Champions League betting tips: Wednesday's preview, predictions & latest odds for Real Madrid v Manchester City and Lyon v Juventus

For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record

Real Madrid v Manchester City

  • 2000 GMT kick-off on BT Sport 2
Pep Guardiola (right) congratulates Man City's hat-trick hero Raheem Sterling in their Champions League win over Atalanta

What a game we have in Madrid on Wednesday as Pep Guardiola returns to face his old foes knowing this could well be his last chance to win the Champions League with Man City.

Ban or no ban, beating Real Madrid on the way to lifting this trophy again would make it all the sweeter, and they’ve got a much better chance if Raheem Sterling is fit as expected.

Sterling voiced his admiration for Los Blancos in a recent interview and, although he’s one of England’s best players, he’s still not had that big performance on the European stage to showcase his talents – this could be just that occasion.

The reason being Real have stuttered of late as Barcelona have overtaken them at the top of the table following a damaging draw with Celta Vigo and even more disappointing defeat at Levante.

That’s not great form to take into a game with a team containing the excellent Kevin De Bruyne, who could enjoy himself if Real’s defending does not improve from recent outings.

It’s an intriguing contrast between the team in form but short of European success, and the big-time players from Madrid, who are not at their best but are experts at raising their games for these big occasions – and have the 13 European Cups to show for it.

There should be plenty of action on both sides – Real Madrid have averaged 25 shots per Champions League home game this season, but if Aymeric Laporte plays then that should restrict their success.

No Eden Hazard is a big blow for the hosts and City just look the better side that are in better form right now, so although Real have a tremendous home record in this competition and know exactly how to handle these big games, this looks well set up for a landmark European win for Guardiola’s side.

Prediction: Real Madrid 1-2 Man City

Best bet:

Opta stats

Best bet:

Opta stats

  • Lyon are winless against Juventus in European competition (D1 L3), losing both of their home games against the Italian side by the same 0-1 scoreline (2013/14 Europa League quarter-finals and in the 2016/17 Champions League group stages).
  • Lyon have been eliminated by Italian opposition in the Champions League knockout stages on both previous occasions they have met: 1-3 on aggregate v AC Milan in 2005/06 (quarter-finals) and 0-2 v Roma in 2006/07 (round of 16). Meanwhile, Juventus have always progressed to the next round when facing French clubs in the knockout stages of the competition (4/4).
  • Lyon have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League more times than any other French club (11). However, it’s been 10 years since they progressed past the round of 16 (2009/10). Indeed, they have scored only three goals in their last nine knockout games in the competition (W1 D2 L6).
  • Juventus are in the Champions League knockout stages for the sixth straight season, their longest ever run. In the last five campaigns, they’ve made it past the round of 16 on four occasions, only failing to do so in 2015/16 when they were eliminated by Bayern Munich (4-6 agg.).
  • Seven of Lyon’s last eight Champions League home games have ended in a draw (W1), four of them with a 2-2 scoreline. Juventus were the last side to beat them on home soil in the competition, it was in October 2016 (0-1).
  • Juventus have lost only one of their last seven Champions League away games in the knockout phase (W4 D2), a 2-0 defeat against Atlético Madrid last season in the last 16.
  • Lyon won two of their six group games in this season’s Champions League (D2 L2), the lowest tally alongside Atalanta among the remaining 16 teams.
  • Lyon posted an Expected Goals total of 7.8 in this season’s Champions League group phase (9 goals scored), the lowest total amongst the teams left in the competition. o Memphis Depay (six goals, four assists) has been directly involved in 45% of Lyon’s Champions League goals since the start of last season (10/22) – however the French side will be without the Dutch forward for this match due to injury.
  • Among the seven players with 50+ goals in the Champions League, Juventus striker Cristiano Ronaldo is also the only one to have scored more goals in the knockout stages (65) than in the group phase (63). Indeed, he has also registered more assists in the competition versus Lyon (4) than any other side.

Odds correct as of 2300 GMT on 25/02/20

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