Best Champions League Predictions in Round of 16, Leg 2

This week marks the return of the UEFA Champions League, as we are now down to the final 16 teams remaining in the tournament. It has been quite the path to get to this point given that the tournament is now operating under a new format, but with the league and the playoff games out of the way, we can now focus on the knockout phase of the tournament.

There are 8 matchups in all, with each of them set to be played over 2 legs, with each team getting a game at home and away. The aggregate score over the 2 games determines the winner. Now that we know the format, let’s take a look at the upcoming games, after which we will talk about the odds for the tournament as a whole.

Breaking Down the Round of 16 in the Best Champions League Predictions

For this portion of the piece, we are going to take a quick look at each of the 8 matchups. We will look at how each team got to this point, while also trying to pick who will move on and who will see their Champions League dream come to an end.

Club Brugge +186 vs Aston Villa +135 Draw (+240)

Seeing Brugge at this stage of the proceedings is sure to be a little surprising to some. They failed to land in the top 8 in the league phase and had to go into the playoff, where most fans and pundits expected them to crash out to Atalanta.

Brugge won 5-2 over the 2 legs and will be looking for another scalp here. Villa had some nice wins on their way to a top 8 finish, including a memorable 1-0 win over Bayern Munich. Their form of late has not been particularly great, but I would still think that they are good enough to get the win and move on.

Borussia Dortmund -150 vs Lille +380 Draw (+285)

During the league phase of the tournament, there was just a single point separating these two teams, but that extra point was enough to get Lille into the top 8, while Dortmund had to go the playoff route, taking out Sporting with a 3-0 win over the 2 legs.

Lille is going to need to try and shake off a 41 loss to PSG this past weekend, while Dortmund have been in very good form over the past few weeks. This could be a close one, but I like Dortmund to move on.

PSV +275 vs Arsenal -103 Draw (+240)

On the face of it, this looks to be something of a mismatch, but with the issues Arsenal currently have, perhaps we might see a surprise. PSV did stun Juventus in the playoff to get to this point, while Arsenal cruised to a top 8 finish and the automatic berth.

Arsenal have some serious issues with injuries to their attackers and goals have been hard to come by, but I still think they win this matchup.

Real Madrid -113 vs Atletico Madrid +300 Draw (+246)

This is easily one of the best matchups in the Round of 16, with the defending champions going against their city rivals. Real Madrid had to go the playoff route, taking out Manchester City, to get here, while Atletico made it into the top 8.

The last 3 meetings between these teams has ended in a tie, so expect a tight affair. Real Madrid’s experience in this tournament might be enough to carry them through.

JOIN NOW

Best Champions League Predictions provided by MyBookie

Feyenoord +440 vs Inter -185 Draw (+320)

Feyenoord made it to this point with another surprise win. They made it into the playoff by the skin of their teeth and then upset AC Milan in the last round, winning 1-0 over the 2 legs.

It will be another Milan team up next, but this one seems a good deal tougher, as Inter landed in the top 4 in the league phase and were defensively solid. I like Inter to move on comfortably.

Bayern Munich -132 vs Leverkusen +320 Draw (+280)

Munich has themselves a bit of a scare to get to this point, scoring a last-minute goal against Celtic in the playoff game to get here. Their reward is a matchup with a Leverkusen team that they are all too familiar with, given that they both play in the Bundesliga.

Leverkusen has either won or drawn their last 6 meetings with Bayern Munich, so I think they have the slightest edge in this one.

Benfica +260 vs Barcelona -120 Draw (+310)

You hate to be this harsh, but I think that if Benfica has any chance of getting through this matchup, they need to win their home leg and then head to Barcelona to cling on for dear life.

When you consider the attacking firepower that Barcelona has at their disposal, though, this seems like a bridge too far. I think Barcelona moves into the next round with very little trouble.

PSG +135 vs Liverpool +166 Draw (+275)

A couple of years ago, this might have been the glamor tie of the round, but PSG has taken a bit of a backward step in that time. They had t go the playoff route to get here, but they comfortably handled Brest to move on.

Liverpool are flying high atop the EPL and cruised to the #1 spot in the Champions League. They are the clear and deserved favorites to win and move on.

Best Champions League Predictions: What Are the Current Champions League Odds?

Now that we have covered the next round of games and made predictions for each, it’s time to start thinking about the tournament as a whole. Here are the current Champions League odds, keeping in mind that these will likely change after the first leg games have been played in the Round of 16:

Real Madrid +340
Barcelona +410
Liverpool +550
Arsenal +600

As you can see, Real Madrid is back in as the favorite after beating Manchester City, but their form has been unpredictable this season. I have chosen Liverpool all along and am not about to change that pick. They look solid form top to bottom and have not really had any slumps this season, which makes them incredibly dangerous.