UCL Quarterfinals – Tips and Previews
Benfica vs. Inter Milan
5am, Wednesday
The quarterfinals will officially kick off when Benfica host Inter Milan in Portugal. The home side is currently quoted at $2 with Bet Nation as the market expects them to continue the dominance they showcased in their 7-1 aggregate victory over Club Brugge.
The Portuguese titans have lost just four games this season, but their latest came against Porto on Saturday when they fell 2-1. Despite this, it is worth remembering that Roger Schmidt’s side topped Group H against the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus.
On the other hand, Inter has their own issues, losing 10 games in the Serie A and entering this match on the back of a six-game winless run. Romelu Lukaku will be the key, but if he still can’t fire, expect Benfica to salute in this one.
Manchester City vs. Bayern Munich
5am, Wednesday
Bayern Munich will be the next team tasked with slowing down the Premier League champions, with City currently boasting an eight-game winning streak that includes a 7-0 thrashing of RB Leipzig in the second leg of their Round of 16 clash. It is for this reason that Pep Guardiola’s men enter the game as $1.62 favourites.
Stopping Erling Haaland will be the first of many jobs for Bayern’s defenders, with the Norwegian superstar booting 10 goals in the last three games.
Thomas Tuchel has taken the reins at Bayern following Julian Nagelsmann’s surprise sacking, with his first major assignment preparing his side for this clash. It’s a big ask for Tuchel, Eric Choupo-Moting and co, so we’re siding with the market for this leg.
AC Milan vs. Napoli
5am, Thursday
For the first time since 2005, two Italian sides will clash in the knockout stages of the Champions League. The market suggests it will be a tight battle, with similar playing styles resulting in Serie A leaders Napoli, the favourite at just $2.38.
However, AC Milan will enter their quarter-final clash with a real air of confidence after taking care of their Italian rivals only last week. It was a finishing masterclass from Milan as they recorded 14 shots to 20 yet ran out 4-0 winners on the back of two goals to Rafael Leao and individuals to Brahim Diaz and Alexis Saelemaekers.
While the loss does nothing to the Neapolitans’ standing in Serie A, it will serve as a warning that Milan is not here to make up the numbers. Luciano Spaletti will take a lot of learnings out of last week’s loss, but whether his side can improve enough to bounce back from a 4-0 loss is the question.
Real Madrid vs. Chelsea
5am, Thursday
The market has come for the Spanish giants ahead of this quarterfinal against the Blues, with Real Madrid the shortest-priced favourite of any team at $1.60.
Despite their 3-2 loss to Villarreal on Sunday, Real have pieced together dominant performances since their Round of 16 victory over Liverpool, with wins against Valladolid (6-0) and Barcelona (4-0). Karim Benzema is currently second with 14 goals in La Liga.
It’s been a tough month for Chelsea, having won just one game (vs Leicester City) since their 2-0 victory over Dortmund. Frank Lampard has since returned for his second stint as Blues manager as they continue to struggle to perform despite the abundance of talent in their squad.
