xbet App
Download App
Between now and March 12, the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 will be decided. We have some of the sport’s titans, including defending champions Real Madrid, PSG, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich. We also had a few surprises make it through as Feyenoord, Club Brugge and Lille are still hanging around. Let’s look at the full schedule for the first leg and talk about some of the Betting UEFA Champions League picks we see out there, as well as some thoughts on the eventual winner.
Betting UEFA Champions League Round of 16, Leg 1 Schedule with Top Picks
Club Brugge (+200) vs Aston Villa (+148) (Draw +245)
When: Tuesday, March 4, 12:45 pm ET
UCL Pick: Club Brugge to win
Club Brugge played Aston Villa during the league phase and beat them, 1-0, on Matchday 4, behind Hans Vanaken’s penalty in the second half. That would be Villa’s only loss in league phase, and they ended up snagging a top-eight spot in the standings that allowed them to bypass the play-off. They shouldn’t expect Club Brugge to be overwhelmed by the moment, though as they took down Atalanta in the play-off, rolling 5-2 in aggregate. The only time Villa beat a Belgian side in a UEFA competition came way back in 1981-82, when they rolled all the way to a then-European Cup title. Club Brugge have faced English clubs 30 times in UEFA – with just seven wins all time, against five draws and 18 losses. That includes a 14-match winless streak that came to an end when Club Brugge stopped Villa just a short time ago. The books have this as a fairly even match, and I like the Belgians to pull off the upset at home. Club Brugge to win.
Real Madrid (-110) vs Atletico Madrid (+320) (Draw +260)
When: Tuesday, March 4, 3:00 pm ET
UCL Pick: Real Madrid to win
These two sides have met twice in La Liga play this season – and both have ended in 1-1 draws. Now the soccer fans of Madrid get a couple of extra derbies. These two teams met in Champions League finals in 2014 and 2016. Real Madrid rolled over Manchester City in the play-off, and they have won five of the ten meetings between their city rivals in UEFA matches (with three losses and two draws). However, Atletico had a solid league phase, beating PSG and Leverkusen, the defending Bundesliga champions. Both of these sides have winning records against Spanish sides in UEFA competition. Head to head, just about anything can happen, but as the defending champion playing in front of their own raucous fans, I like Real Madrid to win despite the lack of value.
PSV Eindhoven (+285) vs Arsenal (+110) (Draw +250)
When: Tuesday, March 4, 3:00 pm ET
UCL Pick: Take the draw
PSV had lost their first leg in the play-off against Juventus, but Ryan Flamingo completed the comeback in extra time of the second leg, sending his side on in a crazy home win. PSV have already stopped Liverpool in this Champions League. It is true that Arsenal drilled PSV, 4-0, on Matchday 1 of the 2023-24 Champions League group phase. Arsenal come in without forwards Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka, which means they’ll be leaning hard on their defense. Can PSV crack it? I think they can shut down this injury-riddled Arsenal offense, but can the hosts score?.
Borussia Dortmund (-135) vs Lille (+420) (Draw +300)
When: Tuesday, March 4, 3:00 pm ET
UCL Pick: Take the draw
Borussia Dortmund got past Sporting CP in the knockout play-offs and have Ten Serhou Guirassy to thank for his ten goals in the competition – including three against Sporting. Now Guirassy faces the first top-flight team he ever played for when Dortmund welcome Lille. This French side won Ligue 1 in 2020-21, and they are definitely ready for their time under the bright lights. Dortmund have a new coach in Niko Kovač who just led them to a 6-0 shellacking of Union Berlin. Lille beat three other last-16 teams on their way to this spot (Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Feyenoord). Striker Jonathan David scored six goals in eight league phase games, helping his side to a seventh-place finish and a bye to the last 16. Can Lille really pull off what would be a massive upset? They’ve been doing it all competition long. I see them finding an early goal and then hanging on for dear life.
