While the first group of Champions League Round of 16 games left a lot to be desired in terms of dramatics, this week’s games should feature plenty of fireworks beginning with arguably the most highly anticipated pairing.
All eyes will be on Manchester City as they prepare to clash with Barcelona in a matchup that could have very well been slotted for the final. In the late game, we’ll see if Juventus can cash in as the oddsmakers expect them to and take care of Dortmund. Here is a look at both of Tuesday’s Champs League games along with where the smart money should be.
Manchester City vs. Barcelona – Tuesday, 2:45 PM ET
Champs League Odds: Barcelona +109, Manchester City +244, Draw +261
Manchester City has been in hot pursuit of Chelsea for top spot in the Premier League for some time now and while they have one eye on that prize, they have the other eye on the European prize that is the Champs League trophy. They are facing a very tough challenge this week after an improbable draw paired them with Barcelona. City certainly has the weapons to at least be able to score some goals at home for the opening leg but whether or not they are able to keep up with Barcelona’s relentless attack is another story altogether. Barcelona is in a similar position to City in that they are also second in their respective league and are in good shape in the Champs League. In La Liga, they’re in pursuit of Real Madrid for the top spot but in this spot, they’re favored – even on the road. That’s because they have been playing their best football of the season in 2015 and it begins with their star-studded trio up front.
Lionel Messi has been on a tear and he has established an unmistakable chemistry with Neymar that has translated into a ton of firepower. Remember all of their Messi transfer rumors? It was a hot topic when the team was struggling but now that they’re on fire, it’s an afterthought. Factor in Luis Suarez making another return to England and this game suddenly has all of the makings of an absolute classic. Expect to see of goals worthy of making the highlight reel.
City will not be shut out but they will also struggle to contain the Barcelona attack as Messi and company look to take advantage of the away goal in order to seize control of this round before heading back to Spain for the second leg. Pick: Barcelona
Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund – Tuesday, 2:45 PM ET
Champs League Odds: Juventus +100, Dortmund +297, Draw +239
The pressure is on Borussia Dortmund to salvage something of their season after falling apart in league play but that won’t necessarily work to their favor in the Champions League Round of 16. Jurgen Klapp isn’t even sure of what his best team is at this point and that has translated to an obvious lack of confidence from his players at times. Juventus will look to capitalize with a chance to take the early lead at home where they will enjoy a classic Italian solidarity behind them in the Round of 16. Juve has dominated in Serie A and a relatively favorable draw has helped push the door to the final eight a little further open. It’s worth mentioning that Juve has been tough to beat at home this season, winning 10 of a possible 12 games in Serie A while outscoring their opponents by a whopping margin of 32-7. There is enough talent and experience on this Juventus roster to make them a dark horse contender to win a championship and the next step is to take care of the first leg against a disheveled Dortmund team.
While the road will get a lot tougher moving forward, they should be able to capitalize here and take the opening leg of this series as the host side. Pick: Juventus
