We’re halfway through the quarterfinal round of the UEFA Champions League tournament. Here’s a rundown of betting angles on the two high-profile matches that remain:
Bayern Munich vs. Barcelona, Friday: This feels more like a final than it does a quarterfinal. Bayern Munich has been the best club in Europe since the restart, and I don’t think that’s even debatable. This is their tournament to lose.
Barcelona comes down to Lionel Messi, and whether he can create more magical moments; if he doesn’t, Barca can struggle in attack.
On top of that, they have trouble controlling the middle third against good sides, and their back four can be leaky. Bayern, too, can give up some goals, but this team is far deeper than Barcelona.
They have the best No. 9 in the world in Robert Lewandowski and over the course of their season, Bayern averaged 2.74 expected goals per game — a ridiculously high number. (NYPost)