For the first time ever, we have reached the Champions League play-offs.
A new feature in the revamped competition, 16 teams now have to do battle for a spot in the Round of 16.
Some big hitters failed to finish in the Top 8, including Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.
And that means we are primed for a cracking set of play-off fixtures, with City and Real locking horns over the course of two legs.
Below are betFIRST’s latest tips for your midweek bet, complete with the best football odds, and if you are a new customer, we have an exciting Welcome Bet offer just for you!
*All odds are subject to change
Borussia Dortmund to beat Sporting Lisbon @ 3.10
A match with huge significance for Dortmund. The Bundesliga side are having a torrid time domestically, with last weekend’s 2-1 home loss to Stuttgart leaving them 11th in the table. So success in the Champions League is a must and they have been far better in Europe, winning five of eight matches. And with the competition’s joint-top scorer Serhou Guirassy (nine goals) spearheading the attack, we are backing the German outfit to pick up the away win against a struggling Sporting side who have lost three of the last four in the Champions League – and only just made it into the play-offs!
Manchester City to beat Real Madrid @ 2.35
The standout tie of the play-offs pits the last two winners of the competition against each other. Real have a host of defensive injuries for their trip to the Etihad and this could prove decisive against one of Europe’s strongest attacks. City are infamously struggling at the back themselves and had to wait until Matchday 8 to secure a play-off spot. It is a match which could go either way but with a well-rested Erling Haaland leading the line, the Citizens can take a slim advantage to the Bernabeu next week. Expect goals in this one!
Benfica to beat AS Monaco @ 2.95
Benfica are in a rich vein of form, winning five of the last six in all competitions. The Portuguese side also beat Juventus 2-0 away from home in their last Champions League outing, a result which is part of the reason why we are tipping them for a crucial first-leg win at Monaco. The Ligue 1 side lost their last two in this competition and are fresh from a demoralising 4-1 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain on the weekend. Over to you, Benfica!
AC Milan to beat Feyenoord @ 2.30
Milan may have lost their last Champions League match at Dinamo Zagreb, but they look a far stronger outfit under the guidance of Sergio Conceicao. And Feyenoord are the hallmark of inconsistency, following up a 3-0 win over Bayern Munich with a 6-1 defeat at Lille. The Dutch side have won only two games in the last six across all competitions and as such, we are tipping Milan to inflict more misery upon them this week.
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