MANCHESTER CITY v SCHALKE
Champions League
Tuesday 12th March 2019
Kickoff: 2000hrs
Pick: Schalke AH+2.75
Bookmaker: Marathonbet
Odds: 1.66 (odds taken at 07:35 GMT, 12 Mar 2019)
This next tie appears to be all over bar the shouting according to public opinion and the bookmakers’ odds as Manchester City take on Schalke as the betting tips continue in this 2nd leg of the round of 16 tie in the Champions League with City holding a one-goal advantage at the Etihad Stadium.
Champions League Betting at Marathonbet
Manchester City Prediction
Manchester City secured an unlikely 3-2 win in Germany in the 1st leg at Schalke as they found themselves trailing their hosts 2-1 with 10 men after defender Otamendi was sent off, with just five minutes remaining on the clock.
However, Manchester City staged a remarkable recovery with last-gasp goals from Sane and Sterling to clinch the 1st leg and take a one-goal lead to Etihad Stadium for this keenly anticipated 2nd leg which many people believe will be a walk-over.
The hosts do come into this tie having won their last nine matches on the trot in all competitions, so they’re obviously the clear favourites to progress here, with the only question seeming to be by how big a margin will they win by?
Let’s take a look at City’s recent matches at home in the Champions League, and you’ll see that their biggest margin was a 6-0 thrashing of Shakhtar Donetsk during the group stage, but aside from that, the hosts have won by a 3-goal margin just once more in their last 25 matches at home – that was a 5-2 win over CSKA Moscow back in 2013.
- Manchester City have won their last 9 matches on the trot in all competitions
- Man City have won by 3 goals or more in just 2 of their last 25 home matches in the CL
- Schalke have lost just 1 of their last 16 away ties by more than a 2-goal margin
Schalke Prediction
Schalke have been all but written off as they make their way over to Manchester for this crucial 2nd leg being a goal down to their hosts following their 3-2 defeat to City in the 1st leg at their VELTINS-Arena in Gelsenkirchen.
Schalke are probably still kicking themselves and scratching their collective heads as they’re wondering how they let a 2-1 lead slip against the 10 men of Manchester City a couple of weeks ago.
With the visitors losing their last four matches on the trot overall in all competitions with defeats to Manchester City in the Champions League as well as Bundesliga losses to Mainz, Fortuna Dusseldorf and Werder Bremen, they look to have their work cut out to just stay in the tie it appears.
However, Schalke have lost only four of their last 16 away ties at this level, and just one of these was by more than a two-goal margin which was a 3-0 loss away at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea back in 2013.
Schalke have also popped up with wins at lesser lights, Maribor and Lokomotiv Moscow, as well as most impressive of all, a 4-3 win over a Real Madrid outfit which included the likes of Ronaldo and Benzema.
Betting Tips Verdict
There’s no denying that Manchester City should and more than likely, will, win this 2nd leg, but I’m backing Schalke to keep the hosts fairly close here, who will be without Aguero, De Bruyne, Kompany and Fernandinho.
