give the Bulls a Lesson
Real Madrid vs RB Leipzig
Real Madrid and RB Leipzig meet for the first time when the Champions League comes to the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
It’s a clash between European royalty and one of the upstarts of the big leagues. Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid have won Europe’s flagship tournament a record 14 times, and the way the Champions League 2022 results went in their first week they are quite obviously after their 15th!
Real Madrid brushed Celtic aside 3-0, meanwhile Leipzig were humbled at home to Shakhtar Donetsk. Los Blancos are determined to retain the title they won in 2022, but it will be a tough task as the early Champions League 2022 betting odds reckon Los Blancos will do well to make the last four. But they weren’t the favourites last season and look what happened there…
Over in Leipzig, Marco Rose has just taken charge of die Roten Bullen and he has his work cut out, though his side did pick up an impressive win over Borussia Dortmund at the weekend. But while Real Madrid are at odds of 11.00 to retain their trophy, RB Leipzig are out at a huge 201.00 and that is the measure of the gap between the two.
One note of encouragement for the Germans is that Madrid’s top goal scorer Karim Benzema picked up a knock in the win over Celtic and he is unlikely to make the game. But Ancelotti can rest assured that his other strikers can fill the void as both Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo were on target in a recent 2-1 victory over Real Betis.
But the Los Blancos boss has another injury worry with centre-back Eder Militao also picking up a knock against Celtic and he too is doubtful. But the form of new recruit Antonio Rudiger means the boss can also be confident in his back line, particularly as the concern over the fitness of keeper Thibaut Courtois has been soothed following the announcement that the Belgian stopper has recovered from his knee niggle. The boss said: “He’s trained normally. He’s fine. He’s been in a bit of discomfort for a few days but he’ll play tomorrow.”
Ancelotti’s side has shaped up superbly in the opening weeks of the new season with four wins from four and, while Casemiro has left the club to go to Manchester United, new recruit Aurelien Tchouameni has fit in to the midfield seamlessly alongside the brilliant Luka Modric.
Rose’s Bulls are ready to fight
Willi Orban celebrates after scoring RB Leipzig’s first goal against Borussia Dortmund
After the humiliation of losing 4-1 at home to Shakhtar, die Roten Bullen pulled out a stunning result in the league by whacking title hopefuls Borussia Dortmund 3-0.
New boss Rose saw his new side attack from the back as defender Willi Orban opened the scoring before midfielder Dominic Szoboszlai made it two and Amadou Haidara rounded off a great day for the Leipzig fans. The win lifted them to tenth but there is still a long way to go.
In the Champions League, Leipzig are at odds of 10.00 to win Group F but they are ahead of Shakhtar Donetsk and Celtic in the rankings, so they should still progress to the knockout stage after a difficult start. But there’s an element of pride in this, particularly for the Leipzig fans who hope their team can break into the European elite before too long.
In the meantime, with the quality of Christopher Nkunku in the side and striker Timo Werner returned to the fold, they will surely continue their climb up the Bundesliga table.
History
With no head to heads to inform us, we’ll look to recent form, and that tells us Real Madrid are relentless while the Red Bulls are hit and miss. While Los Blancos have won the last six, the Germans have won three and lost three.
Leipzig haven’t won in six games on the road and I strongly suspect they’re not about to start on Wednesday!
Real Madrid are at SBOTOP odds of 1.41 to win this game while the draw is at 4.84 and Leipzig are 5.60. Home advantage, momentum in the league and quality dripping through the squad, from Courtois at the back to Vinicius up front make Los Blancos an irresistible proposition.
But there is a slight unknown. Marc Rose has just taken charge of the Red Bulls and the new manager bounce was certainly in evidence in their win over BVB. So I’m sitting on the fence and going for a game with two or three goals. I do think Madrid will score two, though…
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Champions League: It’s a Whole New World for Graham Potter
Chelsea vs Red Bull Salzburg
Last week Graham Potter was manager of Brighton and Hove Albion, a team he had managed for three successful seasons. But things have changed dramatically, and rather suddenly, for the young English head coach.
He turned the Seagulls into one of the most watchable sides in the English top flight and his management style has seen his name linked with some big jobs. And now Potter has landed one of the biggest. So instead of taking training at the South Coast club, he’ll be in the dugout for Chelsea in their Champions League clash against Red Bull Salzburg.
Potter has been handed a five-year contract by new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly and, apparently, has been told he won’t get the sack even if he misses out on a top-four place this season. And the American owner is reported to have paid Brighton a total of £21.5m in compensation as Potter and four members of his coaching staff have moved to West London.
Potter takes over a team in a state of flux. After spending extravagantly in the summer transfer window, they have made a slow start in the Premier League. Chelsea also lost their Champions League opener away to Dynamo Zagreb, while opponents Salzburg made a good start to their campaign, drawing 1-1 at home to AC Milan.
Salzburg boss Matthias Jaissle knows this will be a tough game and the Champions League 2022 betting oddsare backing a home win, but this might not be such a bad time for the Austrians to take on the London giants.
In the early stages of this Premier League season Chelsea have been overshadowed by Arsenal’s great start and Spurs too are showing signs that they can mount a serious challenge. So the pressure is on Chelsea, the club that has been so used to being top dogs in London over the past 15 years or so.
Chelsea have spent more than any other club since Boehly’s arrival at Stamford Bridge, an eye-watering £270m, and the businessman clearly wants a return on his investment. Potter will be reunited with his former Seagulls wingback Marc Cucurella who transferred to the Blues for a cool £62m, the Spanish star has made a decent start at the Bridge, contributing a couple of assists.
Of the other additions, Raheem Sterling has added quality to the attack and Pierre- Emerick Aubameyang has stacks of Premier League experience. But in defence they have less Premier League nous, as former Napoli star Kalidou Koulbaly, who has started with one or two good performances and a red card, and 21-year-old Wesley Fofana, have been added for a combined £104m.
It will take some time for these expensive new recruits to fully integrate with the existing players at the club and that will occupy a lot of Potter’s time.
Captain Ulmer is Mr Salzburg
Red Bull come into the game on the back of a 3-0 win over SV Reid, a result which sits them in their usual place at the top of the Austrian Bundesliga. They have won the top flight Austrian league in each of the last nine campaigns and 16 times in total.
Captained by 36-year-old left-back Andreas Ulmer, the young Salzburg team has a formidable leader. He’s been at the club since 2009, making 361 appearances, and has been a constant feature in Red Bull’s recent successes. A strong defender with good vision and passing, Ulmer has mentored many of his team’s younger stars who have shone under his guidance.
Andreas Ulmer and Thomas Muller vie for the ball during their Champions League last-16 match last March 2022
22-year-old striker Noah Okafor is a man to watch. He’ll make some lively Champions League 2022 highlights and is in a good run of form, scoring the third goal in Salzburg’s 3-0 victory over SV Ried. And Okafor also showed a touch of brilliance to nutmeg Milan’s Pierre Kalulu before opening the scoring against I Rossoneri last week.
History
These two teams have met just once before in a pre-season friendly in 2019 when Chelsea won 5-3, but recent form isn’t so encouraging for the Blues.
Chelsea’s record of two wins, three defeats and a draw from the last six games saw the end of Tuchel while, in the Austrian Bundesliga Salzburg are indisputably the best side and they have won five and drawn one of their last six games.
But Chelsea are unbeaten in seven games at Stamford Bridge and we may see a new manager bounce on Wednesday.
At SBOTOPodds of 1.37 surely Potter can start with a home win, though at 6.37 to win and 4.84 to draw Salzburg are not out of sight. The double chance Salzburg or Draw is tempting at 2.82 and, while I expect the Blues to come through I don’t think they’ll have much to spare.
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Champions League: Haaland Set to Haunt His Old Mates
Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund
Manchester City’s scoring sensation Erling Braut Haaland is about to renew some old acquaintances this week when Borussia Dortmund are the visitors to the Etihad for a mouth-watering Champions League clash.
City made a huge statement in their opener against Sevilla last week, winning 4-0, while BVB had a strong start too, beating Copenhagen 3-0. But the big story of the summer – Haaland’s switch from Dortmund to Manchester – is still fresh in the minds of both clubs, particularly since he has plundered ten league goals already for the English champions, four more than his nearest rival, and also bagged a brace in his European debut for the Sky Blues.
In the post-Haaland era, Borussia Dortmund still have plenty of talent in their squad but they come into this game a little shell-shocked, having just been thumped 3-0 by Red Bull Leipzig.
Talking Points
Rested Sky Blues ready to go again
Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne scores during their Champions League match vs Sevilla
While Haaland is sure to write the Champions League 2022 newsheadlines throughout the run up to this game, and quite possibly after it, Guardiola’s side has never been a one-man team and it never will be. When you have players of the quality of Kevin de Bruyne, Ruben Dias, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva in the side, to name but four, you have a squad dripping with world-class talent. It seems that Haaland might just be that crucial final piece of the jigsaw, a terrifying thought for City’s Premier League rivals.
Manchester City’s scheduled game against Spurs was cancelled at the weekend following the sad news of the passing of the Queen, and so Pep Guardiola has had a full week to prepare his side following last week’s triumph in Seville.
It was a master-class from the Sky Blues as Haaland slid home his ninth goal in five games to convert a sensational De Bruyne cross and he added his second in the second half, after Foden had made it 2-0 with a superb goal, taunting the Sevilla defence before sweeping the ball home. Centre-back Dias rounded off the scoring, getting on the end of a Joao Cancelo cross to tap the fourth into an empty net.
City can carve open any defence when they click and, after coming so close to winning the European crown in 2021, theChampions League 2022 betting oddshave installed the Sky Blues as favourites to win the 2022/23 trophy.
BVB bruised by the Bulls
Dortmund are the next team to try to stop Manchester City and their coach Edin Terzic has a job to do to pick his men up after a setback in Leipzig at the weekend. Losing so convincingly to a potential Bundesliga title rival is bad for confidence and was a serious blow to their aspirations. A win would have taken BVB top, but the defeat leaves them in fifth place and still behind favourites Bayern Munich, who picked up their third draw of the campaign.
It was a frustrating day for Terzic and he will look to his big players to avoid damaging back-to-back defeats.
Striker and Captain Marco Reus, and midfield ace Jude Bellingham are key players, both scoring in Dortmund’s win over Copenhagen, along with Raphael Guerreiro. At 33 years of age, Reus is getting better and better and is a vital source of goals and assists, with over 100 goals for the club, while young England star Bellingham is developing into one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the world.
But I suspect it will be the new-look centre-back pairing of Niklas Sule and Nico Schlotterbeck who will be under the microscope at the Etihad on Wednesday.
The two teams have met seven times and won three each, the most recent encounters coming in the 2021 Champions League quarter-finals which Manchester City won 4-2 on aggregate – 2-1 in both games. De Bruyne and Foden scored at the Etihad, while Reus replied for BVB. In the second game at Signal Iduna Park, Bellingham levelled the aggregate score before Riyad Mahrez and Foden again restored City’s lead.
In terms of recent form, the Sky Blues are more reliable, winning three and drawing three of the last six games while Die Schwarzgelben have won four and lost two.
And Manchester City are impregnable at home, winning the last eight games at the Etihad in all competitions.
On the other hand, Benfica have been taking care of business at the Primeira Liga with a 100-per cent record after their first six games and they’re hoping that their early success would translate here in the Champions League.
Talking Points
Tough luck for Juventus
Arek Milik’s goal in stoppage time against Salernitana would’ve brought the house down in Turin. But after a questionable VAR review, the goal was chalked off since Leonardo Bonucci appeared to be offside – only for a further check to be revealed that Antonio Candreva was playing him onside.
It’s been that kind of week for Juventus and they’ve now wasted points in four of their last five league games. Their two wins so far this term were against bottom half sides Sassuolo and Spezia.
Following their defeat to PSG last week, I Bianconeri couldn’t afford another banana peel in Group H, especially since the Parisiens are likely to claim the top spot.
Juventus continue to be plagued by injuries this season. Not only do they have long-term absentees Federico Chiesa and Paul Pogba out, but Manuel Locatelli, Adrien Rabiot, Angel Di Maria, and Wojciech Szczesny all missed out last weekend and are listed as doubtful for this game.
Juan Cuadrado and Arek Milik were both given reds against Salernitana, but it only applies to Serie A so they are available to play on Wednesday.
Dusan Vlahovic will continue to lead the line since he’s Juve’s top scorer currently at four goals, while another man to watch out for is summer acquisition Filip Kostic as he has been involved in five goals in his last five European appearances – including their only goal against PSG.
Benfica in superb form
Since losing to Porto in May, Benfica have been in scintillating form as they’re enjoying a 17-game winning streak where they’ve scored 47 goals and keeping 10 clean sheets.
