Champions League Tuesday Betting Tips Pt 2

Despite Jose Mourinho describing this Barcelona team as the “worst Barcelona in many years”, you reckon that City won’t have an easy time - particularly with the penetrating runs perpetuated by Lionel Messi. He is the outright favourite to score the first goal of the match and the bookmakers have him listed at more or less 4.5 depending on whom you’re wagering with. 

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE BET WITH BET365!

Alvaro Negredo is the choice for City to get the opening up front with a listing hovering around 7.0. 

There are so many potential match winners on the pitch during this fixture that wagering on outright first goalscorer may not be the best course of action. At times, you will find that matches with two high-power offenses can sometimes see them canceling each other out and shifting into a defensive shoot-out with neither team really offering up much going forward. 

It’s matches like this where you really think Lionel Messi has to step up and really put his stamp on the fixture. He is the only player who is currently trading at odds-on to score a goal at any point in the match. You’ll find him around 1.8 and looking good to get on the scoresheet unless City really manage to put Barca to the sword. 

There is a lot more than progression to the quarter-finals at stake here - it’s a chance for Manchester City to show that they are the real deal - where it truly matters. 

Look for City to try to strike early and also expect them to throw their bodies around significantly in the middle of the park. Barcelona can struggle against organized, physical play and staying disciplined could be the smartest route to victory for the likes of Manchester City. While losing by a goal isn't the end of the world, they would really prefer to be holding the advantage going into the reverse fixture.