The UEFA Champions League group phase continues this week, so take a look at our tips and predictions for the Group E matches. With plenty of picks and markets to choose from, don’t waste your time and join the action at Get More Sports.
Sevilla (Spa) vs. Liverpool (Eng)
Three-Way: 1: Sevilla +185; X: +280 Draw; 2: Liverpool +177 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread 0: Sevilla +106; Liverpool -108
Total +3: Over +106; Under -103
SEVILLA
After getting through a rough period and three consecutive defeats in October, Los Rojiblancos responded well, and they are currently in a fine form of four wins in the previous five matches. The most recent victory over Celta was a result of a comeback after the visitors took a 1:0 lead at Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán before Luis Muriel and Nolito secured three points that put Sevilla in the fifth position in La Liga. Eduardo Berizzo’s squad is in the second place in the group E of the Champions League at the moment, with a point behind Liverpool, and two more than Spartak Moscow. A potential win here would guarantee them a spot in the knockout stage, but the Reds are playing very well, and it will be hard to beat them on Tuesday.
Sevilla played 19 games so far in the 2017/18, recording 11 wins, three draws, and five losses, with a goal difference of 29:27, which is 2.95 goals per contest on average. The White and Reds are phenomenal at home as they are without a defeat in nine matches this season, winning the previous seven and conceding just three goals in the process.
Wissam Ben Yedder is the team’s top scorer with eight goals in 14 appearances, while the Colombian striker Luis Muriel is behind on a goal-scoring chart with four goals to his name. Pablo Sarabia is the most creative individual with four assists so far, while Franco Vazquez and Joaquin Correa added three dishes apiece. Eduardo Berizzo cannot count on defenders Daniel Carrico (muscle), Nicolas Pareja (osteitis pubis), and Gabriel Mercado (hamstring), while the left winger Joaquin Correa (muscle) and right winger Walter Montoya are also sidelined for this clash.
LIVERPOOL
The Reds are in an excellent form of four straight victories, allowing only one goal in the process and scoring 13 in return. Liverpool defeated Southampton 3:0 last Saturday, thanks to the first-half brace from a fantastic Mohamed Salah, and second-half goals from Philippe Coutinho. Jurgen Klopp’s side is currently in the fifth position in the Premier League, while they are at the top of the group E in the Champions League, with a point ahead of Sevilla. Losing here would complicate Liverpool’s situation, but if they manage to get a positive result, the place in the knockout phase will be practically secured.
Liverpool played 19 games in this campaign, recording ten wins, six draws, and three losses, with a goal difference of 43:25, which is 3.57 goals per contest on average. The Reds are not playing very well away from home, but they won the previous match on the road as they beat West Ham 4:1. They were magnificent in Slovenia, thrashing Maribor by seven goals to nil, while they failed to defeat Spartak in Moscow, and this tilt with Sevilla is the most significant test for Liverpool in the Champions League thus far. Klopp’s team scored in the previous seven away games, and I think they will find the net on this one as well, at least once.
The Egyptian international Mohamed Salah is in a phenomenal form as he is the team’s leading scorer with 14 goals in 18 appearances, while Roberto Firmino is behind him with seven goals to his name. Philippe Coutinho added five, and Daniel Sturridge, Sadio Mane, and Emre Can scored three apiece. When it comes to best assist-makers, Coutinho, Mane, Firmino, and James Milner have four dishes, while Alberto Moreno recorded three assists. Jurgen Klopp was delighted to have the captain Jordan Henderson, Mane, and Coutinho back into contention, and he is only without Nathaniel Clyne for this tilt. Adam Lallana returned to full training last week and is very close to returning, but it is questionable whether Klopp will use him in the Champions League or will keep him for the upcoming clash with Chelsea in the Premier League.
Sevilla (Spa) vs. Liverpool (Eng) – Match Prediction
Both teams are playing well at the moment, and I anticipate a bunch of goals here, so I would be surprised if this match fails to produce less than 3 goals.
MY PICK: Over 3 goals (+106)
Spartak Moscow (Rus) vs. Maribor (Slo)
Three-Way: 1: Spartak Moscow -303; X: +575 Draw; 2: Maribor +1500 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -1.5: Spartak Moscow -118; Maribor +121
Total +3: Over +106; Under -108
SPARTAK MOSCOW
The reigning Russian champions have a decent opportunity to progress to the next phase of the Champions League with a victory over the sorry Slovenians, but the game at Anfield will be vital for them. Of course, Spartak must first beat Maribor on Tuesday before thinking about Liverpool, while they also need a favorable result from Sevilla vs. Liverpool tilt. The Red-Whites won the previous two matches in the Russian Premier League, and are now in the fourth place with 28 points, eight behind Zenit. Luiz Adriano’s brace and goals from Ze Luis and Quincy Promes secured a massive 4:1 victory on the road at Krasnodar, and Spartak is a huge favorite to beat Maribor on Tuesday.
Spartak Moscow played 24 games in this season, recording 11 wins, nine draws, and four losses, with a goal difference of 46:31, which is 3.20 goals per contest on average. The Red-Whites suffered only one defeat at home in this campaign, and they scored one against Liverpool and five against Sevilla in the Champions League, so the visitors will have a mountain to climb to avoid a loss here.
The Dutch winger Quincy Promes is the team’s top scorer with 13 goals in 21 appearances, while Luiz Adriano is behind him on a goals-coring chart with eight goals to his name. Promes is also the most creative individual in the squad with eight assists so far, while Lorenzo Melgarejo and Luiz Adriano added four dishes each. Massimo Carrera is without his compatriot Salvatore Bocchetti (knee), Aleksandr Samedov (thigh), Georgi Tigiev (ruptured ligament), Artem Tomofeev (cruciate ligament rupture), and Jano Ananidze (ankle), while the centre-back Giorgi Jikia is suspended.
MARIBOR
The Violets are visiting Moscow on the wings of a derby victory over Olimpija Ljubljana that launched them to the top of the Slovenian Prva Liga with three points clear ahead of Olimpija. Maribor is at the bottom of the group E in the Champions League with a point in four matches, and are huge underdogs on this one.
Maribor played 28 games in the 2017/18 so far, recording 17 victories, six draws, and five losses, with a goal difference of 40:29, which is almost 2.50 goals per contest on average. Four of five defeats this season came on the road, as both Liverpool and Sevilla scored three each past Jasmin Handanovic, so I am not convinced that the Purples can escape Moscow with a positive result.
The Brazilian striker Marcos Tavares is the team’s leading scorer with ten goals in 24 appearances, while Jasmin Mesanovic is also the significant contributor to the attack with eight goals to his name. Mesanovic is at the top of the assist chart with five dishes at the moment, while Dino Hotic recorded four assists so far. Darko Milanič cannot count on a pair of centre-backs Denis Sme and Aleksander Rajcevic, while the forward Luka Zahovic is also sidelined and will not feature on this one.
Spartak Moscow (Rus) vs. Maribor (Slo) – Match Prediction
The Russians will face elimination if they fail to win here, while the visitors are already out of the Champions League, so I am expecting the hosts to win big on Tuesday.
MY PICK: Spartak Moscow AH -1.5 (-118)
