With the 2020 Champions League set to resume play on Friday, August 7, it’s time to delve deep inside the pair of matches that will be going down to kick off a full slate of weekend action. With co-prohibitive favorite Manchester City taking on Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus battling Lyon, let’s find out which teams are offering the best value in their respective matches on Friday afternoon, along with their Champions League odds.
UEFA Champions League Friday Games Analysis and Picks
Manchester City (5-2-0) vs. Real Madrid (3-2-2)
Manchester City is unbeaten in seven Champions League matches. The Citizens come into this affair having won two straight including an emphatic 5-0 smackdown of Norwich City in the Premier League finale on July 26 as Gabriel Jesus, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez all found the back of the net. Man City has put 16 goals on the board in Champions League play while allowing just four goals defensively. Jesus and Sterling have both scored a team-high five goals for City while Mahrez has added four assists. For this clash, superstar Sergio Aguero, Porro, Steffen, and Sandler are all injured and likely will not suit up for the remainder of the 2020 campaign.
La Liga champion Real Madrid is unbeaten in their last 10 matches, but had their winning ways snapped in their 2-2 draw against Leganes in their Spanish league finale on July 19 as Sergio Ramos and Marco Asensio both scored. Real Madrid has scored 14 goals in Champions League lay while allowing eight goals defensively. Rodrygo and Karim Benzema have both scored a team-high four goals for Real Madrid in the Champions League this season while Ramos added 2 goals. Diaz is injured for this clash while Ramos is suspended because of a red card the last time out.
- When: Friday, August 7, 2020 at 3:00 PM ET
- Where: Etihad Stadium
- Money Lines: Real Madrid +407 / Manchester City -181 / Draw +341
- Total: 3¼
Prediction
Manchester City has won two straight in this rivalry including a 2-1 win in the first leg on February 26, following their emphatic 4-1 win in their previous meeting on July 26, 2017. This time around, Man City will be a bit short-handed and will definitely be missing Sergio Aguero in this affair. Still, the Citizens have another superstar in Raheem Sterling and they are statistically better at both ends of the pitch. Real Madrid certainly won’t go down easily in this one, but I do like Man City to eke out the narrow one-goal win.
Pick: Man City 3 Real Madrid 2
Juventus Turin FC (5-1-1) vs. Olympique Lyonnais (3-2-2)
Juventus might be Serie A champions, but the Bianconeri has lost three of their last four matches, including a humbling 3-1 loss against Roma on Saturday, though Juventus sat superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in the affair. Juventus has scored 12 goals in Champions League play while allowing four goals defensively. Dybala has scored a team-high three goals while adding four assists. Ronaldo and Higuain have both added two goals. For this meeting, Khedira, De Sciglio, Costa, and Dybala are all injured and will be out of the lineup.
Lyon had their three-game winning streak snapped in their scoreless draw against PSG on Friday. Prior to their last four, Lyon went 0-2-2 in their previous four Champions League matches. Memphis Depay has scored a team-high goals for Lyon in the Champions League play this season while Aouar has added three assists.
- When: Friday, August 7, 2020 at 3:00 PM ET
- Where: Allianz Stadium
- Money Lines: Lyonnais +471 / Juventus -185 / Draw +305
- Total: 2.5
Prediction
Juventus has lost the first leg 1-0 on the road back on February 26 and the pair played to a 1-1 draw in their previous meeting on November 2, 2016. However, prior to that, Juventus won three straight and I like them to get the confidence-boosting win in this matchup, mostly because Lyon has played just one match since March 8 and will almost assuredly not be in top form. Juventus needs this win in the worst way and they’ll get it, though, I suspect, by a closer score than expected.
Pick: Juventus 2 Lyon 1
