European heavyweights go toe to toe when the Champions League enters the Quarter-Final phase of the tournament.
Alll the big names and guns take to the park for the first leg of their respective fixtures as the BetDeluxe crew find all the best bets.
Manchester city vs. Atletico Madrid
april 6th 5:00am
Having already seen off one Manchester-based outfit this season, Atletico Madrid travel to the Etihad to face Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday morning.
Pep Guardiola’s side made it past Sporting Lisbon 5-0 on aggregate in the last 16, while the La Liga champions edged past the Red Devils 2-1 to make it to the quarters.
Kyle Walker’s “stupid” red card, as dubbed by Guardiola, means City have a selection headache in the back four.
Walker sent off in the group stage against RB Leipzig, with the right-back serving the final game of a three-match ban on Wednesday.
A hamstring injury to Rueben Dias will keep him sidelined, but John Stones is expected to be fit.
Diego Simeone’s men will sense a big opprtunity to pinch a result at the Etihad.
Thier defensive unit is amongst one of the best in world football and can certainly frustrate this talent-laden City squad.
This may sound mad, but Atletico could put itself in prime position to qualify.
With City eyeing off Liverpool in a week’s time, in a fixture which could determine the outcome of the Premier League, Madrid might catch City off guard.
Prediction: Manchester City 1 Atletico Madrid 1
Suggested Bets: Draw at $4.75
benfica vs. liverpool
april 6th 5:00am
Having been handed one of the most favourable most favourable Champions League draws, Liverpool travels to the Estadio da Luz for the first leg of their quarter-final with Benfica.
The Reds dumped Inter Milan out of the tournament 2-1 on aggregate to make it this far, while Nelson Verissimo’s side claimed a 3-2 win against Ajax over two legs.
Seeing Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool as your next opponent is never a great sight, especially coming off a disappointing domestic loss.
Benfica has a nine-game unbeaten brought to a halt after being down 3-2 by Braga.
Liverpool will be sensing blood here.
There were a host injury concerns for the Reds heading into this fixture, but most of those have been dispelled.
Despite looking unlikely, Trent Alexander-Arnold could line up after recovering from a hamstring nibble, while Joel Matip and Naby Keita are all presumed fit.
Expecting Liverpool take full control and head back to Anfield with a handy buffer.
Prediction: Benfica 1 Liverpool 3
Suggested Bet:
Total goals over 2.5 at $1.58
M. Salah first goalscorer at $3.40
real madrid vs. chelsea
april 7th 5:00am
Big spenders, big names and big egos meet on Thursday morning.
In a wash, rinse, repeat of the 2020-21 Champions League semi-finals, Chelsea and Real Madrid now lock horns in the last eight, with the first leg taking place at Stamford Bridge.
Thomas Tuchel’s side made it past Ligue 1 champions Lille 4-1 on aggregate to book their spot in the quarters, while Carlo Ancelotti’s men produced a phenomenal comeback against Paris Saint-Germain.
Karim Benzema hit a famous hattrick to bundle out PSG and will be heading the front line for Ancelotti again.
Former Chelsea star Eden Hazard will be forced to miss out on a reunion with his old mates after undergoing a fibular operation.
Keeping clean sheets at Stamford Bridge has not be a major issue for Tuchel in the Champions League this season.
But Madrid is different beast to anything Chelsea has faced.
Going for an upset here.
Prediction: Chelsea 1 Real Madrid 2
Suggested Bet: Real Madrid head to head at $3.80
villareal vs. bayern munich
april 7th 5:00am
After producing a memorable upset victory against the odds, Villarreal will hunt another memorable European scalp when Bayern Munich travels to the Estadio de la Ceramica for the first leg of their quarter-final tie.
Unai Emery led his troops to a famous round of 16 win over Juventus and is now faced with might and power of a German Goliath.
Bayern swept aside Red Bull Salzburg with consummate ease and is considered one of the favourites to take out the tournament.
For all the brilliance VIllareal has produced in Europe this season, Emery has watched over back-to-back league defeats.
It is not the ideal preparation, but his squad might just have had its eyes firmly planted on this fixture.
The problem for Emery is that nothing ever really phases a team like Munich.
There seems to be only way this leg will end of Julian Nagelsmann’s free-scoring crop… a big win.
Prediction: Villareal 1 Bayern Munich 4
Suggested Bet: Bayern Munich head to head at $1.57
