Last Updated on April 8, 2024 9:33 pm by Erwin Noguera
The first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals kicks off this week with an exciting series of matches.
Arsenal will face Bayern Munich in a hectic tie, with Bayern trying to play for everything in this competition, now that they are virtually out of the title race in the Bundesliga. Real Madrid and Manchester City face each other in an eagerly awaited match, which will be an intense contest that could end in victory for either team.
Meanwhile, PSG and Barcelona will play a fantastic game in a fascinating competition, with Barcelona trying to leave the ghosts of the past behind and make their home respected. Finally, Atletico Madrid faces Borussia Dortmund in a match that promises a lot of emotions, but which is also balanced.
It is worth noting that the clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City attracts significant attention, as the winner of this tie will become the favorite for this year’s Champions League title. Both have been the most consistent sides in the competition in the last four years, reaching the semifinals and finals over and over again.
Champions League Quarterfinals First Leg: Arsenal vs. Bayern
When and Where?
Tuesday, April 9, 3:00 pm ET at the Emirates Stadium
Moneyline odds:
Arsenal 1.752
Bayern 4.34
Draw Offs:
3.96
Where can I watch it?
ESPN/Star+, Paramount+, and Sky Sports
Arsenal’s season has been very successful and will end on a high note because, in the Premier League, they are still in a tough battle for first place, even with the claims of Liverpool and City.
Arsenal had a fantastic group stage performance in this event, finishing ahead of PSV, Lens, and Sevilla with four wins, one draw, and one loss in Group B. As we can see, the group was quite intricate, considering the skill level of each of their opponents.
They then faced Porto in the Round of 16, where they started with a lot of uncertainty after their 1-0 loss in the first leg in Portugal. Then, in the second leg, it was all square until Leandro Trossard’s goal in the 41st minute gave them a 1-1 aggregate score, forcing penalties to decide the winner. In the end, Arsenal emerged victorious by penalties, winning 4-2.
On the other hand, Bayern is having its worst season in more than a decade. In the domestic competition, the Bavarians are second in the table, 16 points behind Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen.
But, given that the team will focus all their energies on this competition, in a bid to win to evade the feared blank season, this could benefit them in the Champions League. The Bavarians performed admirably in the Champions League Group Stage, maintaining their lead in Group A with five wins and one draw. Admittedly, their group, which included Manchester United, Copenhagen, and Galatasaray, was simpler than Arsenal’s group.
They started the Round of 16 with the same path as Arsenal, losing to Lazio in Italy by 0-1. However, things changed completely when the teams reconnected for the second leg at the Allianz Arena. The Bavarians used their overwhelming strength and the skill of Harry Kane, who scored two goals in the 39th and 66th minutes, as well as a goal from Thomas Müller in the 45+2 minute to take the 3-0 victory and guarantee their place in the quarterfinals.
Our prediction is an Arsenal victory.
Arsenal vs. Bayern Betting Pick: Arsenal
Champions League Quarterfinals First Leg: Real Madrid vs. Manchester City
When and Where?
Tuesday, April 9, 3:00 pm ET at the Santiago Bernabéu
Moneyline odds:
Real Madrid 2.80
Manchester City 2.435
Draw Offs:
3.50
Where can I watch it?
ESPN/Star+, Paramount+, and Sky Sports
There is no doubt that Real Madrid will be looking to take advantage of their home crowd to take this victory and thus go into the second leg at the Etihad Stadium with a bit of an advantage. However, this is easier said than done, considering the high level of play that the Citizens have at this point in the season.
Real comfortably leads the standings in LaLiga, so all their efforts will be on this Champions League series. Los Merengues have had a remarkable tournament so far, as in the Group Stage, they finished first in Group C, ahead of Napoli, Sporting Braga, and Union Berlin, winning all games. Then, in the Round of 16, they achieved a very complicated victory with a 2-1 aggregate against Leipzig, a rival that gave them a hard time.
On the other hand, we have Manchester City, the current champions who, without a doubt, have everything in their hands to repeat in this edition. Pep Guardiola’s team continues to play at an exceptional level and performance, which allows them to remain in the fight for the leadership of the Premier League and, right now, for a pass to the semifinals of this international tournament.
City will always be a team to be reckoned with, as their squad is star-studded, and they have, without a doubt, the tag of favorites. They demonstrated this in the Group Stage, with a perfect 6-0 record, beating all their opponents twice. Then, in the Round of 16, they were fortunate enough to face København, where they achieved a comfortable and convincing 6-2 aggregate victory.
