AJAX v REAL MADRID
Champions League
Wednesday 13th February 2019
Kickoff: 2000hrs
Pick: Real Madrid to win
Bookmaker: Betfred
Odds: 1.91 (odds taken at 13:10 GMT, 12 Feb 2019)
Wednesday night brings us further action in the Champions League starting with Ajax playing host to Real Madrid as the betting tips continue in the round of 16 first legs that are being played this week.
Champions League Betting at Betfred
Ajax Prediction
Ajax finished runners-up to Group E winners, Bayern Munich as the Dutch side remained unbeaten throughout the group stages in a group that also included Portuguese outfit Benfica and Greek club AEK Athens.
In truth, AEK Athens and to a lesser extent, Benfica, didn’t put up much of a fight and it was a fairly straightforward group to progress from with Ajax finishing seven points clear of third placed Benfica who will progress to the knock-out rounds of the Europa League.
On the domestic front, it was all going well for Ajax before the winter break but since the turn of the year, and the resumption of hostilities in the Dutch Eredivisie, the hosts have managed just one win from the four matches played – that win came in a crushing 6-0 victory over VVVenlo, but a heavy 6-2 defeat to Feyenoord and a disappointing 1-0 loss away at Heracles has raied question marks over Ajax’s ability to lift their game in these upcoming knockout rounds in the Champions League.
A 3-3 draw with Bayern Munich at their Johan Cruijff Arena was probably the highlight of their group campaign, but the hosts have faced very few other quality teams such as Real Madrid for some time.
- Ajax have won just 1 of their last 4 matches in the Dutch Eredivisie
- Real Madrid have lost just 3 of their last 15 matches in the Champions League
- Real Madrid have won 8 of their last 10 away matches in the CL
Real Madrid Prediction
Onto Real Madrid, and even though the Spanish club lost two of their six matches in Group G, the visitors still sailed through the group, winning the group and finishing three points clear of Roma who also progressed through to the round of 16.
Hoime and away losses to CSKA Moscow accounted for the two group defeats for Real Madrid, but the Russian club won’t be around any longer to cause further embarrassment as they finished bottom of the group on goal difference, losing out to third from bottom team, Plzen who will play in the Europa League.
With just three defeats from their last 15 ties in the Champions League, Real Madrid are going to be a hard team to stop even though they’re without Ronaldo, they still possess quality personnel such as Modric, Isco, Bale and Benzema – the latter scoring 10 goals to date this season.
Betting Tips Verdict
Much has been made of Ronaldo’s departure from Real Madrid to Juventus in the media and how Real Madrid are much weaker now, but here they are, in the round of 16 in the Champions League and they should have too much quality for an out of sorts Ajax outfit here.
