It’s that time of the year again, the most exciting time for football lovers as the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals kick off this week. With four intriguing match-ups, it would be interesting to see which team rises above the rest and makes it to the semi-finals.
Here are my Champions League picks, predictions and odds for the quarterfinals:
Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund
Manchester City comes into this game as the clear favorites, having won 26 of their last 27 matches in all competitions. Borussia Dortmund is a strong team, but they are currently struggling in the Bundesliga. City should have enough firepower to see them off in both legs, and the odds are firmly in their favor.
Prediction: Manchester City to win over two legs, with odds of 1/3.
Real Madrid vs Liverpool
This is a repeat of the 2018 Champions League final, which saw Real Madrid win 3-1. Liverpool, who currently sits in sixth place in the Premier League, has had a tough season, while Real Madrid comes into the game in second place in La Liga.
Real Madrid is in a fine run of form and has won six of their last seven games, while Liverpool has struggled with injuries and inconsistency. Real Madrid should have enough experience and quality to advance to the semi-finals.
Prediction: Real Madrid to win over two legs, with odds of 6/5.
Porto vs Chelsea
Porto has already knocked out Juventus from the competition, so they will come into this game full of confidence. Chelsea, on the other hand, made light work of Atletico Madrid in the last round.
The Portuguese side has a decent home record in the competition and will look to capitalize on Chelsea’s recent struggles in front of goal. However, Chelsea has improved under new coach Thomas Tuchel, and their solid defense could be the difference in both legs.
Prediction: Chelsea to win over two legs, with odds of 4/9.
Bayern Munich vs Paris Saint Germain
This is the repeat of last season’s final, with Bayern Munich coming out as winners. Both teams have met in the group stages of the competition earlier this season, with Bayern winning 3-2 in Paris and PSG winning 1-0 in Munich.
Bayern Munich is the current title holders and comes into the game in fine form, having scored 14 goals in their last two games. PSG has a star-studded squad, and the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar will be a massive threat on the counter-attack.
Prediction: Bayern Munich to win over two legs, with odds of 8/15.
In conclusion, the quarterfinals of the Champions League offer up some mouth-watering fixtures. Manchester City, Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich all have the better chances of making it to the semi-finals. But, with teams like PSG, Porto, Dortmund and Liverpool, anything can happen in the beautiful game, and a surprise or two can be expected. UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals will be exciting, and let’s wait and watch the drama unfold.