The Eagles cruised through the Champions League qualifiers against Midtjylland and Dynamo Kyiv, and they’re fresh from a convincing victory over Maccabi Haifa in their first group stage match.
Benfica manager Roger Schmidt looks focused during their Champions League group stage clash against Maccabi Haifa
Despite losing Darwin Nunez this summer, Benfica have a dangerous attacking corps that can cause problems to Juventus’ porous defence. Goncalo Ramos, Rafa Silva, and Julian Draxler are likely to start out front, while David Neres and Joao Mario are to deputise when needed.
Alex Grimaldo is another player who can create Champions League 2022 highlights for the Eagles. The 26-year-old has been involved in four goals in his last four Champions League games despite playing as their left-back.
History
Wednesday’s game marks the first competitive meeting between Juventus and Benfica since the 2013-14 Europa League semi-finals where the Portuguese side won 2-1 on aggregate.
Juventus have only won one of their last six matchups against Benfica in European competition (D1, L4). The lone win was a 3-0 result in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals back in 1992/93.
The Old Lady have only lost one of their nine home games against Portuguese sides in European competition (W7, D1), with the only defeat coming against Benfica (1-0 in 1967/68 Champions League semi-finals). Their last win against a Portuguese team was against Porto in the Champions League last term (3-2).
Benfica have lost 10 of their last 12 road matches against Serie A sides (D1, W1) and their only victory came against Fiorentina in the 1996/97 Cup Winners Cup. The Eagles have suffered defeat in all three of their visits to Italy thus far in the Champions League.
I Bianconeri have already lost their last two Champions League matches. The last time that they lost three straight in this tournament was way back in 1972.
Juventus have the edge in the SBOTOP Champions League 2022 odds. I Bianconeri are priced at 2.23 to win, while Benfica are installed at 3.10 and a draw is at 3.35 in the 1X2 market.
Now, on the whole, what followed was pretty good with the majority doing just that.
Sadly, it had to be cut short as a handful of fans couldn’t even muster up 60 seconds to honour the late Monarch.
Yet I could scarcely believe what I then heard as one broadcaster said it had been impeccably observed.
Perhaps side speakers were used to drown out the heckling that occurred. Perhaps not.
But to try and pretend as if nothing happened was as shameful as the fans who let down their club as it aims to shake off a reputation it has earned for previous misdemeanours.
As for the match itself, both sides traded first half goals to go in level at the break.
First, a long ball downfield from goalkeeper Alisson was won by forward Luis Diaz before dropping into the path of Diogo Jota who flicked expertly to Mohamed Salah who finished coolly.
To highlight the point, only four players have scored more goals for an English side in the Champions League than Salah has for Liverpool (34); Sergio Agüero for Man City (36), Didier Drogba for Chelsea (36), Thierry Henry for Arsenal (35) and Ruud van Nistelrooy for Man Utd (35).
Ten minutes later and Ajax replied with a slick move which saw the home side cut open down their right and culminated in Mohammed Kudus showing neat control before rifling in via the top of the crossbar.
Joel Matip celebrates after scoring Liverpool’s second goal against Ajax
It looked to be more frustration for the home team but, a minute from time, Joel Matip headed home to spark as much relief as joy around Anfield and last season’s tournament runners-up were off the mark.
The other English club in action were given a timely reminder of the need to play to the whistle.
Spurs had been unbeaten in the first month of the campaign and were expected by some to have too much for a club which has so often been forced to sell its best players – Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes among them.
In fairness, the visitors had a number of good chances and, while they could not break the deadlock, looked on course to earn a point in Portugal.
However, with time almost up, Paulinho headed home a corner to send the home fans into raptures and, with Spurs stunned, another substitute, Arthur Gomes, hit a fine, low strike in the third minute of stoppage time to make it two wins out of two.
Yet after Bundesliga draws against Borussia Monchengladbach and high-flying Union Berlin, the German champions were again held to a 2-2 stalemate by Stuttgart at home over the weekend so big-spending Barca arrived as the form team, second in La Liga following a thrashing of lowly Cadiz.
During an evening of entertainment at the Allianz Arena, Bayern could count themselves a touch fortunate to be level at the break as Manuel Neuer made two important saves, including one from Lewandowski, while the Pole also had other chances to open the scoring.
Yet there is more substance about Bayern and, even after losing Benjamin Pavard to injury – replaced by one of their two summer signings from Ajax, Noussair Mazraoui – their structure, naturally, seems more bedded-in than new-look Barca.
Two goals in three minutes shortly after the restart provide the point.
First a corner from Joshua Kimmich was met by the unmarked Lucas Hernandez to head home.
Then after Mazraoui won possession and sent Thomas Muller through, the experienced German found Leroy Sane who slalomed into the box and rolled the ball past the advancing Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Had youngster Pedri scored instead of clipping the post when played through by Lewandowski 10 minutes later, we could have had an exciting last half hour.
But Bayern survived that and saw it through with something to spare.
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Champions League: Landmarks Set By Old Master And Young Favourite
For some time I have been of the opinion that 10 points will secure you progress from the Champions League group stages.
That has been the case virtually every season (with a couple of exceptions).
So, on that basis, holders Real Madrid, Manchester City, Napoli, Benfica and Paris St Germain are well on their way to the last 16 after the first two matches of this season’s competition.
Following another night of Champions League highlights, the portents aren’t as good, however, for Italian giants Juventus nor last season’s Europa League finalists Rangers.
While the Glasgow side are very much underdogs in this tournament, this was certainly not part of the plan for the ‘old lady’ of Turin.
He was actually one of three ex-Dortmund players in the hosts’ line-up along with City captain Ilkay Gundogan and recent signing Manuel Akanji.
Yet when talented youngster Jude Bellingham ghosted in behind the City rearguard to head past Ederson early in the second half, it was a shock to the system.
That was how it stayed until 10 minutes from time when John Stones, not known for being a regular scorer and playing at right-back, hit a swerving shot from 20 yards which deceived goalkeeper Alexander Meyer.
John Stones celebrates with Manchester City teammates after scoring against Borussia Dortmund
It changed the mood and Dortmund were pegged back to a degree that a home winner seemed as inevitable as its source.
Sure enough, four minutes later Joao Cancelo played a delightful ball into the area with the outside of his foot into the box and there was Haaland producing an airborne acrobatic volley which again showcased his talent.
At the age of 22 years and 55 days, he is the youngest player in Champions League history to score for and against the same side in the competition (Borussia Dortmund), surpassing Álvaro Morata for/against Real Madrid (22 years, 194 days).
Haaland kept his celebrations muted. Respect for his former team-mates from a talent who gains respect with each passing week.
Talking of respect, like City, Real Madrid weren’t at their best but, as with all good champions, found a way to win.
Again, there were 10 minutes on the clock the matchwinner in last year’s final, Vincius Jr, found Federico Valverde who found the bottom corner.
Then in stoppage time, veteran Toni Kroos directed a free-kick and substitute Marco Asensio fired home from outside the box.
The victory meant Carlo Ancelotti is the second manager to win 100 Champions League matches, after Sir Alex Ferguson (102).
Real have also won their opening two Champions League matches for the first time since 2017-18. They won the tournament that season too!
For some time, it seemed they may be thwarted as the resolute hosts withheld everything that was thrown at them.
Rangers also had Allan McGregor who certainly did not deserve to end up on the losing side.
Ten minutes into the second half and their task was made extra difficult when Giovanni Simeone was brought down in the penalty area by James Sands who, already on a booking, was sent off.
McGregor produced a top drawer save to keep out Piotr Zielinksi’s spot-kick before Matteo Politano converted the rebound.
However, VAR spotted an encroachment and when Zielinksi went for the same side, so did McGregor.
It was superb stuff from the 40 year-old who was finally beaten when Borna Barisic was adjudged to have handled the ball 13 minutes later and this time it was Matteo Politano who took responsibility from the penalty spot and squeezed his shot between McGregor and the corner.
There were just five minutes remaining when substitute Giacomo Raspadori grabbed a second from close range and it was in stoppage time when on-loan Spurs man, Tanguy Ndombele, put a one-sided slant on the scoreline against by now demoralised opponents.
To their credit, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s players kept going but were even denied a late penalty by VAR.
Finally, to Napoli’s Italian neighbours Juventus.
The SBOBET Champions League betting odds are certainly stacked against them now after a 2-1 home reverse to Benfica.
They could not have asked for a better start when Leandro Paredes curled a free kick onto the head of Arek Milik who glanced the ball into the far bottom corner of the net. Former Inter Milan midfielder Joao Mario drew the visitors level from the penalty spot and, after Mattia Perin kept out a Rafa Silva shot, David Neres fired in the rebound to heap more pressure on Juve boss Maxi Allegri.
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Champions League: Inter and Barca Clash in the Group of Death
Inter Milan vs Barcelona
Two of Europe’s football royalty come face to face at the San Siro Stadium on Tuesday, when Inter Milan host Barcelona as they both aim to pull clear in the toughest group in the Champions League.
Inter and Barca each have one win from their opening two games, both beating Viktoria Plzen and losing to FC Bayern, and they will meet twice over the next fortnight with the return match set for the Camp Nou on 12th October.
Barcelona are sixth favourites to win the 2022/23 Champions League at odds of12.00, while Inter Milan are out at 101.00 and the Catalans have a slight edge already, ahead of I Nerazzurri on goal difference.
These next two clashes could well shape the destiny of both.
The Blaugrana come into the game on the back of a narrow win away to Real Mallorca, a result which took Xavi’s team to the top of La Liga, for at least 24 hours anyway.
Meanwhile, Inter lost 1-2 at home to Roma, a result which left Simone Inzaghi’s team in seventh place in Serie A and eight points off the lead.
Talking Points
Nerazzurri Inconsistency
Inter’s clash with Roma was a chance for Inzaghi’s team to shake off a loss to Udinese just before the international break. And it was all going to plan when Federico Dimarco opened the scoring on the half hour. But goals from Paulo Dybala and Chris Smalling handed all three points to Roma, who climbed to within four points of leaders Napoli, while Inter were left to pick up the pieces before this huge clash with Barcelona.
There is a worrying trend at Inter. These back-to-back defeats followed two wins which, in turn, came after two more defeats. Inter have won four and lost four of their league games so far and only the bottom three teams have suffered more defeats. They were unlucky against Roma as Edin Dzeko had a goal ruled out by VAR while Hakan Calhanoglu hit a free-kick against the crossbar.
Inter Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu reacts during their Champions League match against Bayern Munich
But Inter need to find a way of grinding out results. While star striker Lautaro Martinez will line up alongside Dzeko in the hope of breaching the Barca back line, it is I Nerazzurri’s defence which will need to be on its game against the Catalans, with Slovakian centre-back Milan Skriniar and Alessandro Bastoni prepared for battle.
They are excellent defenders but they are set to face the most lethal striker in the game.
Lewandowski can conquer Spain
Having dominated the Bundesliga throughout his career to date, Robert Lewandowski is just carrying on in Spain where he left off in Munich. Head coach Xavi must be delighted with his recruit who is inspiring a youthful team to its best league start in a while, and with real potential to win La Liga.
Lewandowski has scored three goals in the Champions League so far and he bagged his ninth league goal in seven games to hand Barcelona a hard-earned win over Mallorca on Saturday.
While the Blaugrana dominated possession in Mallorca, they didn’t have it all their own way as their hosts won the shot count by 13 to 11 with three each on target. Goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen made a couple of brilliant saves to preserve Barca’s three points.
There has been one black mark for the Polish goal machine though, as Lewi’s return to Munich turned out to be a bad night at the office for the player and his club, going down 2-0. But other than that, Lewandowski has been at his best and the club’s younger stars are responding superbly. The fit-again Ansu Fati made the assist against Mallorca while the exciting midfield duo of Pedri and Gavi are improving week on week.
At the other end of the pitch, centre-back recruit Andreas Christensen has settled well at the Camp Nou following his summer switch from Chelsea. He formed a solid partnership with veteran Gerard Pique in the win over Mallorca, but Xavi can rotate his back four with Eric Garcia ready to step in.
The Champions League 2022 betting oddsare backing the Blaugrana to escape from Group C unscathed and the blend of youth and experience and, of course, a red-hot striker makes them look a good bet.
History
Barcelona are five-time Champions League winners, the last occasion in 2015, and they have won 26 La Liga titles. Meanwhile, Inter Milan have won three European crowns, most recently in 2010, and 19 Scudetti.
The Catalans have bossed the head to heads, winning seven of the last 11 meetings with Inter, drawing three and losing just one. The two teams met in the 2019/20 Champions League at the group stage when Barcelona won home and away, both times with a 2-1 score line.
