Wednesday brings us the last matches of this year’s Champions League group stage. Most of them are not going to make changes in who goes to the last 16 phase; however, some of them might. We are going to cover the teams that have a chance to progress even though they are not considered top sides. Zagreb are playing against Manchester City at home and if they win, they are through to the next phase. However, Atalanta and Shakhtor who play against each other could all take that 2nd position on the table. The only certain thing in this group is that City are surely 1st on the table.
In other news, we have a fantastic match between Bayern and Tottenham; however, the result won’t matter. Both teams have secured qualification and Bayern are surely on the top of the group, regardless of the result. Still, the reverse fixture was very humiliating for Tottenham and they will want payback. Last but not least, we have to mention that Atletico Madrid are also in danger of not going through to the next stage. Juventus are secure on top so if Leverkusen beats them, Atletico will have to get 3 points against Lokomotiv Moscow in order to get to the last 16 phase. For more information about the Champions League, check their official website.
Dinamo Zagreb vs Manchester City
The Croatian side had the dream of playing in the last 16 phase in their hands but it only lasted for about 10 minutes. Two rounds ago they had a 2 goal advantage over Shakhtar and managed to squander it away. After that, they lost to Atalanta and are now in an impossible situation. To progress further, they need to defeat Manchester City. However, even if they somehow manage that, Zagreb also need to hope that Shakhtar doesn’t win their match against Atalanta. It’s a tremendous task in front of Zagreb but they have gotten some fantastic results at home this season. They defeated Atalanta 4:0 in the 1st round of this group stage so just maybe they can get a win over City.
The Manchester side has nothing to play for in this match. They will most probably field a highly rotated squad. City are 1st on the table regardless of the outcomes of the last round. We could say that they had the easiest group out of all the top sides but then again they played 2 draws in the last 2 rounds. In both those matches City didn’t look like the powerhouse they actually are. Additionally, their 2nd team players are normally worse than the 1st team. That might give Zagreb the edge they need to get 3 points and maybe get to the last 16 phase.
Prediction
Quality wise, City are favorites for this fixture, regardless of the squad they field. On the other hand, Dinamo will do their best to try and get a positive outcome from the match. For that reason, we are backing a Both Teams to Score outcome @ 1.48 odds.
Dinamo Zagreb vs Manchester City
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta
Beside City, the Ukrainian side are the team with the most experience in the Champions League. That’s probably why they are 2nd in the group even though they have just 1 win. They fought back twice against Dinamo and even got a draw against Manchester City. However, now they need to defeat Atalanta in order to progress to the next phase. They will be through with a draw as well if Dinamo Zagreb loses or draws against Manchester City. However, one thing is certain, the hosts mustn’t lose to Atalanta if they hope to see the last 16 phase.
The Italian side was practically out of the tournament just 2 round ago. However, they started playing much better and by getting a draw against City and a win against Dinamo Zagreb, Atalanta are now in contention for the 2nd spot in the group. If they defeat Shakhtar and Dinamo loses to City, the Italian side will be traveling to the last 16 phase for the first time in their history as competitors in the UEFA Champions League. However, this is easier said than done because Shakhtar have a vast experience when it comes to European games and they do know how to get a positive result.
Prediction
Quality wise, both sides are pretty much similar with Atalanta possibly having a little edge over the Ukrainian side. However, when so much is at stake it makes absolutely no difference. Picking a winner would be impossible which is why we are backing an Over 2.75 Goals outcome @ 1.71 odds.
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta
Bayern Munich vs Tottenham
Last but not least, we have to mention this fixture even though it won’t affect the positions on the table. It’s too big of a match-up not to be mentioned. Bayern are not looking great at the moment even though they changed their coach. In the Bundesliga, they are losing steps in the title race with every passing match. They area already 7 points behind the table leaders which is very unusual for the Bavarian side. They have been destroying the Bundesliga in recent years; however, they are rebuilding their squad at the moment which makes them vulnerable. Nevertheless, they still had no problem trashing Tottenham in the reverse fixture.
The Spurs are probably still thinking about that defeat and with Mourinho now in charge they will surely travel to Germany and seek vengeance. They have been playing great in recent weeks so Bayern might find themselves in a lot of trouble. They can consider themselves lucky that the fixture means nothing for both teams as they can play with no pressure at all. It’s important to note that both sides might bring a rotated squad because they have important fixtures in their respected leagues. Resting 1st team players might be the key to getting a positive result over the weekend.
Prediction
Bayern are massive favorites for this match because of how the reverse fixture ended. Additionally, now they have home turf advantage and no pressure at all. However, Tottenham are on the rise and they also have no pressure for the match. For that reason, we are backing a bold outcome of X2 Double Chance @ 3.10 odds.
Bayern Munich vs Tottenham
Coinbet24 Champions League Betting Tips and Bitcoin Betting
The Coinbet24 bitcoin sportsbook offers a broad selection of betting types and markets for the Champions League. You will find bet types like HT/FT, handicap, moneyline bets, correct score betting, totals, both teams to score, over/under bets, Asian handicap, winner and total score bets, and much more. On top of that, there is a huge selection of fantastic special offers.
Here, you will be able to see how putting all the above mentioned bets on one betslip would look like. Of course, you can combine these bets anyway you want or even play them as singles. Here are the Champions League predictions and betting tips for the most important matches of the last round in the Group stage.
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