Champions League quarter-finals preview

The Champions League returns this week with some classy fixtures as the final eight teams battle it out to progress into the semi-finals of Europe’s most coveted and prestigious competition.

We preview the two opening games below.

Bet on the Champions League with William Hill

Arsenal v Bayern Munich – Tuesday 20:00, Emirates

Arsenal managed to claw a win on penalties to send Porto packing in the return leg of the round of 16, which sees them line up against the German giants Bayern Munich at the Emirates. Despite the Gunners being in fine form this season, they have fallen victim to 5-1 losses against this German outfit in all of their last three encounters, which will no doubt weigh heavy on the heads of Mikel Arteta’s men come game time. However, they still enter as favourites at the short price of 7/10 to rewrite the history books with their new and improved line-up of stars.

This game comes at an interesting juncture for both teams, as Bayern are not performing anywhere near their characteristic high standards of the past few seasons. However, ignoring league form, Bayern Munich head into this having dismissed Arsenal four times in the last 20 years when meeting in this competition, and have only lost one of their last six away games against English sides in the Champions League. Despite this gleaming record, Bayern are rather long at 7/2, which one can only imagine is the first time in history that they’ve gone into this fixture as outsiders.

In terms of goalscorers, both teams have plenty of firepower.  The home team boasts attacking strength across all areas of the pitch with Bukayo Saka leading the running for the English side at 9/5, with Kai Havertz a near second at 15/8 followed by Leandro Trossard. Naturally, Harry Kane is the shortest price of both teams at 7/4, having banged in 32 goals for Bayern in the Bundesliga this season. Should Kane be without his shooting boots, it’ll most likely be Mathys Tel (16/5) and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (17/5) who will come to the rescue.

Be sure to check out the Enhanced Odds for each of the Champions League games – the one we’d side with here is Saka to Assist A Goal, Arsenal to Win & Both Teams to Score at 10/1.

Real Madrid v Manchester City – Tuesday 20:00, Santiago Bernabéu

This is arguably the headline fixture of the quarter-final round in this year’s Champions League, as Real Madrid host Premier League champions Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabéu. These are two teams who are no stranger to one another having faced off in the past two seasons in the competition, with a whopping 17 goals scored between them both across four fixtures. Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola are the Champions League’s most experienced managers and go head-to-head here yet again, with the latter coming out on top with just one loss in eight games in charge of the Cityzens against Ancelotti.

The home advantage will certainly play in the favour of Los Blancos, but there will be plenty of work to be done to keep the current Premier League champions at bay, having conceded 17 goals in their ten games against Man City, the most against a side they have faced five or more times. Despite losing four of their last five games against City, Real Madrid sit at 15/8 to overcome the English giants and enter the fixture all guns blazing to put as many past them as they can to make the return fixture at the Etihad as comfortable as possible.

Pep and his men enter the contest as 11/8 favourites and will be looking to extend their ten-game winning streak in the competition. The last team to beat them were Real Madrid in the semi-final return leg back in May 2022 and they’ll be rearing to put an end to their unbeaten run yet again.

Erling Haaland is the market leader to find the back of the net for City at 5/4, with the next best bet being Phil Foden at 9/4 who has been tearing the Premier League up to shreds of late. For Los Blancos, it is star boy Jude Bellingham who is 15/8 to score anytime, with Vinicius Jr. (19/10) and Joselu (23/10) in behind to put their team ahead.

Should you fancy Real Madrid to turn up and come away with a win here, at 18/1, Bellingham to Assist a Goal, Real Madrid to Win & Both Teams to Score looks a large price.