And recent form favours the visitors too. Inter have won three and lost four of the last seven while Barca have won six and lost one.
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Nevertheless, the Champions League 2022 betting odds will have Jurgen Klopp’s side as massive favourites to regroup and beat Rangers, who have been on the receiving end of heavy defeats in their first two games.
Talking Points
Liverpool issues still not solved
All is still not well at Liverpool. The Reds’ surprisingly inconsistent form this season continued as they were held to a 3-3 draw by Brighton upon returning from the international break.
Liverpool did well to come back from an early 2-0 deficit to lead 3-2, but they were unable to hold onto their advantage as a Virgil van Dijk error led to Leandro Trossard’s equalising goal.
van Dijk has been in unusually poor form this season. He has already conceded two penalties, one of which came in the shock 4-1 Champions League defeat at Napoli.
Meanwhile, right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold had another disappointing display as major question marks remain about the Liverpool defence even with the return of Joel Matip and captain Jordan Henderson.
But despite their concerning form, both van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold are likely to retain their places against Rangers.
Scottish left-back Andy Robertson is still out injured, though, and is unlikely to face the Scottish club. Aside from him, Liverpool have all of their first-choice players back, although Jurgen Klopp will likely rotate his side ahead of their big clash with Arsenal next weekend.
Roberto Firmino scored a brace against Brighton, but Darwin Nunez or the fit-again Diogo Jota are likely to come in for the Brazilian.
Meanwhile, Luis Diaz, who came on as a substitute and provided the assist for Firmino’s second goal, is also expected to take Fabio Carvalho’s starting spot.
Rangers getting outclassed in Champions League
Giovanni van Bronckhorst of Rangers will head to Anfield with his team to win against Liverpool in the Champions League
Rangers are in real trouble. Last year’s beaten Europa League finalists remain without a point and a goal from two Champions League matches as they were completely outclassed by both Ajax (4-0) and Napoli (0-3). Another defeat at Anfield would effectively end any hope the Scottish side might have of qualifying for the next round.
Nevertheless, Giovanni van Bronkhorst’s men will head into Anfield with a bit of confidence after a 4-0 win over Hearts this past weekend. Antonio-Mirko Colak bagged a brace as he took his tally this season up to eight goals, while Ryan Kent had a goal and an assist.
This match against Liverpool will be particularly meaningful for the 25-year-old Kent, who came up in Liverpool’s youth system before moving to Rangers in 2019. He will be no doubt keen to produce some Champions League 2022 highlights against his old club at Anfield.
van Bronkhorst started Kent and Alfredo Morelos up front against Napoli, and he could do so again at Anfield. Morelos has yet to start a match in the Scottish Premier League this season, but he still has two goals in five appearances, including one against Hearts.
The 26-year-old has yet to score in the Champions League, but he has a great record in the Europa League, with 15 goals in 33 appearances. He had four goals in nine games during Rangers’ amazing run to the Europa League final last season.
History
Liverpool and Rangers, two of the biggest clubs in British football, have never previously faced off in a competitive fixture. Their only meeting of note came in a 2011 friendly. Rangers won 1-0 at Ibrox thanks to a goal from Lee McCulloch.
Rangers have won just one of their seven away games in England. That came in the 1992 Champions League qualifying phase as they beat Leeds United at Elland Road.
But they will have an uphill battle adding to that win as Liverpool have a tremendous record at Anfield. The Reds have won 13 of their last 15 home Champions League group stage matches, with one draw and one defeat.
Unsurprisingly, SBOTOP odds have Liverpool installed as massive 1.14 favourites to win at Anfield, while a Rangers upset is priced at an astronomical 15.00. A draw is 7.80.
Despite another disappointing result in the Premier League, Liverpool should be able to handle their business at home against a Rangers side that has been far from competitive in this year’s Champions League. But I don’t expect the scoreline to get completely out of hand. With Arsenal coming up on the weekend, Liverpool will not want to expend more energy than they need to, so look for the total to go under 3.50 goals.
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Clubs Battle to Control their Own Champions League Destiny
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Tottenham Hotspur
When you’ve just lost your first league match of the season, character comes into play as much as talent.
So this visit to Germany to face Europa League holders Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League will be a good barometer of how much Spurs – beaten 3-1 in Saturday’s North London derby – are progressing under Antonio Conte.
With both clubs having experienced the joys and lows of Champions League highlights so far – with one win and one defeat apiece – this then is a perfect chance to take control of their own destiny in Group D.
Talking Points
Oliver Glasner’s Frankfurt, who have 2014 World Cup match-winner Mario Gotze in their ranks, will be bidding for a fourth straight victory in this one, a run that began with a Champions League victory in southern France last month.
On saying that, Glasner’s team are known for their inconsistency and already followed up a 4-0 thumping of RB Leipzig with a 1-0 loss to Wolfsburg earlier this season.
While they have already lost three times at Deutsche Bank Park this term too, their danger is known as British clubs can vouch for last term.
Spurs were beaten last time out in Europe as they became the first English side to lose to Sporting Lisbon at this level when former Spurs academy player Marcus Edwards led the line for the Portuguese in a late, late 2-0 win.
Yet they do have Harry Kane, Son Heung-Min and Richarlison in their ranks, forwards capable of unlocking any team.
Son Heung-min celebrates with Tottenham Hotspur teammate Harry Kane after scoring against Leicester City
Team news wise, versatile midfielder Kristijan Jakic picked up a knock on international duty for Croatia and missed their weekend Bundesliga victory, while new signing Jerome Onguene will have to wait once again to make his Frankfurt debut due to a hip injury.
For the visitors, talented winger Dejan Kulusevski remains doubtful after missing the North London Derby, while Lucas Moura will also sit out due to a calf problem.
Ben Davies also remains in doubt after sustaining a hairline fracture in that defeat to Sporting last month. There was no sign of the Welshman on Saturday, prompting concerns that the defender might be out for a few more games.
Like most derbies, it remains to be seen how much energy the game took out of Spurs who had previously dug out results in the first month of the campaign, even when below par.
Conte may well decide to freshen up with Yves Bissouma, Davinson Sanchez and Ryan Sessegnon among the options.
That appeared a little harsh, although somewhat accurate.
However you define joy, they will start as favourites in Germany.
History
The two clubs have only met twice before. That was in the third round of the 1982 European Cup Winners Cup.
On that occasion, goals from Micky Hazard and Paul Miller earned Spurs a 2-0 home first-leg win, before Glenn Hoddle netted in the return tie in Germany.
Although Frankfurt won that game 2-1 with two goals inside the opening 15 minutes through Ronny Borchers and Bum-kun Cha, Spurs progressed 3-2 on aggregate.
The SBOTOP Champions League betting odds favour Spurs both 1X2 @ 2.09 and Asian Handicap -0.50 @ 2.09, as well as -0.75 @ 2.44.
Frankfurt have attractive options of their own including 1X2 @ 3.25 and Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 2.11.
A Draw is on offer @ 3.55.
If there is to be another 2-1 Frankfurt victory, just as in their meeting 40 years ago, then Correct Score will pay out @ 12.00.
If you expect goals, then the options include Over 3.00 @ 2.35, Total Goal 0-1 @ 3.60, 2-3 @ 1.92 and 4-6 @ 3.25. I do think there will be a few goals in this but not too many.
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Champions League: Real Madrid and Shakhtar Battle for Top Spot
Real Madrid vs Shakhtar Donetsk
Top spot in Champions League Group F will be on the line as leaders Real Madrid host second-placed Shakhtar Donetsk at the Santiago Bernabeu this midweek.
Real’s perfect start to the season finally came to an end after they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Osasuna over the weekend.
Los Blancos will no doubt be keen to bounce back and maintain their 100 per cent record in the Champions League.
However, Shakhtar have had their share of success against the Spanish giants, and they will be confident they can defy the Champions League 2022 betting odds once again.
Talking Points
Real Madrid’s perfect start finally snapped
Real Madrid are perfect no more. Their amazing winning run to start the season finally ended at nine games in all competitions as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Osasuna over the weekend.
Real had taken the lead through Vinicius Jr three minutes before half-time, but Osasuna equalised five minutes after the break.
Karim Benzema, who made his return from injury, was not quite at his best. While he hit the woodwork twice, the second of which was from a penalty 11 minutes from time that could have given Real the win.
Osasuna played the last stretch of the match down to 10 men, but even with a man advantage, Real could not get the winning goal.
Real Madrid’s Luka Modric in action during their Champions League match against RB Leipzig
Real were without both goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and veteran midfielder Luka Modric against Osasuna due to injury and will likely miss out again against Shakhtar. Young Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunin got the start in Courtois’ stead, and he will likely make his Champions League debut against the Ukrainian champions.
Meanwhile, French youngsters Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga will likely get the start in midfield like they did in their 2-0 win against RB Leipzig in the last Champions League matchday.
Real needed late goals from Fede Valverde and Marco Asensio to beat Leipzig as their attack lacked a bit of cutting edge without Benzema.
Shakhtar off to a strong start
Shakhtar Donetsk have not made it past the group stage of the Champions League in each of the last four seasons, but they find themselves in a decent spot this year with four points from their first two games.
They pulled off one of the most surprising Champions League 2022 results to date with their 4-1 win away to RB Leipzig in their group opener. And they held on to a 1-1 draw against Celtic in Warsaw.
Shakhtar were significantly outplayed by Celtic, who controlled over 56 per cent possession and had a 16-5 shot advantage. But the Shakhtar defence stood firm, while their attack once again took their chances when they came.
Unlike in the Ukrainian Premier League, where they are once again dominating, Shakhtar use a counter-attacking style in Europe, and they are deadly at it. They have scored five goals in just 10 shots through two Champions League games, which is a testament to their ruthless efficiency.
In the absence of their trademark Brazilian contingent, Mykhaylo Mudryk has emerged as Shakhtar’s star attacker. The 21-year-old has already got two goals and two assists through two Champions League games, so Real Madrid must be wary of the danger he represents.
History
Real Madrid and Shakhtar Donetsk have met six times before, including in each of the last two Champions League group stages. Real have four wins, while Shakhtar have two.
Both of those wins came in the shocking 2020/21 campaign, where they actually won both meetings against Madrid. They won 3-2 in Madrid, although it was at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano with no fans. And they shocked Real again in their second meeting in Kyiv as they won 2-0.
However, Real got their revenge on Shakhtar last season as they smashed them 5-0 in Kyiv. Vinicius got a brace in that win. And Real won 2-1 at the Bernabeu thanks to a Karim Benzema brace.
SBOTOP odds have Real Madrid priced as big 1.17 favourites to maintain their perfect record in the Champions League. Shakhtar are pegged at 11.50 to spring another big surprise on Real, while a draw is 7.40.
Matches between Real and Shakhtar have been quite high-scoring affairs; there have been four or more goals in four of their six games.
However, I don’t anticipate another high-scoring shootout this time around. Both teams are quite solid defensively, so I expect the two sides to engage in a low-scoring battle.
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Champions League: Benfica Battle PSG for Group H Supremacy
Benfica vs Paris Saint-Germain
Group H is the only Champions League group where two teams have won both of their games. And as it so happens, those two teams – Benfica vs Paris Saint-Germain – will face off for the first of their two back-to-back meetings, with at least one team’s perfect start set to come to an end.
Speaking of perfect, the Parisiens have been almost perfect to start the season. They are still unbeaten through 12 games in all competitions, with 11 wins.
However, they better not underestimate Benfica, who already defeated Juventus in Turin and have been near-perfect in their own right this season.
Talking Points
Benfica look to bounce back after perfect start snapped
Benfica’s Joao Mario throws his jersey into the stands after their Champions League win against Juventus
Benfica have been among the most in-form teams in Europe this season. The Eagles are soaring atop the Portugese Liga Nos with seven wins and a draw in eight games with a +16 goal difference (19 goals scored, 3 conceded).
They have also won each of their first two Champions League games, which included a big 2-1 win against Juventus at the Allianz Stadium.
However, Benfica’s previously perfect start to the season finally came to an end as they were held to a goalless draw by mid-table Vitoria Guimaraes. It was quite a surprisingly disappointing display by coach Roger Schmidt’s side as they had just six shots, one on target.
Perhaps the players were guilty looking ahead to their big Champions League clash with PSG in midweek. Julian Draxler, who is on loan from PSG, will almost surely be looking forward to this match as he tries to produce some Champions League 2022 highlights against his parent club. The German has made four appearances for Benfica thus far, scoring one goal.
But Draxler is unlikely to start against PSG, with Schmidt expected to stick with his preferred front four of Goncalo Ramos, David Neres, Rafa Silva, and Joao Mario. Portuguese internationals Silva and Joao Mario are both having strong seasons as they already have four goals and two assists apiece in the league.