Feyenoord (+500) vs Inter Milan (-160) (Draw +330)
When: Wednesday, March 5, 12:45 pm ET
UCL Pick: Feyenoord to win
Feyenoord keep changing coaches, and they keep winning. Robin van Persie is now the third coach to lead the side in Champions League play. Brian Priske led them through the league phase, and then Pascal Bosschaart led them to a play-off victory over AC Milan. Van Persie, a one-time striker for the Dutch national team, played for Feyenoord when they won the UEFA Cup title back in 2001-02. In the league phase, the only team that scored on Inter Milan and won the game was Bayer Leverkusen. In Matchday 8, they posted their seventh clean sheet of the phase, taking down a pesky Monaco side, 3-0 behind a hat trick from Lautaro Martinez. Inter have the talent to get through Feyenoord, but having a Dutch hero managing things in front of the Rotterdam faithful should power this upset.
PSG (+140) vs Liverpool (+185) (Draw +280)
When: Wednesday, March 5, 3:00 pm ET
UCL Pick: Liverpool to win
PSG absolutely trounced Brest in their play-off, winning 10-0 in aggregate. Their reward is a date with the top team from the league phase. Liverpool have seven wins and a loss in their eight league phase matches, but PSG feel confident after their improved production against Brest. Liverpool are aware of PSG’s quality, particularly after they beat Manchester City, 4-2, but Liverpool bring plenty of their own firepower. They barely escaped Lille in the league phase, but a one-goal victory, but then again, a one-goal victory gets you through just like a four-goal victory does.
Bayern Munich (-120) vs Bayer Leverkusen (+350) (Draw +285)
When: Wednesday, March 5, 3:00 pm ET
UCL Pick: Bayern Munich to win
The last time Bayern took on another German side in a UEFA Champions League tie, they stopped Dortmund, 2-1, at Wembley Stadium in the 2013 final. Leverkusen have a six-game unbeaten streak going against Bayern, even though they are eight points behind them in the BUndesliga table this time around. Their last meeting came on February 15, a 0-0 draw in which Bayern could not mount a single shot on target. Bayern can rely on Harry Kane, who is the only Bayern player with at least seven Champions League goals in each of his first two seasons with the German side. Leverkusen will bring the defense, but I think Bayern can take the edge here.
Benfica (+280) vs Barcelona (-115) (Draw +320)
When: Wednesday, March 5, 3:00 pm ET
UCL Pick: Barcelona to win
These two teams met in Portugal in the league phase, and Barcelona ended up winning what was a real track meet – the first Champions League match ever to finish 5-4. That Matchday 7 setback is there for Benfica to avenge this time. Robert Lewandowski has scored in five straight games against Benfica, tallying a total of nine times (which includes two penalties). While I expect Benfica to come out with just as much energy this time around, I also expect Barcelona to be better prepared – and not yield the early lead like they did in Matchday 7.
Team Odds to Win the Champions League
- Real Madrid +400
- Barcelona +450
- Arsenal, Liverpool +550
- Bayern Munich +700
- Inter Milan +1100
- PSG +1200
- Atletico Madrid +2000
- Bayer Leverkusen +2200
- Aston Villa +3000
- Borussia Dortmund +5000
- Benfica +8000
- Lille, PSV Eindhoven +10000
- Club Brugge, Feyenoord +15000
Obviously, we have to take Real Madrid seriously until someone ends their run. They are the masters of the Champions League as well as the defending champions, and they know how to deal with the pressure of the knockout rounds. Liverpool are an interesting pick because of how well they’re playing both in the English Premier League and Champions League play so far. They did win the league phase. If you’re looking for a team with a little more value, Inter Milan are interesting because of their shutdown defense – seven clean sheets in eight league phase matches. Aston Villa begin with a fairly accessible matchup, although Club Brugge have shown no shortage of competition, and I’ll be more interested in Villa based on how they deal with this last-16 challenge.
Guirassy ahead 👀#UCL pic.twitter.com/GVD0W52K8r
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 20, 2025
Champions League lines to Win Today
Bet Soccer Lines
Betting UEFA Champions League Round of 16
Love betting Soccer? | Xbet Sportsbook offer up-to-date Soccer News, Analysis and Trends