Club Brugge Vs Real Madrid
Wednesday 11th December 2019 – 20:00 (kick-off)
UEFA Champions League
Pick: Under 3.5 Goals
Odds: 3/5
Bookmaker: SportingBet
UEFA Champions League Betting with 22Bet
(All betting odds displayed were correct as of 9th December 2019 at 10:20)
Preview: Four goals were shared equally, surprisingly, in Spain when these teams clashed in October. A similar outcome on Wednesday would benefit Club Brugge more than Real Madrid, with the latter consigned to second in the group regardless of how this final Group A encounter turns out.
Club Brugge Vs Real Madrid Live Stats & Betting Odds
Club Brugge Preview – Home resilience key to positive result?
Unlike their opposition, Belgian runners-up Club Brugge (3rd – W0 D3 L2, GF3 GA9) will have something meaningful at stake in this final Group A encounter. Currently occupying third position in the group, the club will qualify for the Europa League knockout stages with either victory over Real Madrid or if bottom side Galatasaray fail to overcome PSG in Paris. The latter seems improbable but not impossible, which is why Brugge can ill-afford to rely on favours from others.
In the reverse meeting, which took place in Madrid, Club Brugge came close to producing one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s group stage history when opening up a two-goal lead. Those lofty heights could not be sustained, though, neither in that particular game, which was eventually drawn 2-2, or in subsequent group games where they failed to secure a single victory. All three of their points were earned through low-scoring stalemates – and two of those were against the weakest side, Galatasaray.
The Belgians drew their opening match 0-0 at home with Galatasaray but were less fortunate second time out in Belgium, losing 5-0 to PSG. That emphatic scoreline remains their only home loss of the entire campaign thus far, in all competitions (W8 D4 L1). Clearly then there is evidence suggesting these are a more stubborn nut to crack on home soil, where they are nine matches without defeat in the league (W6 D3), conceding on only three occasions.
Real Madrid Preview – Lack of incentive dampens visitor’s appeal?
Contrasting emotions greeted the end of their enthralling 2-2 draw with PSG in Spain two weeks ago. Leading for the best part of 80 minutes, Real Madrid (2nd – W2 D2 L1, GF11 GA7) somehow contrived to surrender a commanding two-goal lead in the closing stages. That result maintained the club’s phenomenal record which has seen them reach the latter stages of this competition for a 24th successive term, but also resigned them to finishing no higher than second in this group. Their French counterparts now boasting an unassailable five-point lead at the summit.
Bearing this in mind, there is a suggestion that Zinedine Zidane could make some notable changes from his preferred line-up for what is now a meaningless fixture. It would certainly make sense, with attentions switching to La Liga where Real Madrid currently trail leaders Barcelona on goal difference after Saturday’s 2-0 home win over Espanyol. There is also a rescheduled El Clasico around the corner (18th December), meaning a run out for the likes of Luka Modric, Isco and Luka Jovic could be in the offing.
When you break it down, it becomes apparent that the only team Los Blancos have thus far managed to beat in this section were a Galatasaray outfit currently in last place. That is fairly damning. Particularly as they were hardly convincing in the away encounter, securing a slender 1-0 success in Turkey. In Paris, meanwhile, Zidane’s uninspiring Galacticos found themselves on the receiving end of a 3-0 thrashing that was nothing less than they deserved.
Club Brugge Vs Real Madrid Key Facts:
- The heavy 5-0 loss sustained against PSG remains the only defeat Club Brugge have suffered at home all season (W8 D4 L1).
- Across two away matches in this group, Real Madrid managed to score only once – in a 1-0 victory at bottom-of-the-group Galatasaray.
- There was very nearly an upset in the reverse fixture over in Spain: Club Brugge taking a 2-0 lead before having to settle for a 2-2 draw.
Betting Summary
Club Brugge (11/5 Betway) have everything to play for here, with third place in the group and a Europa League berth the prize on offer for the Belgian national champions. The same does not apply for Real Madrid (6/5 Ladbrokes) however; the 13-time European Cup winners are now locked into second and can no longer catch leaders PSG nor be caught by the others, meaning changes to the usual starting XI are surely abound.
Will sheer hunger and motivation be enough to overcome the quality that will still be on show in the Real Madrid ranks? Club Brugge will certainly hope so, and their record at home is supreme enough (W8 D4 L1 in all competitions) to give them the benefit of the doubt at the odds. The Belgians are renowned for being miserly in defence and were only pegged back in Madrid by a couple of set-play goals. This could be a tight encounter therefore, with goals possibly in short supply.
