Week 2 of Champions League Round of 16 sees four European giants take the field across Wednesday and Thursday morning.
Today’s matches see the might of Manchester City take on the German Cinderella story Borussia Monchengladbach while the class of Madrid faces off with emerging giants Atalanta.
Time to get serious…
atalanta v real madrid
february 25th 7:00am
An enthralling contest awaits as Champions League underdogs Atalanta face the might and power of European giant Real Madrid on Thursday morning.
Atalanta continued its impressive run in the Champions League after qualifying out of Group D to make it the second consecutive year it has not only made the competition but qualified out of the group stage.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, topped its group after a slow start to proceedings.
The 10 points Madrid managed in Group B was enough to see it through but Atalanta will not prove easy beats for Zinedine Zidane’s squad.
Atalanta’s meteoric rise through European football has seen its fanbase eager to improve on the quarter-final heartbreak of last season.
The timing for Atalanta to play Real Madrid seems perfect with Los Blancos suffering from a host of injuries to huge names in the build up to the match.
Karim Benzema, Dani Carvajal, Eden Hazard, Marcelo and Sergio Ramos are all set to miss this tie and as such it presents a huge opportunity for Atalanta to get ahead.
Prediction: Atalanta 2 Real Madrid 1
Suggested Bet: Atalanta head to head at $2.30
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1 Atalanta Win
Leg 2 Total Goals under 4.5
Leg 3 Each Team over 2.5 Corners
Combined Odds = $3.8
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH V MANCHESTER CITY
february 25TH 7:00Am
With its incredible unbeaten run now extending to 25 matches, Manchester City now travels to Hungary in preparation for its Champions League Round of 16 first leg tie against Borussia Monchengladbach.
Pep Guardiola’s men will look to continue their venture towards a maiden Champions League trophy: a feat that has alluded City in its 141-year history.
City remained undefeated through the group stage and topped Group C with five wins and a draw from its six games, while Monchengladbach clawed its way to the knockout stage progressing out of Group B on goal difference.
It is the first time Monchengladbach have competed in the Champions League knockout phase but the sentiment may be short-lived.
Having to face a squad worth well over $1 billion (AUD) would be like attempting to climb Everest for Monchengladbach: a task that is near impossible.
Monchengladbach would need to produce something special to pinch a result here having not won a league game in its last four fixtures.
With City coming into this match after a cruisy one-nil over victory over Arsenal and very little injury concerns all signs point to a comfortable win for Pep’s men.
Monchengladbach appears to have no injury or suspension concerns to contend with either ahead of the trip to Budapest.
Breel Embolo is likely to start in attack and may pose a threat in behind Man City’s defence, with Denis Zakaria also likely to come into the starting lineup.
It would be one of the biggest upsets in recent Champions League history if Monchengladbach win this but we’re expecting a comfortable City win.
Prediction: Borussia Monchengladbach 0 Manchester City 3
Suggested Bet: Manchester City to win to nil $1.9
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1 Manchester City head to head
Leg 2 Total goals scored over 2.5
Leg 3 Raheem Sterling to score anytime
Combined odds = $2.4
