FC Barcelona and Lyon will both be looking to pull off huge upsets in their respective Champions League showdowns when they square off in their respective Champions League showdowns on Friday and Saturday, August and 14 and 15 respectively. With both clubs decisive underdogs as they get set to take on Bayern Munich and Manchester City respectively.
Let’s find out where the best soccer betting value lies in both matchups.
FC Barcelona (5-3-0) vs. Bayern Munich (8-0-0)
When: Friday, August 14, 2020 at 3:00 PM ET
Where: Estadio da Luz
Champions League Odds
FC Barcelona +239
Bayern Munich -108
Draw: +294
Total: 3½
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Why Bet on Barcelona?
Barca has won two straight and five of their last six matches overall, although their stunning 2-1 upset loss against Osasuna on July 16 cost them a shot at this year’s La Liga title. Still, Barcelona finished second to real Madrid by going 25-7-6 and scoring a league-high 86 goals while allowing just 38. Barcelona comes into this affair off a convincing 3-1 win over Napoli in their Round of 16 matchup on Saturday. Superstar striker Lionel Messi scored in the 23rd minute after Clément Lenglet found the back of the net at the 10-minute mark. Luis Suárez finished off Barca’s scoring with a goal at the 45-minute mark. Suarez has scored four goals for Barcelona in the Champions League while Messi added three goals and three assists. The Red and Blues have scored a modest nine goals in six Champions League matches while allowing four goals defensively. The bad news is that Umtiti, Dembele, and Todibo are all injured for this affair while Braithwaite is ineligible to play in the Champions League. Not only that, but Messi, Vidal, and Suarez are all in danger of suspensions if they concede another yellow card.
Why Bet on Bayern?
Bayern is the only undefeated team in Champions League play (6-0-0). The Bavarians come into this clash fresh off a 4-1 rout of Chelsea in their Round of 16 matchup on Saturday. Superstar team leader Robert Lewandowski scored a pair of goals to lead the way to victory while Ivan Perisic and Crentin Tolisso both added solo goals. Bayern has scored a mind-boggling 24 goals in six Champions League matches while allowing just five goals defensively. Lewandowski leads all Champions League players with 13 goals and many believe he, not Lionel Messi, is the best player in the world today. Gnabry has added six goals while Tolisso and Lewandowski both have a team-high four assists. Pavard is the only injured player for Bayern, although reports say he is close to returning.
Expert Analysis and Prediction
Bayern recorded a 3-2 home win the last time these two met back in 2015 and the Bavarians have gone a commanding 3-1-1 in five meetings dating back to 2009. Sure, these aren’t the same teams that met five years ago, but Bayern is clearly the far better team at both ends of the pitch. While Barca still has one of the world’s very best scorers in Messi, so does Bayern with Lewandowski. In the end, Barca just won’t be able to stop a Bayern team that is unbeaten in their last 19 games. I like The Bavarians – and the Over!
Pick: Bayern 3 Barcelona 1
Manchester City (6-2-0) vs. Lyon (3-2-3)
When: Saturday, August 15, 2020 at 3:00 PM ET
Where: Estadio Jose Alvalade
Champions League Odds
Olympique Lyonnais +923
Manchester City -384
Draw: +465
Total: 3
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Manchester City has won three straight, six of eight and eight of their last 10 in all competitions. The Citizens have scored 16 goals in Champions League play while allowing just four goals defensively. Man City comes into this matchup off a hard-fought 2-1 win over Real Madrid on Friday to reach the final eight as Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus offset a Karim Benzema strike for Madrid. Man City went 26-3-9 in Premier League play while scoring a whopping 102 goals and allowing just 35 defensively.
Lyon went an uninspiring 11-7-10 in French Ligue 1 play before the season was suspended to finish seventh with 42 goals scored and 15 allowed. More importantly, The Kids have dropped two straight and come into this affair off a 2-1 loss against Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus in their second leg rematch last Friday after taking the opening leg 1-0 in February. Memphis Depay scored at the 12-minute mark, but Ronaldo scored both goals for Juve to get the win. Still, Lyon advanced 2-2 on aggregate and now, Lyon is seeking their first Champions League semifinal appearance in a decade. While Man City is without without Sergio Aguero, it just won’t matter much in this affair seeing as how the Citizens are completely and utterly better than Lyon at both ends of the pitch. The Over is 2- in the last two meetings between these two and I believe this matchup will result in another Over outcome as Man City wins and dominates.
Free Soccer Pick:
Man City 3 Lyon 1
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