Champions League Semi-Finals: The quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League and the semi-finals of the Europa League were wrapped up on the weekend.
It was a poor weekend for the last of the English clubs as both Manchester City and Manchester United said goodbye to their respective campaigns.
But here we are solely focusing on the UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals where we have two German and two French sides left standing.
UEFA Champions League Winner Odds
Bayern Munich 8/15
PSG 11/4
RB Leipzig 9/1
Lyon 16/1
* (betting odds taken from Bet365 at 00:35 on Monday, 17th August 2020).
Champions League Betting at Bet365
UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals
There were shocks all around in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. The first of the four matches, between Atalanta and PSG, produced some late drama.
Italian side Atalanta looked to be heading for a shock win until PSG scored two-goals from the 90th minute onwards.
Next Bundesliga side RB Leipzig managed to secure a 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in the first of the big shocks of the quarter-final stages.
It’s been some campaign from the German team in what is their debut campaign.
Few could have ever predicted what was going to happen in the third of the quarter-finals.
Barcelona were up against Bayern Munich and the result was just astonishing. The Germans tore the Spanish giants apart, scoring four goals in each half to record an 8-2 win.
There was another upset following with Lyon getting the better of the remaining Premier League side in the competition, Man City.
The Citizens paid the price for adopting an uncharacteristic defensive and conservative approach to the game, leaving Pep Guardiola still not having taken the Citizens beyond the quarter-finals in the competition.
All of that leaves things with France v Germany for each of the 2020 UEFA Champions League semi-finals.
Champions League Betting at Bet365
RB Leipzig v PSG
The first of the Champions League semi-finals is on Tuesday, August 18th and it is RB Leipzig vs PSG.
Can the Germans make the Final at the very first attempt?
Well, despite losing star striker Timo Werner to Chelsea in the summer, they were sharp and efficient against Atletico in their quarter-final clash.
It was a hard-earned victory, a victory secured in the 88th minute through American Tyler Adams.
RB Leipzig had to dig in for the last 20 minutes after Atletico had equalised in the match, but they stuck to their job, received a slice of luck and got through.
PSG were once again poor in a game played since the end of their domestic season. It was at one stage, only Neymar carrying an otherwise lack-lustre side in their semi against the in-form Atalanta.
As a positive they did get Kylian Mbappe into action in the second half, returning quicker than expected from injury.
The Parisians are the 8/11 odds-on favourites to get the win in their semi-final match.
This will be the first time that the two clubs have met and PSG should not underestimate the theta of the Germans.
RB Leipzig v PSG Champions League Semi-Finals prediction
PSG have found a way to win each of their last five games since the end of the French domestic league season, without having looked very good.
That has to be a huge positive for Thomas Tuchel’s men. We will back them to hold their nerve and use their experience against Leipzig to get the win. But we would back both teams getting on the scoresheet.
Leipzig have scored at least two goals in all but two of their Champions League games this season.
PSG to win & BTTS at 12/5* (betting odds taken from Bet365 at 00:35 on Monday, 17th August 2020).
Champions League Betting at Bet365
Lyon v Bayern Munich
The second of this season’s UEFA Champions League semi finals is on Wednesday, 19th August.
Bayern Munich are the red-hot favourite to win this season’s Champions League. After what they did to Barcelona the quarter-finals, it is hard to find a reason to go against that.
Bayern have won every game played in all competitions since the middle of February.
Since the end of their domestic league season, they put four goals against Bayer Leverkusen in the German Cup Final, scored another four against Chelsea in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final and then tallied that 8 against Barcelona.
It’s been astonishing form from them and there is little surprise in their 1/5 odds on quote currently* (betting odds taken from Bet365 at 00:35 on Monday, 17th August 2020).
They have scored at least three goals in each of their last five fixtures in all competitions.
Bayern Munich have won their last three games against Lyon as well and are unbeaten in four against them.
Lyon pulled off a shock against Man City on the weekend. Les Gones took advantage of a poor display by the Citizens, but also they got things tactically great by overcrowding the midfield.
Les Gones had eliminated Juventus in the previous round as well, so they are not to be taken lightly at all.
But based on what was seen over the weekend, this is going to be a much tougher proposition for the French side and we can’t see them doing enough to post a win.
Lyon v Bayern Munich Champions League Semi-Finals Prediction
Stopping Bayern Munich who are in full flight at the moment is going to be no easy thing for Lyon to pull off.
They have had a good campaign, flying under the radar and consistently being underestimated.
Bayern are not going to play as poorly as Manchester City did and we have to side with the Germans.
We will at least give Lyon a chance of getting on the board as we look for betting value.
Bayern Munich to win & BTTS at 13/10 * (betting odds taken from Bet365 at 00:35 on Monday, 17th August 2020).
