- Real Madrid meets with Paris Saint Germain in the derby of the UCL round of 16.
- Manchester City has a routine rematch against Sporting Lisbon following a 5-0 win in the first leg.
A spectacle awaits us at Santiago Bernabeu, with Real Madrid chasing the deficit against PSG. The battle between Los Blancos and the Saints is arguably the most interesting one in the entire round, with both of these units being among the top favorites for winning the competition.
On the other hand, there won’t be any drama in Manchester, where City and Sporting take care of the formality.
Real Madrid vs. PSG
Kylian Mbappe made a difference in the closing moments of the first leg at Parc des Princes in Paris. The young French star netted the only goal handing his team a solid edge before Wednesday’s rematch. PSG was constantly attacking, but Real’s goalkeeper, Courtois, was unbeatable, and he even stopped Messi’s penalty shot.
After that, PSG lost two of the next three games, both on the road, one in Nantes and the next in Nice. The Saints weren’t looking very confident and there were lots of errors in their game. Meanwhile, Real has three straight wins, scoring eight and allowing one goal. They are very powerful at home, where they haven’t lost since late September and an upset against Sheriff Tiraspol.
We predict goals on both ends of the field here. PSG struggles away from Paris, particularly on the defensive end. On the other end, Real needs to attack, and has no other options but to open at a certain point, and that will be a present for Mbappe, Neymar, Di Maria and Messi. To tell you right away, stay out of predicting the full-time result, but rather focus on goals or something else. Picking the final outcome will be very tough, because this event could go either way.
Pick: Both Teams to Score
Manchester City vs Sporting
It’s no wonder why Guardiola’s machinery is still the top favorite for winning the UCL trophy. The way they rolled over United in the Manchester Derby this Sunday is impressive, and we simply have nothing new to say about the Citizens. It appears that losing to Tottenham at home was just a coincidence, as Man City posted three triumphs in a row following that, scoring seven and allowing only one goal.
The Lions are going up and down lately, posting mixed results. For instance, their record in the past six games across all the competitions is two wins, draws and losses each. The defense is in big problems and only in one event during that stretch they’ve managed to protect the net.
Sporting comes to Etihad in bad shape, and this will be a perfect opportunity for the hosts to extend a trend of vicious performances. We are fully aware of Guardiola’s intention to mix things up a little bit, but whoever plays will be too big of a challenge for the guests. The odds on the Citizens to win and to cover a 1.5-goals spread are solid, and this is our choice.
Pick: City -1.5
