The Champions League and the Europa League have now reached a crucial juncture of the season. The semifinal stage. Out of the eight teams across both competitions there are two from Spain, one from the Netherlands, one from Germany and a total of four from the English Premier League. Having been drawn into each of the four semifinals, it is even possible we could have two all-English European finals in a few weeks’ time.
However, Chelsea and Arsenal in the Europa League and Liverpool and Tottenham in the Champions League have the small matter of their respective two-legged semifinals to face and it is not going to be easy for any of the teams with some high-quality opposition lying in wait in those semis.
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Let’s now take a look at the four games coming up and how we see each one going.
Champions League Semifinals 1st Leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Ajax Amsterdam
Road to the Semis
Tottenham
- Group Stage – 2nd in Group B – 8 points from 6 games (9 goals scored, 10 conceded)
- Round of 16 – v Borussia Dortmund (3-0, 0-1 – 4-0 on aggregate)
- Quarterfinals – v Manchester City (1-0, 3-4 – 4-4 on aggregate, Spurs win on away goals)
Ajax Amsterdam
- Group Stage – 2nd in Group E – 12 points from 6 games (11 goals scored, 5 conceded)
- Round of 16 – v Real Madrid (1-2, 1-4 – 5-3 on aggregate)
- Quarterfinals – v Juventus (1-1, 1-2 – 3-2 on aggregate)
Team News
- Tottenham – Harry Kane will miss out through injury and Son is suspended for the first leg of this tie following his booking against Manchester City in the last round. Winks and Lamela are both doubts. Sissoko and Aurier join Kane on the treatment table.
- Ajax – Ajax have Eiting injured and Mazraoui is a doubt. They should however be able to field an unchanged team from the second leg against Juventus if they so wish.
Our Tips
- Match Result – Draw – 12/5
- Correct Score – Tottenham 1-1 Ajax – 5/1
- Goalscorer Bet – Dusan. Tadic to score anytime – 15/8
Barcelona v Liverpool
Road to the Semis
Barcelona
- Group Stage – 1st in Group B – 14 points from 6 games (14 goals scored, 5 conceded)
- Round of 16 – v Lyon (0-0, 5-1 – 5-1 on aggregate)
- Quarterfinals – v Manchester United (0-1, 3-0 – 4-0 on aggregate)
Liverpool
- Group Stage – 2nd in Group C – 9 points from 6 games (9 goals scored, 7 conceded)
- Round of 16 – v Bayern Munich (0-0, 1-3 – 3-1 on aggregate)
- Quarterfinals – v FC Porto (2-0, 1-4 – 6-1 on aggregate)
Team News
- Barcelona – Monchu is suspended for this tie. It seems to be a straight choice between Coutinho and Dembele to play alongside Messi and Suarez in a more advanced role.
- Liverpool – Firmino, Lallana and Fabinho are doubts ahead of this game but all could be fit enough to play. Liverpool have no players suspended for this game.
Our Tips
- Match Result – Barcelona to win – 17/20
- Correct Score – Barcelona 2-1 Liverpool – 15/2
- Goalscorer Bet – Luis Suarez to score anytime – 11/10
Europa League Semifinals 1st Leg
Arsenal v Valencia
Road to the Semis
Arsenal
- Group Stage – 1st in Group E – (16 points from 6 games, 12 goals scored, 2 conceded)
- Round of 32 – v BATE Borisov (1-0, 0-3 – 3-1 on aggregate)
- Round of 16 – v Rennes (3-1, 3-0 – 4-3 on aggregate)
- Quarterfinals – v Napoli (2-0, 0-1 – 3-0 on aggregate)
Valencia
- Group Stage – 3rd in Champions League Group H (8 points, 6 goals scored, 6 conceded) *Valencia entered the Europa League at the knockout stage in the New Year as a result of their third-place finish in Group H.
- Round of 32 – v Celtic (0-2, 1-0 – 3-0 on aggregate)
- Round of 16 – v Krasnodar (2-1, 1-1 – 3-2 on aggregate)
- Quarterfinals – v Villarreal (1-3, 2-0 – 5-1 on aggregate)
Team News
- Arsenal – Arsenal will be without several defenders through injury. Cech could come in for Leno in goal while Unai Emery could opt to play a 5-3-2 formation with wing backs to allow him to play Ozil behind Lacazette and Aubameyang.
- Valencia – Former Gunner Francois Coquelin will miss out on a return to the Emirates through suspension but Valencia should otherwise have a fully fit squad to pick from for the game.
Our Tips
- Match Result – Draw – 13/5
- Correct Score – Arsenal 1-1 Valencia – 11/2
- Goalscorer Bet – Alexander Lacazette to score anytime – 6/5
Eintracht Frankfurt v Chelsea
Road to the Semis
Eintracht Frankfurt
- Group Stage – 1st in Group H (18 points from 6 games, 17 goals scored, 5 conceded)
- Round of 32 – v Shakhtar Donetsk (2-2, 4-1 – 6-3 on aggregate)
- Round of 16 – v Inter Milan (0-0, 0-1 – 1-0 on aggregate)
- Quarterfinals – v Benfica (2-4, 2-0 – 4-4 on aggregate, Frankfurt win on away goals)
Chelsea
- Group Stage – 1st in Group L (16 points from 6 games, 12 goals scored, 3 conceded)
- Round of 32 – v Malmo (1-2, 3-0 – 5-1 on aggregate)
- Round of 16 – v Dynamo Kyiv (3-0, 0-5 – 8-0 on aggregate)
- Quarterfinals – v Slavia Prague (0-1, 4-3, 5-3 on aggregate)
Team News
- Eintracht Frankfurt – Ante Rebic is suspended for this game although Ndicka returns in defence from suspension after missing the second leg against Benfica. Haller or Paciencia will most likely replace Rebic in the team.
- Chelsea – Chelsea could be without Rudiger after he picked up a knock at Old Trafford at the weekend, but the German could also be fit to play. Giroud will likely come in for Higuain in attack and Barkley or Loftus-Cheek could start in place of Kovacic.
Our Tips
- Match Result – Draw – 23/10
- Correct Score – Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Chelsea – 5/1
- Goalscorer Bet – Olivier Giroud (Chelsea) – Anytime Goalscorer – 2/1
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