Champions League Predictions > Aug 7th & 8th

[StevieDay1983]

The Champions League returns early next month with a view to get all the action completed within a couple of weeks. Before the Quarter-Finals can take place there are a few last 16 ties that need deciding so here are the odds for those games. ELO ratings will follow shortly when the data gets uploaded. Let us know your predictions down below! 

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Football Facts and Streaks regarding Champions League

There have been under 2.5 goals scored in Juventus’s last 3 games in Champions League.
Man City are undefeated in their last 8 matches in Champions League.
There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 90% of Real Madrid’s last 41 games in Champions League.
Juventus have seen under 2.5 goals in their last 3 matches against Lyon in all competitions.
Man City have scored at least 2 goals in 81% of their last 16 matches in Champions League.

You can find interesting 27 Football Betting Facts and Streaks for 07.08.2020 on this link ... https://eurofootballrumours.com/football-facts-and-streaks-07-08-2020-20221

[Magic0024]

Football Facts and Streaks regarding Champions League

Bayern have won their last 7 matches in Champions League.
There have been over 2.5 goals scored in Chelsea’s last 4 games in Champions League.
Barcelona are undefeated in their last 7 matches in Champions League.
Bayern have scored at least 3 goals in 86% of their last 7 matches in Champions League.
Napoli are undefeated in their last 7 matches in Champions League.
There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 88% of Bayern’s last 8 games in Champions League.

You can find interesting 26 Football Betting Facts and Streaks for 08.08.2020 on this link ... https://eurofootballrumours.com/football-facts-and-streaks-08-08-2020-20231

[StevieDay1983]

Juventus vs Lyon

The Champions League last 16 returns to action this weekend with the first two matches taking place on Friday night both at 8pm BST. The first of those being subjected to our previews is the clash between Italian Serie A champions Juventus and French Ligue 1 club Lyon at the Juventus Stadium in Turin. It's a 1-0 lead for the French side after the first leg so all the pressure is on the home side to turn the tie around.

Juventus are celebrating their 9th consecutive Scudetto after sealing another league title the other week. Maurizio Sarri might have his fair share of critics but he continues to get the job done at clubs he manages. The Old Lady might have finished the campaign with the league trophy but what was a comfortable lead at the top of the table ended up in just a 1 point advantage over 2nd placed Inter Milan after winning just 2 of their final 8 league matches. It's not exactly the sort of form you want heading into a game of this magnitude. The fact the club has also failed to progress from 6 of the last 11 ties where they have lost the first leg in the Champions League doesn't bode well.

Lyon endured a disappointing domestic campaign with the club finishing in 7th place. OK, granted, the Ligue 1 season was cancelled before they had a chance to improve on that position but their form showed no real signs of improvement to suggest they would have ended up higher in the table. Rudi Garcia knows his team must now progress in this competition to bring a shining light onto this season to generally forget. The trouble is that Lyon's away form in Europe isn't great with the club having failed to win any of their last 10 away matches in the knockout round of European competition consisting of 2 draws and 8 defeats. Add to this that Lyon have lost 4 of their last 5 away games in Italy during European competition.

I appreciate that Juventus have ended the season in terrible form and Lyon hold a slight advantage here but I still think that the Italian side will have enough to progress to the next round. The big question is whether they can do it within the 90 minutes or if they'll require extra-time or even penalties to do it. 14 of the last 26 Serie A wins for Juventus have come by a single goal so we know they love squeezing the wins out.

Juventus to Win to Nil @ 2.40 with Sportingbet

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.91 with 888Sport

[StevieDay1983]

Manchester City vs Real Madrid

The second of our previews covering the 8pm BST kick-offs in the last 16 of the Champions League this Friday night is between Premier League runners-up Manchester City and La Liga title winners Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium. The hosts carry a 2-1 aggregate lead into this second leg and head into the game as heavy favourites against an away side that have had a prolific record in this competition over recent years.

Manchester City are already starting their preparations for next season with the signing of Nathan Ake from relegated Bournemouth for a fee of £41 million. Pep Guardiola is keen to regain the title his Citizens side lost to Liverpool this season and addressing a leaky defence is the top priority. It's been a 100% win record at home for City since football restarted back in June. This City side can also take confidence from the fact that they have progressed from each one of their previous 7 ties in European competition where they have had a lead from the first leg.

Real Madrid might have been crowned La Liga champions a couple of weeks back but their main focus is always on the Champions League. This is clear to see with Los Blancos winning 4 of the last 6 Champions League trophies. Zinedine Zidane knows this tournament better than anyone and he'll have a game plan to turn this tie on its head. Unfortunately, this isn't exactly a vintage Real side. The team has only won 3 of its 7 Champions League matches so far this season. They have also only won 5 of their 11 away ties in England in this competition down the years. A glimmer of hope does come in the statistic that Real have scored at least once in 23 of their 25 matches played during 2020. However, they do need to score at least two goals here.