PSG’s Holy Trinity in fantastic form
It has been a near-perfect season thus far for Paris Saint-Germain. The French champions are top of Ligue 1 with eight wins and a draw in their first nine games. Meanwhile, they have won their first two games in the Champions League.
PSG extended their current win streak to seven games with a 2-1 win against Nice over the weekend. Lionel Messi remained in fantastic form as he opening the scoring with a terrific free-kick. The Argentine has now scored seven goals in his last five games for club and country.
That run began with a brilliant performance in a 3-1 win against Maccabi Haifa in the Champions League as he had a goal and an assist.
Strike partners Neymar and Kylian Mbappe also got on the scoresheet against Maccabi Haifa. The two are in similarly fine form this season; Mbappe has already banged in 11 goals in 10 games, while Neymar has eight goals and seven assists in Ligue 1.
The three are also responsible for all five of PSG’s Champions League goals thus far as they are showing the form that makes their Champions League 2022 odds of finally winning the title quite appealing.
Centre-back Presnel Kimpembe is still out with a hamstring injury, so Danilo Pereira will continue to deputise alongside captain Marquinhos and Sergio Ramos.
Meanwhile, coach Christophe Galtier is spoilt for choice in midfield, with the likes of Marco Verratti, Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Renato Sanches, and Carlos Soler all at his disposal.
SBOTOP odds have PSG installed as 1.73 favourites to maintain their perfect Champions League record, while Benfica are priced at 3.80 to pull off the home win. A draw is 4.30.
As their form this season has shown, Benfica will not simply bow down to PSG. The hosts will battle hard and give the French champions all they can handle.
Of course, with the trio of Neymar, Messi and Mbappe in such wonderful form, PSG are quite capable of claiming the victory. But Benfica will likely make them work for it in what I expect to be a low-scoring affair.
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Champions League: Dortmund and Sevilla Face Off for Group G Second Place
Sevilla FC vs Borussia Dortmund
Champions League action is back this week and there’s a high pressure clash at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuain to enjoy, where Sevilla host Borussia Dortmund.
Neither team had a good weekend in their domestic league and they are each looking for a European boost to get their campaigns back on track. And a big game under the floodlights is sure to get the fans pumped up; it should be a great atmosphere in Seville with a healthy dose of tension.
The current Champions League 2022 betting odds make BVB the favourites to join Manchester City in the top two of Group G, but a win for Sevilla would shake things up, as the La Liga side could leapfrog the Germans into second place.
But the hosts come into the game on the back of a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid, a result which leaves them one place and a single point above the La Liga drop zone; meanwhile Dortmund went down to a 1-0 defeat away to Cologne.
Talking Points
Lopetegui needs a Champions League boost
Sevilla’s recent slump in form has piled the pressure on head coach Julen Lopetegui and there is even some speculation that he could be an early casualty, should things not pick up rapidly.
In fairness to Lopetegui his three recent defeats have come to some pretty impressive opposition, as well as succumbing to Manchester City in the Champions League and Atleti, Los Sevillistas also lost 3-0 to Xavi’s title chasing Barcelona.
But with just one point on the board they have an uphill battle in the Champions League too. Sevilla were thumped 4-0 by the Sky Blues and then picked up a point in a goalless draw in Copenhagen, and so anything other than a win on Wednesday will spell more trouble for the boss.
He needs his team to play on the front foot against a Borussia side which has leaked eight goals in their last four games and experienced forwards Erik Lamela and Isco are likely to make a start. And there could also be a return for 25 year old Moroccan striker Youssef En Nesyri who started on the bench against Atletico
Champions League 2022 results won’t necessarily save Lopetegui but a win on Wednesday would certainly help him, and his team needs to make the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuain a fortress for the visit of the Germans.
Dortmund’s Travel Sickness
BVB opened their 2022/23 European campaign with a 3-0 win over Copenhagen and followed that up with a 2-1 loss at Manchester City, and that defeat at the Etihad was one of three away losses on the bounce. So Sevilla fans will see this as an opportunity.
The loss to Cologne at the weekend was particularly frustrating as a win would have taken BVB clear at the top of the table. Edin Terzic’s team dominated possession and had 22 shots on goal, but Cologne had more efforts on target with ten to eight. Dortmund’s highly rated new centre back pairing of Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Sule were caught out too easily and that is something Terzic will look to address quickly.
BVB are currently without their injured talisman Marco Reus, who is hoping to get fit for the Qatar World Cup but will be unavailable in the busy domestic period running up to that competition. In the 33 year old’s absence, 19 year old England star Jude Bellingham was given the captain’s armband against Cologne and it will be interesting to see who leads the team for this vital European fixture.
Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus being carried away in a stretcher after sustaining an injury
Midfield ace Julian Brandt, who gave BVB the lead against Cologne, is another option should Terzic opt for more experience.
History
These two teams have met four times since 2010 and won one game each. Most recently Borussia Dortmund came out on top in the 2021 Champions League Round of 16, winning 3-2 in Seville and drawing the return 2-2 at the Signal Iduna Stadium. Erling Braut Haaland gave BVB a two goal lead on the night and while En Nesyri pulled two late goals back it was too little too late.
Recent form favours the visitors, though Die Schwarzgelben have been hit and miss, with three wins and three defeats. Sevilla have won just one of the last six games, drawing two and losing three.
While Borussia Dortmund have lost their last three away games, Sevilla have lost their last three at home so we’re going to see one sequence come to an end of Wednesday!
With Sevilla at SBOTOP odds of 2.69, BVB at 2.33 and the draw at 3.35, this game is wide open; but I’m backing BVB to end their losing away streak while putting more pressure on Sevilla’s beleaguered boss.
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Now they need some serious Champions League highlights against the Italian champions to get back on track.
Talking Points
For what it’s worth, I think they will get them.
Partly because AC Milan’s medical resources are currently being stretched to the limit with Theo Hernandez, goalkeeper Mike Maignan, veteran Zlatan Ibrahimovic, new signing Divock Origi (close to a return), Junior Messias and Alessandro Florenzi all out at the moment.
In addition, boss Stefano Pioli also witnessed Simon Kjaer, Alexis Saelemaekers and Davide Calabria come off injured during their dramatic late Serie A weekend victory over Empoli; the two defenders both sustained hamstring issues while Saelemaekers suffered a sprain to the knee.
That means Pioli may have to turn to youngsters to make up a full squad for the trip to Stamford Bridge.
Now Chelsea aren’t exactly at full strength themselves and are expected to be without goalkeeper Edouard Mendy (knee) and the influential N’Golo Kante (thigh), while Marc Cucurella and youngster Carney Chukwuemeka will need assessing after missing their weekend victory over Crystal Palace, also secured at the death, due to illness.
Italian midfielder Jorginho sustained a knock at Selhurst Park and is also a doubt.
However, despite all that, the English club has a much deeper squad to select from and this will give the hosts the edge in my opinion.
This is a meeting of two sides who seemed worlds apart when I was growing up.
For so long, Milan were the best, most attractive team in Europe and then, when new money arrived in the game, Chelsea became a destination that was as attractive for many of those who had previously plied their trade in Europe’s top clubs – the most notable move for me saw Marcel Desailly turn out for the Blues just four years after being imperious in Milan’s 1994 Champions League triumph.
Fast forward to 2022, and Milan have just won a Champions League match at the San Siro for the first time in nine years and the Rossoneri now tend to sign players who are deemed surplus to requirements in the capital rather than the other way round.
Indeed, one of Milan’s current stars, Rafael Leao, has been strongly linked with a switch to Chelsea in recent months.
Rafael Leao during AC Milan’s game against Sampdoria
Milan are also looking to end a European hoodoo on English turf with their last win in England coming against Manchester United in February 2005.
Not since March 2010 have Chelsea suffered defeat at home to Italian opposition in Europe – losing 1-0 to Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan – and the hosts have gone eight games at Stamford Bridge without defeat, although that should be caveated by the fact they have also failed to keep a clean sheet in as many matches in all competitions.
As things stand, Chelsea sit rock bottom of Group E with just one point to their name, but Milan are only three points clear at this early stage of proceedings, despite topping the group.
It’s certainly all to play for on Wednesday night.
History
These teams met in the 1999/2000 Champions League group stage with both games ending level.
It was goalless in London before Oliver Bierhoff and Dennis Wise traded two goals in four minutes in Milan.
Their only previous clashes came in the third round of the Fairs Cup in 1966.
Milan won their home leg 2-1 with future star Premier League manager George Graham the Chelsea scorer.
It was a role reversal in the second leg with Graham joined on the scoresheet by Peter Osgood.
What that meant was a play-off which also ended 1-1 and, amazingly, the tie was awarded to Chelsea based on the toss of a coin.
Europa League: Top Contenders Collide at the Italian Capital
AS Roma vs Real Betis
Roma and Real Betis are set to do battle in one of, if not the biggest match in the 2022-23 Europa League group stage.
Aside from Arsenal (5.75) and Manchester United (7.00), Roma (15.00) and Betis (21.00) have the highest odds to win the competition according to the Europa League 2022 odds, and this match could go some way toward determining the group winner.
Betis currently lead Group C with two wins out of two and are three points ahead of Roma. Although, Manuel Pellegrini’s side is coming off a stunning loss to Celta Vigo over the weekend.
Mourinho succeeded Manuel Pellegrini at Real Madrid, and he has had some harsh words to say about the Chilean in the past. But this match will be the opportunity for the two highly successful managers to settle the score on the pitch.
Talking Points
Roma riding the high of Inter win
Roma will head into their big Europa League clash with Real Betis on the back of a big 2-1 win over Inter Milan. It was by far the biggest win of the season for Jose Mourinho’s side, who had suffered losses to Udinese and Atalanta in September.
Mourinho, who was suspended for the match, made a major call as he elected not to start star striker Tammy Abraham and instead went with Lorenzo Pellegrini as a false nine, with Paulo Dybala and Nicolo Zaniolo in support.
While Roma didn’t create too many chances, Pellegrini and Dybala still provided crucial contributions. Dybala scored Roma’s equaliser with a wonderful volley after Federico Dimarco had given Inter the lead. And Pellegrini supplied the free kick which resulted in Chris Smalling’s winning goal.
AS Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini reacts during their Serie A clash against Atalanta
Having Pellegrini unavailable would be a huge blow for Roma. The club captain has been in fantastic form to start the season and particularly in the Europa League. He has played a part in three of Roma’s four Europa League goals (one goal, two assists) and has 11 shots, the most of any player in the competition.
Pellegrini’s potential absence could open the door for Abraham to make his first Europa League start of the season. Abraham, who had a fine debut season with Roma (27 goals in all competitions), has had a slow start to the season with just two goals in eight appearances.
Real Betis look to bounce back
Real Betis’ four-game win streak in all competitions came to an end over the weekend as they fell 1-0 away to Celta Vigo.
Not only did Betis go 1-0 down after just nine minutes, but they also went a man down after centre-back Luiz Felipe was handed a straight red card in the 20th minute.
It was just Betis’ second defeat of the season, with their first coming away to Real Madrid. And it was the first time that Betis had been held goalless all season.
But the Verdiblancos will be eager to bounce back in the Europa League, where they have won their first two games, scoring five goals.
Striker Willian Jose has started both Europa League games thus far in place of leading scorer Borja Iglesias (six goals) and scored both goals in their 2-0 win over HJK. Although, Pellegrini could opt to start Borja in this big game.
Veteran Joaquin and youngster Luiz Henrique have also been regular starters in the Europa League, although Nabil Fekir is back fit after suffering muscle issues and could get some much-needed playing time. Both Joaquin and Luiz Henrique got on the scoresheet in Betis’ 3-2 win at Ludogorets.
History
This will be the first-ever meeting between Roma and Real Betis in European competition.
Roma have a poor record against Spanish opposition, with just two wins against nine defeats and two draws. Meanwhile, Betis are undefeated in their three prior meetings against Italian foes (two wins, one draw).
Although, the Giallorossi have a great record at the Stadio Olimpico. They are unbeaten in their last 20 home games in European competition, with 14 wins and six draws.
Champions League: Liverpool Beat Rangers and Napoli Thrash Ajax
Liverpool beat Rangersin a Champions League Group A clash on Tuesday night to go second in their group and destined for the knockout phase.
It was billed as the Battle of Britain as Rangers travelled south in the hope of proving that Scotland’s best could live with the English elite. But the Gers will have to try again next week because at Anfield they were second best from start to finish.
Trent Alexander Arnold gave the Reds an early lead with a beautifully executed free-kick curled into the top corner, giving Rangers keeper Allan McGregor no chance. But the Rangers keeper performed heroics to keep the score down saving from Darwin Nunez in a one-on-one. With 13 shots to two and seven to none on target Liverpool had been totally dominant in the opening 45 minutes.
