Champions League Game Week 8 – Copybet
The league phase of the Champions League draws to a close on Wednesday and there is still plenty to play for in those 18 games with all set to kick off simultaneously.
There are key ties in the battle for direct passage through to the round of 16 as well as places in the play-offs and we have three bets to consider across the continental competition.
PSV vs Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich are assured of their place in the round of 16 but they are still fighting for a top-two place and that should see motivation remain high at PSV.
The Bavarians will not want to miss out on the advantages of a top-two finish and they are expected to seal the deal.
Vincent Kompany’s men do come into this game on the back of a surprising home defeat to Augsburg in the Bundesliga, but PSV were awful when losing 3-0 at Newcastle last week and simply have to be opposed.
The Dutch champions managed only one shot or target in that crushing 3-0 loss, and if they aren’t carrying an attacking threat they don’t look capable of keeping things tight at this level to grind out a result.
Peter Bosz’s men were held to a 2-2 home draw by NAC at the weekend and they now face a Bayern side who have lost only two of their 30 matches this season.
The Bavarians are strong favourites to win on Wednesday night, but they rate the best bet on the Champions League coupon.
PSG vs Newcastle
Domestic demands could have a big bearing on the Paris clash between PSG and Newcastle.
The Parisians enjoyed a 1-0 stroll at Auxerre on Friday night, where Luis Enrique’s men didn't allow a single shot on target and registered 70 percent possession.
Not only were PSG barely extended in their most recent tie, they also had two more days to recover, while Newcastle faced a tough battle against Aston Villa on Sunday.
The 2-0 loss at St James’ Park means the Magpies have now failed to score in three of their last four games, while boss Eddie Howe is working without key midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.
Newcastle did crush PSV 3-0 in their most recent European contest but only registered four shots on target and the defending champions will be a wholly different beast, particularly with home advantage.
Bayer Leverkusen vs Villarreal
Only Kairat are keeping Villarreal off the bottom of the Champions League table and it has been an awful European campaign for the Yellow Submarine.
Marcelino’s men have lost five Champions League contests on the bounce, with their last three seeing them lose 4-0 to Dortmund, 3-2 to Copenhagen and 2-1 to Ajax.
Villarreal will be prioritising their La Liga challenge now given there is no hope of qualification, although they put in a tepid display when hitting only one shot on target in a 2-0 home defeat to Real Madrid on Saturday.
Bayer Leverkusen need points to hold onto a playoff spot and they should seal their place in the next phase. The German side’s last 10 games have seen the net bulge on 32 occasions and they are fancied to win a high-scoring contest.