I think we could be set for a cracker here. This is a City side that is still far from impenetrable at the back and they're playing a Real Madrid team that needs to come at them. I can see an action-packed affair taking place here with both teams scoring. I still think City have enough about them to navigate their way past this tricky challenge. It seems bonkers that one of these two sides will be eliminated from the competition at this stage but that's the cruel mistress that is the Champions League.

Manchester City to Win @ 1.62 with Novibet

BTTS @ 1.62 with Novibet

[StevieDay1983]

Barcelona vs Napoli

The penultimate preview from the last 16 of the Champions League is being covered here with La Liga runners up Barcelona hosting Italian Serie A side Napoli in an 8pm BST kick-off at the Camp Nou. The teams are level pegging after a 1-1 draw in Italy for the first leg so it's all to play for. Which side will add their name to the Quarter-Finals of this competition?

Barcelona are feeling huge disappointment after narrowly missing out on retaining their La Liga title to arch rivals Real Madrid. Quique Setien is already fielding questions about this game potentially being his last on the role as manager after he replaced former gaffer Ernesto Valverde only back on 13th January this year. An exit at this stage of the competition would be a disaster for the Catalan club. Barca can take confidence from the fact that they've progressed from all 19 of their previous knockout round ties where they have avoided defeat in the first leg. Barcelona also boast the second best home record in Champions League history having avoided defeat in 35 matches. Only Bayern Munich going unbeaten between 1969 and 1991 is a longer record at 43 games.

Napoli have also generally had a season to forget in the league but it's been a memorable one as far as the cups are concerned. Gennaro Gattuso has done what he can to turn the form around since he replaced former manager Carlo Ancelotti back in December but he could only manage a 7th placed finish in the league. Winning the Coppa Italia has been a highlight though. Unfortunately, Napoli come into this game with a fairly dire away record having lost their previous two Champions League away games by a 4-1 score-line to Chelsea in March 2012 and a 3-1 loss to Real Madrid in February 2017. It's also just one win from their last 10 away matches in the Champions League. However, they are unbeaten away from home in this season's competition.

This will undoubtedly be another tightly fought contest but in this day and age it seems madness to bet against Barcelona on their own patch. Even with their current squad being far from a vintage side. Napoli have struggled in the league this season but they've done well to win the Coppa Italia to guarantee European football next season and find themselves with a fantastic opportunity to progress to the Quarter-Finals of the Champions League here. I can't see it though. I think Barcelona will have enough to seal the win. Both teams have scored in 4 of the last 5 Champions League games that Barcelona have played and 4 of the last 5 matches that Napoli have played in the competition.

Barcelona to Win @ 1.63 with Novibet

BTTS @ 1.70 with Betway

[StevieDay1983]

Bayern Munich vs Chelsea

The final game from this round of Champions League matches is an 8pm BST kick-off between German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich and Premier League club Chelsea at the Allianz Arena. This tie appears to be a foregone conclusion with the German side leading 3-0 on aggregate so all the pressure on the English representatives to turn the game on its head.

Bayern Munich walked to the 2019/20 Bundesliga title and will now have their eye on a first Champions League trophy since 2013. Hans-Dieter Flick comes into this game knowing his team have won 21 of their 22 competitive fixtures during 2020. An even more impressive statistic is that the team has scored 31 goals in just 10 home games this calendar year. A daunting prospect for the visitors is that Bayern have scored at least 3 goals in 28 different matches this season. The team has the backing of history as well with no team ever having won their first leg by three goals or more failing to progress to the next round.

Chelsea are setting in some big moves for next season with the transfers of Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner already secured with the signing of Kai Havertz looking imminent. However, right now, the Blues are hanging onto their slim European trophy dreams by a thread. Frank Lampard has to take his team into this clash with Chelsea having failed to win any of their last 7 away knockout round matches in the Champions League. Chelsea have also only managed to score 3 goals away from home in a Champions League knockout round clash once and that was against Liverpool in a 3-1 victory back in April 2009. To add to this, Bayern Munich have only conceded 3 goals at home in 3 of their 43 knockout round Champions League games. Interestingly, the last of those occasions did happen only last season when Liverpool beat them 3-1 in Germany.

OK, so let's face the fact here. This tie is done. Bayern Munich are not going to let this lead slip and I'm worried that this young Chelsea side could struggle away in this heat. The host side are in superb form and I simply don't think the away side have got enough about them to avoid defeat let alone win this tie. These two teams last met in the 2011/12 Champions League Final when Chelsea ran out as winners on penalties after a 1-1 draw. This is looking like Bayern Munich's chance to take revenge for that match.

Bayern Munich -1 @ 2.15 with Betway

Bayern Munich HT/FT @ 2.20 with Betfred