Mo Salah made it two from the penalty spot after Luis Diaz as upended early in the second half as Liverpool continued to boss the game.
The Reds move up to six points, but three behind leaders Napoli who thrashed Ajax 6-1 as Giacomo Raspadori scored twice and Ajax striker Dusan Tadic was sent off. Luciano Spalletti’s side has made the perfect start to their Champions League campaign, with three wins from three and they lead Serie A on 20 points from eight games.
Bayern mean Business
Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane in action against Viktoria Plzen
FC Bayern took a stranglehold on Group C, making it three wins from three thanks to a 5-0 destruction of Viktoria Plzen. 75,000 fans packed into the Allianz Arena and they only had to wait seven minutes before Leroy Sane opened the scoring, taking a pass from Jamal Musiala and smashing the ball high into the net. Serge Gnabry and Sadio Mane made it 3-0 by the break. Sane scored his second, five minutes into the second half, sliding his shot home from a through ball from Mane. Eric Choupong-Moting fired one into the top corner to make it five with less than an hour gone and Die Bayern called it a night.
Bayern are currently third in the Bundesliga. They had an unbeaten record after six games but a shock defeat to Augsburg ended that. Normal service was resumed last weekend as the Bavarians hammered Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 and they are hot favourites to win their domestic title. And the latest Champions League 2022 betting odds rate Bayern as third favourites to lift the 2022/23 competition, with Manchester City the clear favourites.
Advantage Inter
Inter Milan’s home tie against Barcelona was one of the most eagerly awaited and one we previewed here at SBOTOP. And with FC Bayern smashing Plzen out of sight it looks like this will be the battle for second place in Group C.
Andreas Christensen and Robert Lewandowski both had efforts brilliantly saved by Andre Anona as Barca dominated possession but it was the Italians who struck on the stroke of half time. Hakan Calhanoglu took a pass from Federico Dimarco, just outside the penalty area, and he fired a low shot into the bottom left corner.
Barca’s perseverance seemed to have paid off when 19 year old midfield star Pedri kept his cool to slot home the leveller midway through the second half, but VAR intervened and the goal was chalked off.
Sporting’s Adan has a shocker
With six points already in the bag in a wide open Group D, Sporting Lisbon went to Marseilles just needing a point to stay in charge of the group. So it was not the night for Sporting keeper Antonio Adan to have a nightmare. The 35 year old Spaniard has had a fine career as a former Real Madrid academy player but this is a night he will be trying to forget.
Trincao, on loan from Barcelona, gave Lisbon the perfect start with a clinical finish in the opening minute but then it all went horribly wrong. With just 13 minutes on the clock Adan raced off his line to clear a weak back pass but he kicked the ball straight at the advancing Alexis Sanchez and it bounced into the net. Moments later Adan was beaten by a header from Amine Harit, but his night was complete, and prematurely ended, with just 23 minutes played. When OM pumped a long ball forward Adan raced out again and this time floored Nuno Tavares while handling outside the penalty area.
He was lucky to only get one red card!
Marseille had the three points in the bag when Leonardo Balerdi scored before the break and Chancel Mbemba made it 4-1 with a late strike.
In Tuesday’s other Champions League 2022 results Club Brugges beat Atletico Madrid 2-0, FC Porto beat Leverkusen by the same score and Eintracht Frankfurt played put a goalless draw with Spurs.
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Until last weekend, they were unbeaten domestically but were yet to get off the mark in Europe until tonight.
Then they went to Malmo – for those with a long memory they were surprise European Cup finalists in 1979 – and, despite Andras Schafer’s red card a minute before the break, Sheraldo Becker’s strike midway through the second half earned them their first Europa League 2022 highlights of the season which also gives them a chance of qualification.
Elsewhere in Group D, with Gustaf Nilsson scoring four minutes from time and in the fourth minute of stoppage time to earn Union Saint-Gilloise a 2-1 win at Sporting Braga, the little-known Belgians had maintained a 100-per cent record.
The Austrians of Sturm Graz gained one of the results of the night as they held Italian giants Lazio to a goalless draw in Group F.
Former Eintracht Frankfurt players are seen with the Europa League trophy before the match against Sporting CP
They had several chances and a few scares in their own box, including a disallowed Ciro Immobile goal.
The marksman had the ball in the net 10 minutes from time, only for it to be ruled narrowly offside.
Moments later, Sturm Graz went down to 10 men as Jusuf Gazibegovic was sent off for a second yellow card but they held out for a point which leaves all four sides in the group on four points.
Group G surprises me with two of the regular European compatriots well adrift of two clubs this SBOTOP writer considers to be minnows, SC Freiburg and FK Qarabag. They are in pole position to reach the knockout stages.
Take a look at the Europa League 2022 betting odds and you will find Jose Mourinho’s Roma among the firm favourites for a tournament he tasted victory in with FC Porto (2003) and Manchester United (2017).
Strengthened in the summer, Roma have made a strong start to the new campaign and are currently just four points off the Serie A summit.
The home reverse to Real Betis in Group C was certainly a surprise then.
Leading through a 34th minute penalty from Paulo Dybala – a player more used to plying his trade in the latter stages of the Champions League – their advantage only lasted six minutes.
Guido Rodriguez equalised with a ferocious daisy-cutter from distance that fizzed into the near bottom corner.
And then, with the seconds ticking down, Rodri’s cross found Luiz Henrique who looped a header over Rui Patricio.
Champions League: Milan and Chelsea in Fight to Dominate in Group E
AC Milan vs Chelsea
The Champions League group stages are entering their second half already and there’s a real battle bubbling up in Group E, where AC Milan and Chelsea are set to meet at the San Siro.
Just a week ago the Blues forced their way into contention with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over the Rossoneri and so, with a crucial three points at stake, Stefano Piolo’s side is on a revenge mission.
There’s a fascinating dynamic to this group from which any of the four teams can qualify. Red Bull Salzburg are currently top of Group E with five points and Dynamo Zagreb are bottom with three with Milan and Chelsea each on four.
Both teams are backed, by the latest Champions League 2022 betting odds, to escape the group, with Graham Potter’s Blues at a price of 1.80 to win Group E and I Rossoneri at 2.60. They will both expect to navigate their final two matches against Salzburg and Zagreb. In fact, Chelsea are seventh favourites at odds of 21.00 to win the tournament with Milan in tenth place at 61.00.
But, as things stand, the Blues and Rossoneri have plenty of work to do and while a win would put the victor in a very strong position, a draw would not be a disaster for either, particularly if Salzburg fail to win in Zagreb.
Talking Points
Can Giroud haunt his old mates?
I Rossoneri recovered from last week’s loss to Chelsea by beating Juventus 2-0 on Saturday with goals from former Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori and young striker Brahim Diaz. Both Milan and I Bianconeri were in desperate need of points and the result lifted Milan up to third place in the league table while the Old Lady languishes in eighth.
Milan forward Olivier Giroud made the assist for Tomori’s goal against Juve and midway through the second half, Pioli substituted the veteran France striker in preparation for this return match with Chelsea.
Premier League fans know Giroud well as he spent eight season in the English top flight with Arsenal and Chelsea, scoring 90 goals and some of the most spectacular, including an incredible scorpion kick for Arsenal against Crystal Palace in 2017.
Giroud will be a real threat with his link up play, aerial threat and superb timing while the other former Chelsea player, Tomori, has a point to make to his former employers who allowed him to leave Stamford Bridge on the cheap. The centre-back struggled against the pace of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last week and he is determined to get his own back, vowing to play with more aggression and determination.
Pioli will hope for more from star man Rafael Leao, who was lacklustre against the Blues in London and he too has a point to prove.
The Potter Effect is beginning to show
Defeat to Zagreb saw the end of former Blues boss Thomas Tuchel and, since his arrival, Potter has seen the team make some steady progress under his guidance. He started with a 1-1 draw at home to Salzburg, before winning his league debut away to Crystal Palace. The 3-0 win over Milan was followed quickly by another 3-0 victory over Wolves on Saturday.
Chelsea manager Graham Potter looks delighted after scoring their first goal against AC Milan in the Champions League
Potter has a reputation for playing fast-flowing and adventurous football, and back-to-back wins with six unanswered goals will have the Chelsea fans smiling again.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has started well with the Blues, scoring the second against Milan, while Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic were both on target in the win over Wolves.
This is a team with multiple threats and they will play in the front foot at the San Siro in Tuesday.
History
These are two of Europe’s biggest clubs with an array of honours in their histories and AC Milan way out in front with 19 Scudetto triumphs and seven European crowns. Although, Chelsea are not so shabby with six English league titles and two Champions League wins to their name.
Chelsea have won six of the previous nine encounters with Milan, losing two and drawing one, and last week’s 3-0 win made it three wins on the bounce for the Blues against Milan.
In terms of recent form Potter’s team has a slight edge, with four wins, one draw and one defeat, while Milan have four wins and two losses.
If the remaining Group E Champions League 2022 resultsgo as expected we will see both Milan and Chelsea make the knockout stages, but this game could cause problems for the loser if there is a decisive outcome.
At SBOTOPodds of 2.29, Chelsea are favourites to win the game with Milan at 2.96 and the draw at 3.06.
And in terms of correct score lines, a 1-1 draw is most likely at 5.22 with a 1-0 win for Chelsea next in line at 7.14.
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Champions League: Can Dortmund Deal Knockout Blow to Sampaoli’s Sevilla?
Borussia Dortmund vs Sevilla
Borussia Dortmund are on the brink of returning to the Champions League knockout round after missing out last season.
The Germans are second to Manchester City in Group G with six points, and if results go their way, they could book their spot with two group games to spare.
Conversely, defeat would all but end Sevilla’s hopes of making it to the next round. Their 4-1 drubbing against Dortmund at home last time out spelt the end of Julen Lopetegui’s spell at Sevilla.
Jorge Sampaoli is now in charge of the Rojiblancos, and his side will look to defy the Champions League 2022 betting odds and beat BVB in Dortmund.
Talking Points
Dortmund returning to the right direction
Borussia Dortmund’s Anthony Modeste celebrates with teammates after their Bundesliga match against Bayern Munich
After a rough stretch of three defeats in four, Borussia Dortmund are back to picking up some good results. Following their 4-1 smashing of Sevilla at the Sanchez Pizjuan, they battled back from two goals down to hold rivals Bayern Munich to a 2-2 draw in Der Klassiker.
With captain Marco Reus sidelined, several different players are stepping up. Teenage sensation Jude Bellingham wore the captain’s armband against Sevilla and starred as he provided a goal and an assist. The 19-year-old English midfielder has already produced plenty of Champions League 2022 highlights, with three goals and an assist in three games.
Meanwhile, fellow teen wunderkind Youssoufa Moukoko is also delivering the goods. After scoring the winning goal in the Revierderby, the 17-year-old striker has provided a goal and an assist in the last two games, both starts.
Moukoko has taken the starting spot of Anthony Modeste, who has had a trying start at Dortmund. However, the 34-year-old finally made his mark with a terrific performance against Bayern as he set up Moukoko for BVB’s first goal, then scored the dramatic stoppage-time equaliser.
Head coach Edin Terzic is expected to rotate his side as the fixtures continue to come thick and fast, so Modeste could be handed another chance to start in midweek.
Sampaoli hoping to start Sevilla revival
Sevilla’s humiliating 4-1 defeat at home to Dortmund was the last straw for the club’s board as they sacked head coach Julen Lopetegui shortly thereafter.
Lopetegui’s departure should come as no surprise given his side’s disastrous form this season. Sevilla have won just once in eight games and are down in 17th, one point and one spot out of the relegation zone.
Meanwhile, they have picked up just one point in three Champions League games and have suffered heavy home defeats to the top two, Man City and Dortmund.
Jorge Sampaoli has been handed the reins as he returns for his second stint at Sevilla. The 62-year-old Argentine spent 11 months in Sevilla from 2016 to 2017, amassing a record of 27 wins, 12 draws, and 14 losses in 53 games.
Sampaoli began his second Sevilla spell with a 1-1 draw against high-flying Athletic Bilbao. His side took an early lead through Kasper Dolberg as Sevilla started out playing with the trademark intensity of a Sampaoli team.
But that intensity gradually wore off as they were significantly outshot 21-10 at home and eventually conceded an equaliser on 73 minutes.
Nevertheless, expect Sevilla to continue playing with that sort of energy and intensity when they travel to Dortmund.
This will be the fourth meeting between Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla in the Champions League. Dortmund are still undefeated, with two wins and a draw. Although, they have yet to beat Sevilla in two games at Signal Iduna Park (one win, one draw).
