Champions League quarters: Man City match in balance, but Bayern and Barca set for semis
Published:
Lee Gormley | April 11, 2016
Semi-final spots are up for grabs as those still battling in the Champions League get ready for their decisive quarter-final second leg clashes, with Manchester City hosting French giants PSG, while Real Madrid seek a revival over Wolfsburg on Tuesday night.
The European action then continues on Wednesday evening, as Benfica welcome German champions Bayern Munich to Portugal and Atletico Madrid collide with La Liga rivals Barcelona in the Spanish capital, with a final four position awaiting those successful sides.
Manchester City v PSG
- Champions League quarter-final second leg
- Tuesday, April 12th
- Kick-off: 19:45 BST
- The Etihad Stadium, Manchester
- Live on BT Sport Europe
City chase semi-final spot
Manuel Pellegrini’s Man City enter their quarter-final second leg clash with Ligue 1 champions PSG after rallying to an encouraging 2-2 draw in France, with away goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Fernandinho massively boosting their European prospects this season.
The two sides have only ever met twice in European competition, including that recent first leg stalemate, with both contests having ended all square, and another level game is 5/2 with Coral to occur at the Etihad Stadium after 90 minutes.
Such a result would possibly see the Sky Blues (7/4 to win) through, providing they halt the attacking threat of their French opponents (6/4) on home soil, though the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Angel Di Maria will be hungry to succeed on their travels.
Zlatan to instigate PSG revival?
PSG’s key Swedish marksman has recently been linked with a switch to City’s bitter rivals Manchester United this summer, and he will be desperate to fire his current club to a revival in a competition he is yet to win in his illustrious career.
The towering frontman is 9/2 to open the scoring in Manchester, while former Red Devils misfit Di Maria is 2/1 to strike anytime in normal time and reliable South American poacher Edinson Cavani is 6/1 to bag the game’s last goal.
For the hosts, Sergio Aguero is the key danger and available 5/1 to hit two or more on home turf, with fellow attacker Wilfried Bony 7/4 to dispatch anytime and first leg goalscorer De Bruyne also 7/4 to add another.
Real Madrid v Wolfsburg
- Champions League quarter-final second leg
- Tuesday, April 12th
- Kick-off: 19:45 BST
- The Bernabeu, Madrid
- Live on BT Sport 2
Real seek Wolfsburg comeback on home soil
Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid were shockingly humbled 2-0 in their first leg meeting with Wolfsburg and face a tough task of reviving their Champions League hopes, as they target a gallant comeback which would see them enter their sixth successive semi-final showing.
The Spanish giants were extremely below par in Germany and were put to the sword by goals from Ricardo Rodriguez and Maximilian Arnold, but the hosts are still odds-on 10/11 to progress, and a more promising 13/10 to prevail without conceding in normal time.
Cristiano Ronaldo has rallied the real fans ahead of this decisive second leg match-up, calling for the 80k strong Bernabeu crowd to become the 12th man, in a game which the Portuguese ace is 7/1 for an incredible sixth season hat-trick.
Ronaldo rallies Real supporters
The Madrid marksman stated: “We can win by playing well, with 11 players on the pitch, more players on the bench and the 80k people I would love to see fill the stadium supporting the team, because this will give us a tremendous boost.
“I hope that it will be a magical night and I am very excited. The team are confident, the coach has faith and the fans must also have faith. Tuesday has to be a magical night.”
Ronaldo’s Welsh teammate Gareth Bale is evens to net anytime, while Karim Benzema is 7/2 to score first. Wolfsburg’s flying full back and first leg scorer Rodriguez is a tasty 7/1 to strike again anytime, with frontmen Bas Dost and Max Kruse both 5/1 to dispatch during 90 minutes in Spain.
Benfica v Bayern Munich
- Champions League quarter-final second leg
- Wednesday, April 13th
- Kick-off: 19:45 BST
- Estadio da Luz, Lisbon
- Live on BT Sport 2
Benfica battle Bayern on home turf
Pep Guardiola’s Bayern take a narrow 1-0 lead into their quarter-final second leg against Benfica, with an early strike from Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal earning home supremacy against a Portuguese side they have never lost to before in five previous meetings.
The German champions’ boss is hoping to clinch European success with his current club before departing for Man City this summer, who they could possibly meet in the next round, and Bayern are 13/10 to win to nil here.
Rui Vitoria’s Eagles, who secured the Primeira Liga crown last season, will need a flawless performance to oust the Bavarians on their home patch in Lisbon, but are 8/1 to seal a stunning progression to the semi-final stage.
Prolific Pole Lewandowski a threat
Raul Jimenez and Kostas Mitroglou will have to be on point for the hosts to secure such a stunning result, and they are 2/1 and 11/4 respectively to net in normal time, while former Premier League target Nicolas Gaitan is 11/2 to get on the scoresheet.
Prolific Poland international striker Robert Lewandowski is likely to be the biggest threat to the hosts, and he is 4/1 to open proceedings, with clinical German poacher Thomas Muller 6/4 for a goal of his own.
Chile midfield maestro Vidal is 10/3 to add to his first leg winner anytime, with Juventus-owned starlet Kingsley Coman and fellow French wideman Franck Ribery both 11/4 to get the better of Benfica’s defence.
Atletico Madrid v Barcelona
- Champions League quarter-final second leg
- Wednesday, April 13th
- Kick-off: 19:45 BST
- Vicente Calderon Stadium, Madrid
- Live on BT Sport Europe
Atleti and Barca clash in second leg liaison
Reigning European champions Barcelona go into their second leg dust up against La Liga title rivals Atletico Madrid with a 2-1 lead intact, and will be confident of progression having dominantly won their last seven consecutive fixture meetings.
Atleti’s most recent victory over Barca came in April 2014, when they secured a Champions League coup over their domestic challengers on route to a final appearance when they were agonisingly toppled by Real Madrid.
Another victory for Diego Simeone’s men inside 90 minutes is 12/5, while Luis Enrique’s defending champions are 6/5 to prevail on their travels to the Vicente Calderon.
Messi, Neymar, Suarez to star again?
Barcelona’s incredible front three of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez look on course to fire their side to success for a second consecutive campaign, having helped overcome Juventus in last year’s final.
Argentine ace Messi is 7/2 to open the scoring, while Neymar and Suarez are 5/4 and evens to net anytime respectively, with Turkey captain Arda Turan 5/1 to dispatch past his former employers.
For the hosts, French forward Antoine Griezmann could be key to any successful result and he is 7/4 to get the better of Barca’s rearguard, with Luciano Vietto 10/3 to find the target. First leg goalscorer Fernando Torres is a huge miss for Atleti though, after his red card in that clash.
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