Dortmund aiming to hurt Real again…and other key UCL storylines
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Los Blancos failed to overcome BvB last season
The Champions League roars back into life this week, with a number of intriguing ties on the cards. Once again, Coral News take a look at the big storylines ahead of the week’s top continental action.
This time around, the focus is largely on a pair of eye-catching fixtures in Group H. Elsewhere, an unhappy camp in the French capital could spell a home defeat…
Can Real finally crack Dortmund?
Of the 17 different sides Real Madrid have faced in the Champions League since the start of 2014-15, only one has avoided a defeat to Los Blancos – Borussia Dortmund. They have the chance to end that record with victory at Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday night.
BvB recorded a pair of 2-2 draws in this fixture last term, with late goals in each meeting rescuing their respective points. In fact, they were 2-0 down at the Bernabeu in December 2016 before eventually grabbing a draw.
That made them the first side to trail by two goals and recover a point away to Real in this century.
As it stands, a failure to beat the Bundesliga side is the only blot on the current holders’ continental copybook in the past couple of years. They’re 5/4 to win in Dortmund, though another comeback from the hosts could prove the value bet.
Top Tip: Half-Time/Full-Time: Real Madrid/Draw @ 12/1
Can Spurs edge towards knockouts with vital away win?
European football hasn’t provided many happy memories for Tottenham Hotspur fans in recent years. Last season saw the Lilywhites tumble out of the UCL Group Stage before an instant Europa League exit to Belgian also-rans KAA Gent.
In fact, they’ve failed to make it beyond the last 16 of either European competition in any of their last four European campaigns.
However, the early signs are promising for Tottenham this time out. Mauricio Pochettino’s men ended their Wembley curse with a comprehensive 3-1 defeat of Borussia Dortmund. And they could soon have six points on the board.
The North London club head to APOEL Nicosia on Tuesday night, looking for a fourth successive away win, and fifth clean sheet of the campaign. While Dortmund and Real are tough foes in this group, maximum points from two games would leave Spurs in a very strong position.
Top Tip: Tottenham to Win to Nil @ Evens
Will Bayern deepen PSG acrimony?
Paris Saint-Germain may be top of Ligue 1 as it stands, but the Parc des Princes looks to be far from a happy camp. They laboured to a 0-0 draw at Montpellier on Saturday, while Les Parisiens’ most recent home game saw Edinson Cavani and Neymar feuding over who could take the side’s free-kicks and penalties.
The Brazilian was left out of the squad for the weekend’s game (supposedly due to injury), so it’s possible they could line up against Bayern Munich on Wednesday night without the world’s most expensive player. If Neymar is absent – or merely out of sorts – that’s sure to give the visitors a huge boost.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men breezed to a 3-0 victory against Schalke 04 in their last away game, and look well-priced for maximum points in the French capital as they face a troubled PSG.
Top Tip: Bayern Munich to Win @ 5/2
Click here for the latest Champions League odds from Coral.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