Sevilla have now won in their previous four away trips against German opposition in European competition (three draws, one loss).
SBOTOP odds have Borussia Dortmund installed as significant 1.57 favourites to do the double over Sevilla, who are priced at 5.60 to pull off a shock at Signal Iduna Park. A draw is 3.95.
Borussia Dortmund’s Champions League fixtures have been relatively high-scoring affairs, with three or more goals in all three games. And I expect this match at Signal Iduna Park to be the same.
Sevilla, with little hope of qualifying for the knockouts, will go down swinging under Sampaoli, whose aggressive style could leave some gaps at the back at Dortmund’s attackers could exploit en route to another potential goal fest.
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Champions League: Ajax Need Some Dutch Courage to Take on Napoli!
Napoli vs Ajax
You could forgive Ajax a few nerves this week when they head to the Diego Maradona Stadium in Naples, as they know exactly what to expect but they may not know how to deal with it!
Napoli have made an explosive start to their Champions League campaign, winning three from three and topping Group A ahead of Liverpool. They are also storming Serie A by winning games and scoring freely.
And last week Napoli totally destroyed the Dutch giants with a ruthless and brilliant attacking display, winning 6-1 in Amsterdam as Giacomo Raspadori hit a brace and four other Azzurri players breached the Ajax defence.
It was a humbling experience for the Eredivisie champions in front of their own fans and one they will not want to repeat in Naples, but they need to find a huge turnaround in just over a week, which will take organisation, bravery and a big slice of luck!
Talking Points
Napoli reaching for Cloud Nine
Azzurri head coach Luciano Spalletti has led his side to some phenomenal heights already this season, they come into the game on the back of a 4-1 win over Cremonese, an eighth victory in succession and one which takes them clear at the top of Serie A.
The latest Champions League 2022 betting odds have brought the Azzurri in to a price of 21.00 which means they are seventh favourites to win the trophy. And that price will keep on falling if they can continue their recent form.
In their three wins so far the Italian side has scored 13 goals and conceded just two as Raspadori has racked up three goals, while Piotr Zielinski and Giovanni Simeone have two each. Zielinski is one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the business and Ajax will need to keep close to the Polish star.
Skippered by Giovani di Lorenzo, this is an all-out attack side with the likes of Matteo Politano and Hirving Lozano fighting for a starting place and Victor Osimhen yet to return from injury.
The Azzurri’s recent clash with Torino showed just how much firepower the Azzurri have throughout their team as defensive midfielder Zambo Anguissa scored twice in a 3-1 win. And they seem to have recovered from the loss of centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly to Chelsea with 6ft 4in Kosovan defender Amir Rhamani stepping up.
The Dutch Champions have a mountain to climb
Ajax got their thrashing by Napoli out of their system with a 4-2 win away to Volendam which took them up to second in the Eredivisie League table. But they are out at a SBOTOP price of6.00to get through this group and they must hope that Scottish strugglers Rangers can somehow get a result against Liverpool on Wednesday.
Ajax’s Daley Blind in action against Napoli’s Alessandro Zanoli during their recent Champions League clash
Head coach Alfred Schreuder had big shoes to fill when Erik Ten Hag left for Manchester United after five successful seasons with Ajax. And the former coach has plundered the club, taking defender Lisandro Martinez and striker Antony with him, which has made the job even harder for Schreuder. He’s doing okay in the league and poised to make a title challenge but, in contrast with Napoli, Ajax’s Champions League 2022 results have been disappointing, with the thrashing by the Azzurri and a 2-1 defeat to misfiring Liverpool, though they did hammer Rangers 4-0.
Striker Mohammed Kudus has three goals and will be supported by former Spurs man Steven Bergjwin, while Dusan Tadic’s red card last week will keep him out of this rematch. Lucas Ocampos, on loan from Sevilla, could be in line for a start.
Ajax will need to break down the Napoli rearguard somehow, while their own defence will rely heavily on the experience of Daley Blind and he is likely to be one of the busiest men on the night.
Ajax have a more impressive history of these two teams, winning a record 36 Dutch Eredivisie titles and they are four times European Cup winners. Meanwhile, Napoli are twice Scudetto winners and 1989 UEFA Cup champions, though there is no doubt that Serie A is a much tougher competition than the Dutch league.
And recent form favours the Italians who have won the last six and are unbeaten in 21 matches in all competitions, while the Dutch side has won two, drawn one and lost three of the last six.
Ajax is at a price of 1.84 with that +1.00 advantage but I think the Italians simply have too much momentum and belief to be stopped in Naples. The Dutch need all the courage they can muster and are at odds of 2.23 for the Double Chance win or draw.
2-1 to Napoli, at 6.56, is the most likely score line and while that would be bad news for Ajax, a close game would restore a little pride.
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It’s back on again… Rangers and Liverpool’s Champions League clash at Ibrox Stadium on Wednesday is round two of the fight for superiority in the UK.
The pre-match Champions League 2022 betting oddssay the Reds are going to win and it’s difficult to argue with that when you look at the comparative riches of the two clubs. Liverpool are one of the most successful and best-supported teams on the planet, while Glasgow Rangers are one of the top two in Scotland, a Premier League which contains minnows such as Ross County and their 6,000-capacity stadium up in the Highlands.
Such is the lack of competition north of the border that no team other than Rangers or Celtic has won the league since Alex Ferguson led Aberdeen to the title in 1985.
In contrast Liverpool are in the richest and most watched league in the world and the Merseyside club can attract the very best talent.
Can we make a case for the Scots?
Well, the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool last week rather flattered Rangers but they recovered well to hammer St Mirren 4-0 at the weekend, while the Reds went down in a five-goal thriller to Premier League leaders Arsenal, so current form gives the Gers a little bit of hope.
One of the biggest puzzles for the SBOTOP footballteam at the moment is the situation at Anfield where Liverpool find themselves languishing in mid-table in the Premier League.
Klopp started with the same 11 which beat Rangers 2-0 and a front line of Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Mo Salah and Darwin Nunez. Now that’s a frightening front four for sure, but it was substitute Roberto Firmino who climbed off the bench to make it 2-2 against the Gunners and he is top scoring for Liverpool in the league with six goals. The Brazilian forward has also made three assists in his seven appearances and those stats give Klopp a real dilemma.
Should he start with Firmino? I’d say ‘yes’, but who does he bench? Diaz is an exciting talent and Jota is a clever player, while Nunez looks like he could become a prolific striker with comparative success to Salah in good time.
The Reds are still fourth favourites to win the 2022/23 Champions League, at odds of 8.50, and this game should open the door to the knockout phase, but as the season progresses Klopp needs to find the right mix, in Europe and England.
Rangers have nothing to lose
The Gers are currently trailing Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, but by only two points. They have been in good form in the league, also beating Hearts 4-0 on the other side of their loss to Klopp’s Liverpool.
Head coach Giovanni Van Bronckhorst led Rangers to the 2022 Europa League final where they lost to Eintracht Frankfurt and he’ll tell his team to fear nothing when Liverpool arrive on Wednesday. They will have a passionate crowd behind them and players who will run through a brick wall for the cause.
Rangers’ James Tavernier in action against Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez in their first Champions League encounter this season
Captain Fantastic James Tavernier will be alongside former Liverpool defender Ben Davies in the centre of defence while midfield general John Lundstram will patrol the centre of the park. It is these players who can stand up to the Reds who despite registering 22 shots and ten on target last week, only breached the Scots’ defence twice.
History
These two UK giants have only met twice before last week and each won one, so while the head to head resultsgive Klopp’s team a slight edge it doesn’t tell us much.
Recent form is a little more revealing as neither team is hitting the high notes, Rangers winning three and losing three of the last six, in all competitions, while Liverpool have won two, lost two and drawn two over that period.
Rangers’ Champions League 2022 results have not been great as they have lost all three of their group games so far, whereas Liverpool have failed to win any of their last six away games.
Rangers are at 6.95 to win or 5.41 to draw and either of those results would be another disappointment for Liverpool, who really should come through at a price of 1.31.And another 2-0 to Liverpool, at odds of 6.76, is the most likely outcome, which makes a lot of sense to me.
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Champions League: Barca Face Must-Win Match Against Inter Milan
Barcelona vs Inter Milan
Barcelona and Inter Milan are set to collide once again in the Champions League, and their crucial clash at the Camp Nou could go a long way toward deciding who will go through in Champions League Group C.
Inter are currently in second place in the group and have a three-point advantage over Barca by virtue of their big 1-0 win in their first meeting at San Siro last week thanks to a Hakan Calhanoglu goal.
The Catalans, who crashed out in the Champions League group stage last season for the first time in over 20 years, simply cannot afford to suffer another defeat, which would see their Champions League 2022 odds of making it to the next round dwindle.
Talking Points
Barcelona no longer free-scoring after the break
After scoring for fun before the international break, Barcelona are suddenly finding it hard to get goals since returning. They have scored just twice in three games after the break and were shut out in their 1-0 defeat to Inter, their second straight Champions League game without a goal.
After scoring the winner against Mallorca, leading scorer Robert Lewandowski (12 goals in 11 games) has been held without a goal in consecutive games for the first time in his Barca career.
Luckily for Barca, Pedri popped up with the winning goal in their 1-0 victory at home to Celta Vigo, which kept them top of La Liga.
Xavi handed a start to Ferran Torres on the weekend, but Ousmane Dembele is likely to return on the wing. Raphinha has started the last two games, but he could be dropped in midweek as Xavi tries and jumpstart Barca’s suddenly sputtering attack.
El Clasico looms
While this game against Inter is a big one for Barcelona, there is an even bigger one coming up on the weekend with El Clasico.
00It remains to be seen whether the upcoming trip to Real Madrid will affect Xavi’s selections against Inter. Although, with defenders Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, and Hector Bellerin still out injured, he will not have many options available.
Meanwhile, the midfield trio of Pedri, Sergio Busquets, and Gavi have started each of the last two games. Franck Kessie is out after suffering a thigh strain, but Frenkie de Jong is back fit and could start should Xavi decide to shake things up.
Inter wins easing pressure off Inzaghi
Simone Inzaghi looked to be on the hot seat after back-to-back defeats to Udinese and Roma saw them floundering in Serie A. But back-to-back wins over Barcelona and Sassuolo have helped ease some of the pressure off the Inter boss.
Edin Dzeko was the hero as his brace gave the Nerazzurri a much-needed 2-1 win against the Neroverdi.
Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi instructs his players during Champions League clash against Barcelona
Inter were without strikers Joaquin Correa and Romelu Lukaku for that match, although they are hoping Lukaku can make his return in midweek against Barca. The Belgian has not played since suffering a thigh injury just before the international break. If he’s unable to pass fit, it will likely be up to the pairing of Lautaro and Dzeko to produce some Champions League 2022 highlights.
Meanwhile, midfielder Marcelo Brozovic is also unlikely to play due to his own thigh injury. 20-year-old Kristjan Asllani has started each of the last two Serie A games in the Croatian’s place, but he was subbed off at half-time against Sassuolo for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who set up Dzeko for the winning goal.
Centre-backs Martin Skriniar and Stefan de Vrij were both rested over the weekend, but they should be back to face Barcelona. Inter’s defensive performance last week against Barca was by far their best this season, and they will be hoping to recreate it at the Camp Nou.
History
While Inter won last week, Barcelona still hold a sizable advantage in terms of Champions League victories (6-2), with 3 draws.
Barca will like their chances of beating Inter at Camp Nou. The Nerazzurri have lost all five of the away matches they’ve played against the Catalans in the Champions League. Moreover, Barcelona have lost just once in 17 home games against Italian opposition (13 wins, 3 draws).
SBOTOP odds have Barcelona installed as significant 1.43 favourites to overcome Inter at the Camp Nou. The Nerazzurri are priced at 6.00 to win, while a draw is 4.90.
Much like their first game, I expect this match to be a closely contested affair with both clubs desperate not to lose.
With Barca struggling for goals at the moment and Inter likely to miss a couple of their top strikers, don’t be surprised if this is another low-scoring match potentially decided by the odd goal.
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Champions League: Make or Break for Tottenham and Frankfurt
Tottenham Hotspur vs Eintracht Frankfurt
The top two spots in Group D of the Champions League remain up for grabs, so this match between Tottenham and Eintracht Frankfurt is going to be a crucial one.
A win by either side is going to be important for their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages since it’s getting pretty tight here in this group.
Sporting are leading the pack with six points, while Tottenham and Eintracht Frankfurt have four points apiece and Marseille round out the group with three.
Tottenham and Eintracht Frankfurt settled for a goalless draw last week and we might see a similar result. However, with the scene shifting to North London, the pre-match SBOTOP betting odds are backing Spurs to take all three points on Wednesday evening.
