With four teams from four different countries left in the competition we’re heading into the UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals this Tuesday, April 24th, 2018, when Liverpool welcomes AS Roma at Anfield in Liverpool, while on Wednesday, April 25th, 2018, Bayern Munich and the defending champions Real Madrid will lock horns at Allianz Arena in Munich in a pure heavyweight derby. The first leg matches are always tricky to bet on, so let’s see how to lay some money on these two games.
LIVERPOOL vs. AS ROMA
3-Way: 1: Liverpool -185; X: +345 Draw; 2: AS Roma +500 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -1: Liverpool -110; AS Roma +100
Total +3: Over -112; Under -106
Qualification Matchup: Liverpool -250; AS Roma +175
Betting Trends and Match Prediction
- Liverpool is unbeaten for seven games in a row overall
- Liverpool kept the clean sheet in five consecutive home games in all competitions
- Liverpool scored in each but one out of their last twelve matches at Anfield
- AS Roma won three out of their last four games overall
- Only one out of AS Roma’s previous five tilts saw both teams scoring
- AS Roma has a 1-1-3 record on the road in the Champions League this season
The Reds are playing in a great form recently, winning five out of their last seven games along with two stalemates, including a 5-1 aggregate victory over Manchester City in the previous round of the UEFA Champions League. Liverpool was a huge underdog in the matchup against the Citizens, but their exceptional defensive work along with deadly counter-attacks was too much for the mighty Manchester City team. At home, the Reds are undefeated for seven matches in a row, keeping their net intact in five consecutive games, while scoring 13 goals on those five occasions.
On the other side, AS Roma made a massive upset in the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals, beating Barcelona on away goals after a 4-1 defeat at Camp Nou in the first leg. The striker Edin Dzeko put on a magnificent performance in the second leg in Rome, while he and his teammates played a brilliant high pressure on Barca’s players, so AS Roma deservedly got the place in the Semi-Finals. After a 3-0 victory over Barcelona, the Magic One has beaten Genoa 2-1, and SPAL 3-0, along with a nil-nil draw against the arch-rival Lazio.
Liverpool is a big -250 favorite to reach the Final, and considering their recent form, the Reds should win the first leg in front of the home fans. The football fans can expect a great battle with plenty of tactical maneuvres, as both managers Jurgen Klopp and Eusebio Di Francesco are well-known for their precise tactical setups, so I doubt we’ll see a bunch of goals in the first leg. Jurgen Klopp will miss the defender Joel Matip (hamstring), and Emre Can and Dejan Lovren are both doubtful, while Eusebio Di Francesco can count on all important first-team players.
MY PICK: Liverpool AH -1 (-110)
BAYERN MUNICH vs. REAL MADRID
3-Way: 1: Bayern Munich +105; X: +275 Draw; 2: Real Madrid +255 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -0.5: Bayern Munich +105; Real Madrid -115
Total +3: Over +100; Under -115
Qualification Matchup: Bayern Munich -106; Real Madrid -125
Betting Trends and Match Prediction
- Bayern Munich is unbeaten for seven games in a row overall
- Bayern Munich scored 14 goals in their last three matches in all competitions
- Bayern Munich is undefeated at home this season, recording 18 wins and three stalemates
- Real Madrid has a 2-2-1 record with an 8:6 goal difference in their last five games overall
- Real Madrid won five consecutive encounters on the road in all competitions
- Real Madrid won four out of their five away tilts in the UEFA Champions League this season
After a nil-nil draw against Sevilla at home in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals, the Bavarians won three consecutive games against Monchengladbach (5-1) at home, and Bayer Leverkusen (6-2) and Hannover (3-0) on the road, showing some remarkable attacking skills. Bayern Munich managed to score in each but one out of their last 11 encounters in all competitions, while they are still undefeated at Allianz Arena this season, recording 18 victories along with three draws.
On the other side, Real Madrid’s form is quite shaky in the last couple of weeks, and in their previous five games in all competitions, Los Blancos have recorded two wins, two draws, and one defeat against Juventus (3-1) at home in the second leg of the Champions League Quarter-Finals. Thanks to a 3-0 victory at Allianz Stadium in Turin, Real Madrid managed to overcome Juve, but they will need a much better performance if they want to eliminate the Bavarians. Los Blancos won five straight matches on the road, keeping their net intact two times in the process, so the clash against Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena will be a proper test of their abilities.
The Bavarians’ manager Jupp Heynckes doesn’t have serious injury worries among his squad, besides the versatile midfielder David Alaba who’s still questionable, while Real Madrid’s head coach Zinedine Zidane can count on all players, so the fans should see the best eleven on both sides of the pitch. The bookies favor Bayern Munich to win the first leg at home, and the Bavarians should do it if they want a calm trip to Madrid next week, while the market on both teams to find the net is set at -185, which tells a lot about attacking potential of these two teams.
MY PICK: Bayern Munich to Win (+105)
