It’s a massive week for eight teams across Europe this week as the first leg
of the semi finals of both the Champions League and the Europa League will be contested, with the second leg of these games taking place around a fortnight later.
Two out of Liverpool, Roma, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the Champions League and two from Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Marseille and Red Bull Salzburg in the Europa League, will make it through to the final in the respective competition, both of which will be played towards the end of May and not long before the World Cup gets underway in Russia.
Let’s now take a closer look at each of the four games taking place this week in both these top competitions and bring you our tips on how we feel the first legs of each game will go. We’ll give you our Match Result tip and also if you fancy a longer odds bet, a Correct Score bet for each game.
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We will go through each of the four games in chronological order starting with the Champions League game on Tuesday night.
Champions League Semi Finals 1st Leg
Tuesday 24th April (7.45pm Kick off)
Liverpool v AS Roma
Liverpool Predicted XI – (4-3-3) – Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Van Dijk, Lovren, Henderson, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mane, Firmino, Salah
AS Roma Predicted XI – (4-5-1) – Alisson, Peres, Florenzi, Kolarov, Fazio, Manolas, Strootman, Nainggolan, De Rossi, Perotti, Dzeko
Analysis
Anfield will be a cauldron of noise as Liverpool face their first Champions League semi final for ten years against Roma, a team they defeated in Rome in the 1984 final on penalties. The teams have met five times in total, two wins for Liverpool, (three if you count the penalty victory in 1984), two draws and just the one win for Roma, although that did come at Anfield.
Both sides head into this game in good form and having knocked out two much more fancied teams in the quarterfinals. The key to the game will be how Roma’s defence and midfield can cope with the waves of attacks offered by Liverpool’s attacking trio Mane, Firmino and Salah who have been on fire in this tournament all season long.
AS Roma though have their own attacking threat in Dzeko and if they can counter well, as they did in Barcelona, then they can certainly grab a goal and as they showed in the quarter final, if Roma get an away goal then they stand a chance to progress.
I think Liverpool get the win on Tuesday night, but I think Roma will get a goal which will make the second leg a far more tricky prospect for the Reds.
Match Result Tip – Liverpool to win and both teams to score – 9/5 with Coral
Correct Score Tip – Liverpool to win 3-1 – 10/1 with Coral
Wednesday 25th April (7.45pm Kick off)
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
Bayern Munich Predicted XI – (4-3-3) – Ulreich, Rafinha, Boateng, Hummels, Alaba, Kimmich, Vidal, Tolisso, Muller, Ribery, Lewandowski
Real Madrid Predicted XI – (4-3-3) – Navas, Carvajal, Marcelo, Ramos, Varane, Casemiro, Modric, Kroos, Bale, Isco, Ronaldo.
Analysis
These two teams have met so many times in Europe over the years and it is about honours even in terms of results, but in more recent times it is the Spanish side who have enjoyed the better of things, knocking Bayern Munich out in each of the past couple of years of the tournament, chiefly on the back of two wins in Munich.
I’m not sure this will happen once again on Wednesday night though. Real are not as strong as they once were and have shown plenty of defensive frailties at time both in the League and also in the Champions League. Bayern are well set up to take full advantage of that with the experienced players that they have.
The German side have not been beaten in competition at home all season long and they have a squad packed with talent and so many good substitutes that Heynckes always has a Plan B or Plan C to turn to if things are not going their way.
This will be a close game but I am backing Bayern to take a slight edge into the second leg at the Bernebeu in a fortnight’s time.
Match Result Tip – Bayern Munich to win and both teams to score – 12/5 with Coral
Correct Score – Bayern Munich to win 2-1 – 15/2 with Coral
Europa League Semi Finals 1st Leg
Thursday 26th April (both 8.05pm Kick offs)
Arsenal v Atletico Madrid
Arsenal Predicted XI – (3-4-3) – Cech, Monreal, Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Wilshere, Ramsey, Ozil, Xhaka, Lacazette, Welbeck,
Atletico Madrid Predicted XI – (4-3-3) – Oblak, Vrsaljko, Giminez, Godin, Juanfran, Saul, Koke, Gabi, Griezmann, Correa, Carrasco
Analysis
I am sure both these teams wanted to avoid each other in the semi-final draw but fate conspired to throw them together and with the first leg in London, Atletico will be probably the slightly more pleased of the two.
The Spanish side have a superb defensive record in the competition and they’ll need it against an Arsenal side that has found form of late and who put four past West Ham at the weekend. However Atletico are a couple of levels better than the Hammers and they are certainly the best team the Gunners have faced in Europe this season.
I’d be more confidence of Arsenal’s chances with Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan in the team but without them, I do feel the Gunners lose a little pace and I think that plays into Atletico’s hands. Not that I think the Spaniards will win here, but I do feel they have the capability to nullify the Arsenal attack.
I also feel Atletico will punish an Arsenal defence that has been woeful at times this season. That said, I can’t see either team doing enough to win here so I’m backing the draw leaving everything to play for in the second leg in Madrid.
Match Result Tip – Arsenal v Atletico Madrid – Draw – 21/10 with Coral
Correct Score Tip – Arsenal 1-1 Atletico Madrid – 5/1 with Coral
Marseille v Red Bull Salzburg
Marseille Predicted XI – (4-2-3-1) – Pele, Sarr, Rami, Rolando, Sakai, Lopez, Luis Gustavo, Payet, Thauin, Ocampos, Mitroglu
Salzburg Predicted XI – (3-4-3) – Walke, Caleta-Car, Ulmer, Lainer, Berisha, Samassekou, Haidara, Onguene, Dabour, Minamino, Hwang.
Analysis
These two teams have already met in the Europa League this season as they were paired together in the Group Stages of the tournament. In the two games between the teams, they drew 0-0 in Marseille before Salzburg recorded a 1-0 victory over the French side back in Austria.
That draw though is Marseille’s only blemish on an otherwise perfect home record in the Europa League this season and I believe that they are playing at a considerably better level now than they were when the two teams met back in the Autumn.
That said, the same could also be stated about Salzburg who stunned Lazio with a stunning fightback to come from a 4-2 deficit in the first leg to win the home leg 4-1. The Austrian side have beaten some very talented teams on the way to the final and they will certainly be no pushovers here.
That said, I think Marseille’s home advantage in the first leg, combined with the form of the likes of Thauvin and Payet, means I feel the French team will take a slender lead with them into the second leg. However, I think there will still be plenty to play for when the teams get together once again in Austria in a fortnight’s time.
Match Result Tip – Marseille to win – 8/13 with Coral
Correct Score Tip – Marseille to win 2-1 – 7/1 with Coral
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