Talking Points
Tottenham to miss key personnel
Tottenham have a few injury concerns, mostly revolving around their attacking corps.
Dejan Kulusevski and Lucas Moura are both unlikely to play against Eintracht Frankfurt since they’re nursing their hamstring and calf injuries, while Harry Kane – who scored the winning goal against Brighton in the first half – was taken off as he was dealing with an ankle knock.
Kane allayed fitness concerns, saying that leaving the pitch late was merely for precautionary purposes. Nonetheless, they should err on the side of caution with him since he’s their top scorer with eight goals and one assist.
The English hitman is going to be accompanied once more by Heung-Min Son and Richarlison, who have combined for five goals and four assists thus far and are capable of producing more Champions League 2022 highlights.
Moreover, Japhet Tanganga is still ruled out since he’s also dealing with fitness issues. The good news, though, is that Emerson Royal is available for selection since his three-match ban is only applicable in the Premier League.
Die Adler saw their unbeaten streak halted by VfL Bochum on Saturday and it was a timely wake-up call for Oliver Glasner and co.
Eintracht Frankfurt aren’t immune to inconsistency, and they’ve been that way in the past few weeks. However, they’re still in good shape since they’re at eighth in the Bundesliga table and are in contention to move on to the knockout rounds in the Champions League, especially with a win here.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Daichi Kamada celebrates with teammate after scoring a goal during Champions League clash against Marseille
The return of Randal Kolo Muani would surely help Die Adler since he is their top playmaker with five assists. The 23-year-old Frenchman missed their previous game since he was sent off against Union Berlin, but his ban isn’t applicable here in the Champions League.
Daichi Kamada is also likely to return in the starting XI after being dropped to the bench against VfL Bochum in favour of Lucas Alario and Rafael Borre. The Japanese international is their top attacking threat with four goals and two assists.
History
This is going to be the fourth meeting between Tottenham and Eintracht Frankfurt, with both teams having one win each along with two draws.
Spurs are winless in their last five games against German opposition in the Champions League (D1, L4) after winning four consecutive games against Borussia Dortmund between 2017 and 2019 prior to this run.
Die Adler have won in their last two visits to face English sides in European competition. In the Europa League, they beat Arsenal 2-1 in November 2019 and 2-1 against West Ham United in April 2022.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s 1-0 victory over Marseille last month was their first away win in the Champions League. No Bundesliga side has ever won their first two away matches in this tournament.
Meanwhile, Tottenham have won nine of their last 11 home games in the Champions League group stage (L2), including each of their last three under Mauricio Pochettino (5-0 vs Red Star Belgrade), Jose Mourinho (4-2 vs Olympiakos), and Antonio Conte (2-0 vs Marseille).
Tottenham have the edge in the Champions League 2022 odds as they are priced at 1.52 to win, while Eintracht Frankfurt are pegged at 5.40 and chances for another draw are priced at 4.40 in the 1X2 market.
But overall, we’re leaning towards going for Under 2.75 @ 1.95 since this is likely to be another grinded-out affair. Fatigue will also play a key role, so this is going to be a matter of who wants it more.
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A night when Los Blancos clinched a 14th European Cup/Champions League and my word they did it the hard way.
Now they are on the verge of qualifying for this season’s last 16 after again showing their character.
Against Shakhtar Donetsk in Warsaw – where they are hosting their Group F matches due to the situation in Ukraine – defender Antonio Rudiger headed in Toni Kroos’ long ball in the fifth minute of injury time to rescue a 1-1 draw against the spirited hosts.
The honour of being the first club to progress goes to English champions Manchester City, whose draw at FC Copenhagen (despite playing nearly an hour with 10 men), coupled with Borussia Dortmund’s draw with Sevilla, sealed their place.
While City were displaying character and Madrid were securing a last-gasp leveller in Poland, the side they played in some epic encounters not so long ago – including the 2017 final – are on the verge of elimination.
That’s after Maccabi Haifa produced one of the best results in their history and some notable Champions League 2022 highlights in front of their own fans to leave Max Allegri under further pressure and the ‘Old Lady’ of Turin somewhat embarrassed.
This was the Israeli club’s first Champions League group-stage victory since a 3-0 triumph over Manchester United in October 2002.
However, unlike on that occasion which was a ‘dead rubber’ with already qualified United resting key players, this was a match which was potentially key in Group H.
Omer Atzili scored two first-half goals, his first after only seven minutes when Pierre Cornud’s cross bounced off Atzili’s back and crept in.
The second saw Atzili fire a shot into the top corner after a bright run and pass by team-mate Frantzdy Pierrot.
What it means is that Juve remain on three points from four matches after they had beaten the same opponents 3-1 at the Allianz Stadium last week.
That group is topped by PSG who were held at home by Benfica.
That was not the main talking point, however.
That came hours before kick-off when it emerged that star man Kylian Mbappe is unhappy in the French capital and wants to leave in January, although the club has no intention of selling the forward after he signed a new three-year contract in May.
Mbappe had been expected to leave for Real Madrid in the summer but stunned the Spanish club by committing his future to the team he joined from Monaco in 2017.
Having said all of that, he has maintained his hot streak and that continued against the Portuguese with a 39th-minute penalty which was his 12th goal in 13 outings this term.
The SBOTOP Champions League 2022 betting odds make PSG one of the favourites for this tournament but, despite being runaway favourites in Ligue 1, the Parisians’ outlay means they will be judged in Europe and Mbappe holds their best chance of success – even if they have the genius of Lionel Messi and Brazilian Neymar.
Chelsea’s Jorginho celebrates scoring their first goal with Ben Chilwell
The final word of the night goes to Chelsea.
A week ago they put injury-hit Milan to the sword at Stamford Bridge.
Now here was another example of the difference between the two clubs.
For so long, Milan were the best, most attractive team in Europe and then, when new money arrived in the game, Chelsea became a destination that was as attractive for many of those who had previously plied their trade in Europe’s top clubs – the most notable move for me saw Marcel Desailly turn out for the Blues just four years after being imperious in Milan’s 1994 Champions League triumph.
The gulf was clear again once Mason Mount bustled his way into the Milan box and was tugged by former team-mate Fikayo Tomori.
Mount stayed on his feet and, while a penalty was perhaps the right call, it seemed extremely harsh that Tomori was shown a straight red card.
He and Milan were livid, Italian international Jorginho calmly rolled the spot-kick into the bottom left, and the Italian champions’ game was up.
That was clear before the break when Mateo Kovacic teamed up with Mount whose first-time ball was intended for Raheem Sterling only for the England man to leave the ball for Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, who emphatically sidefooted home the second.
In that moment, Chelsea were back in control of Group E and the 2021 champions of Europe are recovering from a far from convincing start.
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Barcelona’s Champions League hopes are still just about alive after two late goals from Robert Lewandowski gave them a 3-3 draw with Inter Milan.
92,000 fans packed into the Camp Nou witnessed a ding-dong battle which leaves Barca needing two wins from their final two games to give them much hope of advancing. This match was billed by my SBOTOP colleague as a must-win for Barcelona and, after dominating the first half with 15 shots to three and five to two on target, the Blaugrana finally broke through when Ousmane Dembele got on the end of a Sergi Roberto cross to poke home the opener.
But Inter came out fighting after the break and were level within five minutes when Nicolo Barella converted a cross from Alessandro Bastoni. And I Nerazzurri turned the tie on its head just after the hour when Hakan Calhanoglu passed to Lautaro Martinez and the Argentine striker fired home. Barcelona threw everything at Inter and finally Lewandowski struck with fewer than ten minutes on the clock.
But as the Blaugrana pushed for the winner they were hit again as Robin Gosens fired home on 89 minutes. It seemed like Barca were doomed to be six points behind I Nerazzurri with two games left, but Lewy powered home an injury-time header to save the day.
Keep an eye on Napoli
The most prolific club on the continent right now has to be Napoli, who are storming Serie A and ripping up Group A of the Champions League with four wins from four with a goal difference of +13.
After whacking Ajax 6-1 on their home turf last week, the Azzurri set about the Dutch Champions again on Wednesday night going 2-0 ahead with just 16 minutes on the clock. Mexican striker Hirving Lozano opened the scoring on four minutes, nodding home a clever ball from Piotr Zielinski and then the in-form Giacomo Raspadori made it two, smashing his shot into the top corner.
Another Napoli high achiever, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, assisted that goal and then scored his own from the penalty spot, but not before Davy Klaassen had headed Ajax back into contention. Steven Bergwijn made it interesting on 83 minutes when he stroked home a penalty for Ajax, but the fit-again Victor Osimhen made it 4-2 to send Napoli through to the Round of 16.
Luciano Spalletti’s side are the new favourites to win the 2022/23 Scudetto and the Champions League 2022 betting odds are shifting towards Naples too.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their sixth goal against Rangers
Roberto Firmino, who is top scoring in the league for Liverpool, made a start and levelled on 24 minutes with a glancing header from a corner. Then, early in the second half, the in-form Brazilian made it 2-1 to Liverpool, converting a cross from Joe Gomez. Firmino is a class act and he set up the third with a clever back heel to put in Darwin Nunez who finished clinically. Rangers folded and Mo Salah added a fourth for Liverpool with a smart finish …and then a fifth….and then a sixth to bag his hat-trick in six short minutes.
Harvey Elliott made it a magnificent seven and Liverpool fans can look forward to another exciting European journey, while it’s goodbye to sorry Rangers.
Club Brugge finally make the Last 16
Belgian club Brugge battled out a 0-0 draw against Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium to secure a place in the knockout stages for the first time in the club’s history, after nine previous attempts. Former Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet made a number of good saves to keep the Rojiblancos at bay. Atletico’s own hopes of progression now hang in the balance and they need two wins from their final two games to give themselves a good chance.
It could have been worse for Atleti, who were saved from conceding a first-half penalty by VAR, and the Belgian side finished with ten men as Kamal Sowah saw red on 83 minutes.
With 21 shots to five and nine to one on target, Los Rojiblancos will see this as a missed opportunity but the celebrations will be going on in Brugges well into the night.
In tonight’s other Champions League 2022 results Tottenham Hotspur beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 to go top of Group D.
Daichi Kamada gave the Eagles an early lead but it was wiped out by Son just minutes later when he was put through by Kane. The England skipper made it 2-1 from the penalty spot and Son made it three with a sublime left-foot volley before the break. Champions League debutant Faride Alidou scored a late goal to make it a tense last five minutes, but Spurs hung on and their fans are toasting that prolific pair of Son and Kane.
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Europa League: Can Arsenal Break Bodo/Glimt’s Home Win Streak?
Bodo/Glimt vs Arsenal
Arsenal are on quite a roll at the moment. They’re still atop the Premier League thanks to three wins on the bounce, including two against top rivals. And the Gunners will be aiming for their third straight win in the Europa League when they face Bodo/Glimt, whom they dispatched 3-0 last week.
Another victory against Bodo/Glimt would further strengthen Arsenal’s grip on top spot in Group A as they seek to advance to the Europa League round of 16.
However, the Norwegian champions have been on an amazing winning run at home in European competitions, and they will be confident they can defy the Europa League 2022 betting odds against the Premier League leaders.
Talking Points
Arsenal attack firing on all cylinders
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta gives instruction during their Europa League match against Bodo/Glimt
There’s no doubt that Arsenal are among the form teams in Europe at the moment. Since suffering their first – and thus far only – loss of the season against Manchester United, Arsenal have reeled off five straight wins, including their first two Europa League group games.
Mikel Arteta has his side humming along, particularly in attack. They have scored three goals in each of their last four games, which includes their 3-0 rout of Bodo/Glimt at the Emirates.
Gabriel Jesus, who has turned out to be a phenomenal signing, has played his part in the Gunners’ current purple patch. The Brazilian has scored two goals – one in big their 3-1 derby win over Spurs – and provided an assist during that four-game winning streak.
But the beauty of Arsenal at the moment is that everybody seems to be contributing. They have had nine different goalscorers over their last four games. Fabio Vieira is tied with Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka with two goals during that time as the young Portuguese midfielder is settling well to life in London.
Vieira provided plenty of Europa League 2022 highlights in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Bodo/Glimt last week as he got a goal and provided an assist. He has started both of the Gunners’ Europa League games thus far and will almost surely keep his place.
Arteta has fielded the same starting XI in each of the team’s first two Europa League games as he’s given fringe players like Eddie Nketiah, Marquinhos, and Rob Holding a run out. And given how effective that eleven has played, expect Arteta to stick with that winning formula.
Bodo/Glimt still battling
After two years at the top of the Eliteserien, Bodo/Glimt’s reign as Norwegian champions looks set to come to an end. They are 15 points behind runaway leaders Molde with five rounds remaining.
