The Champions League returns this week with the Round of 16, which includes some rather mouth-watering ties. Tuesday and Wednesday will see the first legs of 4 games, while the other 4 games will be set to go next week. We are in for a full month of exciting soccer betting action to determine which 8 teams will be moving on, and while a couple of the match-ups look straightforward in terms of handicapping and wagering, there are a few that are going to be tough.
One of the tougher match-ups sees defending Champions League winners Real Madrid go against the billionaires of Paris St. Germain. It’s the team with a rich European history going against the new money of European football, with PSG spending an absolute fortune, and also doing some rather creative accounting, to build a formidable squad. That money was spent with the sole purpose of winning the Champions League, and this will be the first real test for PSG in this competition. We may not find out whether it was money well spent in the first leg, but we will get a good idea over the course of the two games, so let’s check which team offers the best value at the latest UCL betting odds.
They will be aware, though, that this Madrid side has looked a little wobbly on defense this season, so perhaps PSG will try to come out and get an early one before settling into a more defensive. They are certainly capable of grabbing a valuable away goal, as they scored 25 goals in just 6 games in the Group Stage.
Real Madrid vs. PSG Expert Soccer Betting Preview & Pick
👌 That pass by @GarethBale11… …that finish by @isco_alarcon 🎯 pic.twitter.com/PjC7ynPha9
— Real Madrid C.F.🇺🇸🇬🇧 (@realmadriden) 12 de febrero de 2018
- When: Wednesday, February 14 at 2:45 PM EST
- Where: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
- TV: FS1
- Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
- Soccer Betting Odds: Real Madrid +137 (Over/Under at 3.5 goals)
Key Factors
- Clubs have met on six occasions: two wins apiece
- Real Madrid unbeaten in 17 European home games
- Cristiano Ronaldo group stage top scorer with nine goals
- PSG scored record 25 goals in group stage
- Dani Carvajal serves suspension in the first leg
Why bet on Real Madrid?
Real Madrid has been a shadow of their former self this season, sitting in 4th in La Liga and finishing second in the Group Stage of the Champions League behind Tottenham. It is beginning to look as though they will stay in the top 4 in the league, which would mean an automatic berth in this competition next season, but this is a team that is not accustomed to not winning any silverware. They have been losing games that they would never have lost in the last 5 seasons or more and have simply not looked very good at times. That said, this is still a very dangerous squad, as witnessed by their 5-2 dismantling of Real Sociedad over the weekend. They also had 4-1 and 7-1 victories in their last 5 games, so perhaps they are beginning to round into some form. As far as this game goes, it must be noted that Madrid has gone unbeaten in their last 17 Champions League home games.Team Statistics
- Games Played: 6
- Won: 4
- Draw: 1
- Lost: 1
- Scored Goals: 17
- Conceded Goals: 7
Possible Line-Up
- 1-K. Navas
- 12-Marcelo
- 6-Nacho
- 4-S. Ramos
- 5-R. Varane
- 10-L. Modrić
- 8-T. Kroos
- 14-Casemiro
- 7-C. Ronaldo
- 9-K. Benzema
- 11-G. Bale
Why bet on PSG?
PSG have spent a lot of money to put together what is arguably the greatest attacking force in world football. They have Neymar, Mbappe, and Cavani all capable of sticking the ball in the net with stunning regularity, although you wonder how much attacking football PSG will put on display in the opening leg. This is a game where they are likely to sit back and soak up some pressure, looking too hot on the break when the opportunity presents itself.
They will be aware, though, that this Madrid side has looked a little wobbly on defense this season, so perhaps PSG will try to come out and get an early one before settling into a more defensive. They are certainly capable of grabbing a valuable away goal, as they scored 25 goals in just 6 games in the Group Stage.
Team Statistics
- Games Played: 6
- Won: 5
- Draw: 0
- Lost: 1
- Scored Goals: 25
- Conceded Goals: 4
Possible Line-Up
- 16-A. Areola
- 32-D. Alves
- 2-T. Silva
- 20-L. Kurzawa
- 5-Marquinhos
- 8-T. Motta
- 6-M. Verratti
- 25-A. Rabiot
- 9-E. Cavani
- 10-Neymar
- 29-K. Mbappé