Although it will be an intense and balanced match, we expect Manchester City to leave the Bernabeu with a great victory.
Real Madrid vs. Manchester City Betting Pick: Manchester City
Champions League Quarterfinals First Leg: PSG vs. Barcelona
When and Where?
Wednesday, April 10, 3:00 pm ET at the Parc des Princes
Moneyline odds:
PSG 1.96
Barcelona 3.58
Draw Offs:
3.78
Where can I watch it?
ESPN/Star+, Paramount+, and Sky Sports
PSG comes to these Champions League quarterfinals with the mission of giving a blow after the dismantling of their fearsome attacking trio. Also, it should be noted that it may be Mbappé’s last tournament with the team, as everything points to him joining Real Madrid in the summer transfer window. That is why players and coaches will try their best to win the trophy and prevent their main star from departing.
The Parisians were able to get out of the Group of Death in second place, above Milan and Newcastle but below Borussia Dortmund. The team showed a high enough level and finished with two wins, two draws, and two defeats. Then, in the Round of 16, they achieved a great victory over Real Sociedad with a 4-1 aggregate score.
On the other hand, we have Barcelona, a team that has had many performance problems throughout the season, but, little by little, they have been straightening their course to the point that they are second in LaLiga and are currently in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Los Culés have had problems, above all, in their offense, as Lewandowski has not played at 100% of his capabilities. It should also be noted that the presence of Lamine Yamal, who is only 16 years old, has given a complete turnaround to the Blaugrana attack.
Barça came out of the Group Stage in first place in Group H, ahead of Porto, Shakhtar, and Antwerp. Then, in the Round of 16, they achieved an excellent victory over Napoli with a 4-2 aggregate score. Now, they face one of the strongest teams in Europe and will try to strike a blow in Paris to return home with a bit of advantage.
While either team can take the win, we expect this match to end in a draw.
PSG vs. Barcelona Betting Pick: Draw
Champions League Quarterfinals First Leg: Atlético Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund
When and Where?
Wednesday, April 10, 3:00 pm ET at the Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano
Moneyline odds:
Atlético Madrid 1.765
Borussia Dortmund 4.54
Draw Offs:
3.74
Where can I watch it?
ESPN/Star+, Paramount+, and Sky Sports
This LaLiga season for Atletico Madrid has been an absolute roller coaster. The team essentially gave up on competing for the top spot in the local competition, but more worryingly, they have been fluctuating between fourth and fifth place in recent weeks. Because of this, beating Dortmund could give them more confidence as the season progresses. In the Champions League, Atleti overcame competitors such as Lazio, Feyenoord, and Celtic in the Group Stage, winning first place in Group E. Although it was anticipated, there was much expectation surrounding Los Colchoneros’ participation because they had failed to qualify for the Round of 16 in the previous two editions of this tournament.
After that, Atleti started the next stage with a 0-1 loss in Italy to Inter Milan, the strongest team in Serie A and the current runner-up in the Champions League. Federico Dimarco’s goal in the 33rd minute gave Inter the lead in the second leg at the Metropolitano. But Atleti responded quickly, leveling the score with a goal by Antoine Griezmann in the 35th minute and tying the score at 2-2 in the 87th minute through Memphis Depay’s goal. In the end, Atletico won 3-2 in the penalty shootout to earn a place in the Quarterfinals.
In contrast, although they have not shown total control over their opponents, Borussia Dortmund has been among the best teams in this Champions League. Apart from that, BVB is having a mediocre season, as they are now fighting to get back into the top four of the Bundesliga.
Dortmund had a fantastic Group Stage in this competition, getting through the Group of Death with a record of three wins, two draws, and one loss. Recall that this group included elite teams such as Newcastle, PSG, and Milan. Later, during the Round of 16, the German club was lucky enough to be paired with PSV, one of the weakest teams in the draw. However, they faced a challenging battle.
Dortmund were held to a 1-1 draw in the first leg in the Netherlands. But in the second leg, everything was very different for the German side, who won 2-0 and advanced to the quarterfinals thanks to the efforts of their two best players, Jadon Sancho and Marco Reus.
For this match, our winner’s chip goes to Atletico Madrid.
Atlético Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund Betting Pick: Atlético Madrid
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