Nevertheless, the Norwegian champions are still giving it their all. They beat Sandefjord 4-1 over the weekend, their second 4-1 win in a row.
Forward Amahl Pellegrino and midfielder Hugo Vetlesen are both in fine form at the moment. Pellegrino, the Eliteserien’s leading scorer with 21 goals, has two in his last two league games, while Vetlesen has three in his last two.
Pellegrino was instrumental in Bodo/Glimt’s terrific run to the Europa Conference League quarter-finals last season as he scored five goals. And he also did all he could to fire Bodo/Glimt to the Champions League this season as he scored four goals in seven qualifying matches. Although, he has yet to find the back of the net in this Europa League campaign.
Arsenal and Bodo/Glimt met for the very first time last week, and it did not go too well for the Norwegian champions. The Gunners ran out 3-0 winners thanks to goals from Eddie Nketiah, Rob Holding, and Fabio Vieira.
However, Bodo/Glimt are a different proposition at the Aspmyra Stadium. They have won 14 straight home games in European competition, the longest run in Europe since Barcelona’s 15-game win streak which ended in March 2017.
Bodo/Glimt famously beat Jose Mourinho’s Roma twice at home in last season’s Conference League. The first was Bodo/Glimt’s famous 6-1 win during the group stage, and the second was a 2-1 win in their quarter-final first leg.
SBOTOP odds have Arsenal installed as 1.43 favourites to end Bodo/Glimt’s impressive winning run at home. The hosts are priced at 4.90 to extend their home win streak to 15, while a draw is similarly priced at 4.70.
Despite Arsenal’s dominance in their first meeting, don’t underestimate Bodo/Glimt. As their impressive win streak shows, they are quite a tough out at home, so Arsenal’s second-stringers will not have it their own way.
I expect that the hosts will be able to keep it relatively tight for the first half, although Arsenal’s ability to bring on their stars as second-half substitutes could see them squeak out a win in the end.
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Europa League: Playing at Old Trafford Might Overwhelm Omonia
Manchester United vs Omonia
Following their first-ever competitive meeting, Manchester United will head back home to Old Trafford to host Omonia for the reverse fixture of their Europa League group stage matchup this Thursday.
The visitors may have lost 3-2 to the Red Devils in a close contest last week, but they surely gave them a scare when they had the upper hand in the first half courtesy of Karim Ansarifard.
Erik ten Hag made changes in his starting XI during half-time and it paid off as Marcus Rashford had a brace and Anthony Martial added one more before Nikolas Panayiotou tallied the consolation goal for the Cypriot side.
Both teams are keen to grab this win as Manchester United are looking to put pressure on top seeded Real Sociedad, while Omonia wouldn’t want to finish winless after the group stage.
They had no business losing to Omonia in Cyprus so beating them isn’t surprising. And then it was a memorable night at Merseyside for Antony, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Victor Lindelof days later.
Ronaldo was brought in earlier than usual after Anthony Martial limped off and he delivered No. 700 right before half-time to essentially seal the deal for the Red Devils. Victory for Manchester United has moved them up to fifth at the Premier League table.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has now scored 26 goals since returning to Old Trafford last summer, extending his overall total at the club to 144. He also scored 450 at Real Madrid, 101 at Juventus, and five at Sporting.
With Anthony Martial likely to face another spell in the sidelines, Erik ten Hag might consider starting Ronaldo, or even Jadon Sancho up front alongside Marcus Rashford and Antony.
Nine goals conceded from their last three games across all competitions is a concern for the Red Devils, although injuries played a role in that.
Raphael Varane returned from his one-game absence in the closing stages during their victory against Everton. The Frenchman will rekindle his centre-half partnership with Lisandro Martinez, putting Victor Lindelof back on the bench.
Furthermore, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire, Axel Tuanzebe, Brandon Williams, and Donny van de Beek are the other notable injuries for Erik ten Hag’s side.
Omonia desperate for a win
Omonia are still without a single point because of their lacklustre Europa League 2022 results, so the best that they can do is to try and usurp Sheriff Tiraspol for a berth in the Europa Conference League.
Neil Lennon’s side recently lost 1-0 to AEL in the Cypriot First Division, which marked their fourth loss in their last five away games, so they’re not exactly confident heading into Old Trafford.
Omonia’s Karim Ansarifard celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates against Manchester United
It doesn’t help them either that first choice goalkeeper Fabiano – who was one of their best players in the reverse fixture against the Red Devils – was taken off the pitch after 57 minutes versus AEL due to a shoulder knock.
With him doubtful to play, backup Konstantinos Panagi should take his place between the sticks.
History
Manchester United cannot afford to let their guard down since they’ve lost their last two home matches in Europe, against Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid. They’ve never lost three continental home games in a row.
Thursday marks Omonia’s third European away game after losing their last two against Arsenal (1994-95) and Manchester City (2008-09). Overall, Omonia are winless in 17 away games in major European competitions (D3, L14) and have only won twice in their last 36 road games at this level.
No Cypriot side has ever won away to a Premier League side in European competition (D2, L6).
The SBOTOP Europa League 2022 odds are stacked against the visitors as Manchester United are installed to win 1.10, while Omonia are priced at 10.50 and chances for a draw are at 8.50 in the 1X2 market.
The Red Devils are expected to put on a more spirited display since they’re playing at home. And because they’re now aware of what their visitors are capable of, they should be able to have a better start than they did last week.
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Fenerbahce top the group by a solitary goal following a penalty 10 minutes from time from former Premier League man Michy Batshuayi which saw off Larnaca. He had also been on target in their home win against the same opponents a week ago.
Group C is still too close to call and it took a second half equaliser from Andrea Belotti to earn Roma a point against Real Betis whose last-gasp goal sank them in the Italian capital last Thursday.
This time the Italians were able to claim a draw by cancelling out Sergio Canales’ 34th minute opener which was somewhat fortuitous when the strike from distance took a massive deflection off Roger Ibanez to completely wrong-foot ex-Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio.
There was tension around the equaliser as, at first, the offside flag was up again when Belotti tapped in a ball rolled across by substitute Mady Camara but, after a very long wait, VAR confirmed Camara was level.
That’s how it ended but Roma have far more to do than Betis who are almost home n’ hosed.
My match of the night was between two sides who are nowhere near the leading teams when it comes to the Europa League betting odds.
Yet for the second time in eight days, they were at the centre of the drama.
Last time out, Gustaf Nilsson netted twice, four minutes from time and in the fourth minute of stoppage time, to earn Union Saint-Gilloise a 2-1 win at Braga.
This time they shared the points in a six-goal thriller.
Vitor Manuel Carvalho Oliveira was the hero with a first half hat-trick which earned the Portuguese visitors a 3-1 interval advantage.
Union Saint-Gilloise are nothing but determined though and fought back, helped by a Victor Boniface double, to earn a 3-3 draw and keep them top of the standings in Group D.
Just like Betis, Spanish compatriots Real Sociedad are in pole position in Group E after maintaining their 100 per cent record and sealing their qualification with two games to spare as Alexander Sorloth, Diego Rico and Robert Navarro scored the goals to see off minnows Sheriff – their cause not helped by the 33rd minute dismissal of Armel Zohouri.
Group F remains delicately poised and there were Europa League highlights in Holland as Danish visitors FC Midtjylland held Feyenoord to a 2-2 draw, a score matched in Italy as the Austrians of Sturm Graz twice came from behind at Lazio.
Defender William Boving was their hero with a second half double, the second equaliser seven minutes from time as he cut inside from the right on the edge of the area and drilled a left-footed shot into the near bottom corner.
Not bad for a teenager who only came on at the break!
All the teams in the group are on five points.
Three goals in the final 19 minutes helped Freiburg to a resounding 4-0 success at Nantes to seal their progress from Group G, while there was an identical score in Group H where Monaco – Champions League semi-finalists as recently as 2017 – were thrashed by the Turks of Trabzonspor.
At Old Trafford, my Sbotop colleague suggested that the Cypriots of Omonia Nicosia could be overwhelmed, yet the performance of stand-in goalkeeper, Nigerian international Francis Uzoho, was so emphatic that even Cristiano Ronaldo was smiling with disbelief as dominant Manchester United were thwarted.
Time and time again he kept out the dominant hosts and, on the rare occasion he was beaten, Brazilian Casemiro struck the crossbar.
Manchester United’s Scott McTominay celebrates scoring against Omonia with Marcus Rashford
Then, in the third minute of stoppage time, substitutes Jordan Sancho and Scott McTominay combined and, after the former twisted and turned in the box and delivered into the danger zone, the Scottish midfielder rifled the ball home firm and low.
It was hard not to feel for the superb Uzoho (a Manchester United fan!) and his team-mates, urged on by passionate fans, and they seemed set to claim the most famous result in their history until United finally made their pressure count.
Back in two weeks for more Thursday night football!
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Champions League: The Frontrunners for the Golden Boot
We’re two matchdays away from wrapping up the Champions League group stage and the race for the Golden Boot is getting tight. Robert Lewandowski, Erling Haaland, and Mohamed Salah are leading the pack with five goals apiece, while four other standouts have notched four goals each.
Haaland and Salah’s goals are the main reasons why Manchester City and Liverpool are going to advance to the knockout stages, and probably make a deep run into this tournament.
Meanwhile, Lewandowski is having a solid campaign individual-wise but that hasn’t translated to success for his team Barcelona. The Catalan giants are in danger of dropping down to the Europa League as groupmates Bayern Munich and Inter Milan have taken the top spots in Group C.
Without further ado, continue to read on below as SBOTOP reviews the pacesetters for the Golden Boot award.
Robert Lewandowski
The Pole hasn’t skipped a beat since moving to Barca this summer. Many wondered on whether his success in the Bundesliga could translate in Spain, but he has been living up to the hype thus far.
Just like in Bayern Munich, Robert Lewandowski is the team’s top scorer with 14 goals and three assists, with five of those goals coming in the Champions League.
Lewy unloaded on poor Viktoria Plzen in their first Champions League group stage game by notching a hat-trick. Unfortunately, they couldn’t score against his old team Bayern Munich and versus Inter Milan.
The 34-year-old got back on the scoring column in their 3-3 draw against Inter Milan last Thursday, and those two goals were needed for the Blaugrana to salvage a point.
Barcelona would need to win against Bayern Munich and Viktoria Plzen in their remaining group stage games. But even if they do, their Champions League fate is no longer within their full control.
The likeliest scenario is that they’ll be back in the Europa League for the second consecutive season so Robert Lewandowski will not be in the Champions League Golden Boot race eventually.
But with much lower quality of competition there, he should continue to deliver more goals for the Catalan giants to give them a realistic shot of winning silverware this season besides La Liga.
Erling Haaland has been a godsend to Manchester City. At the rate he’s going right now, we won’t be surprised if he’ll breach the 50-goal threshold across all competitions at the end of this season.
He’s the team’s outright scoring leader with 20 goals and three assists, with five of them coming in the Champions League.
Haaland registered a brace in their 4-0 beatdown against Sevilla in the opener, and he also scored the go-ahead goal to beat his former employers Borussia Dortmund in their come-from-behind 2-1 victory.
The Norwegian also tallied a brace against Copenhagen for their 5-0 win earlier this month, but Manchester City were surprisingly held to a goalless draw in their reverse fixture last week.
Still, the Sky Blues are in great shape to advance to the knockout stages because of their positive Champions League 2022 results and they remain as one of the favourites according to the Champions League 2022 odds.
If Manchester City finally win it all this season, it would likely be on the back of a Golden Boot-calibre campaign from Erling Haaland.
Mohamed Salah
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their 5th goal against Rangers in their recent Champions League match
Liverpool may have struggled in the Premier League this season, but so far they haven’t in the Champions League. The Reds are currently eighth in the English top-flight table with 13 points, while in the Champions League, they’re second behind Napoli in Group A with nine points.
Mohamed Salah is one of the main reasons why Liverpool are having a strong Champions League campaign. He is their leading scorer with nine goals across all competitions, with five of them coming in this particular tournament.
After losing 4-1 to Napoli in the opener, the Reds won three consecutive group stage matches against Ajax and Rangers (twice).
Salah found the back of the net once against Ajax, and then he went on to score four versus the Scottish Premiership side – which includes an impressive seven-minute hat-trick in their 7-1 demolition job last Thursday.
The Egyptian also scored the marginal goal during their recent win against Manchester City at Anfield to put an end to their winless drought in the Premier League. That victory might prove to be a pivotal moment for them moving forward.
Even if they’re not in their best form right now, don’t sleep on Liverpool since they’re still a force to be reckoned with.
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