By late on Wednesday evening, the two teams that will compete in the Champions 
League Final in Kiev on 26th May 2018 will be known. Tuesday night sees Real Madrid host Bayern Munich in their second leg, with the Spanish side holding a 2-1 lead from the first leg in Germany.
This is followed on Wednesday night by a mighty clash in Rome where AS Roma aim to pull back a three-goal deficit once again, just as they did in the quarterfinals against Barcelona, when they take on Liverpool, who lead 5-2 from the first leg at Anfield.
Before we start to look at each of these ties in a bit more detail, let’s now take a look at a cracking starter offer available with Coral Sport involving Tuesday night’s clash at the Bernebeu.
If you are not yet a Coral customer, then you can sign up to bet with Coral using any of their sites great sign up offers (The Coral Vegas new player offer is worth a look too if you play from mobile). However, sign up with Coral Sports before Tuesday night’s kick off and you can get fantastic limited time starter offer.
New customers can place a ÂŁ1 maximum bet on there being a yellow card in the Real v Bayern clash and if their bet is a winner, Coral will pay you out at odds of 25/1. Best of all, if your bet is a loser, then you will receive a ÂŁ5 free bet as a consolation.
With the Standard Welcome Offer of £20 worth of free bets after your first bet of £5 still available too, there’s never been a better time to sign up with one of the best online bookmakers you can find in the UK.
Let’s now look at what people will be betting on this week as we preview each of the two crucial semi-final second leg ties taking place this week.
Tuesday 1st May
Real Madrid (2) v (1) Bayern Munich
First Leg Recap
Bayern will regret plenty of missed chances and some woeful defending as they went down 2-1 to Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena last Wednesday night, that despite going a goal up on 28 minutes thanks to Joshua Kimmich’s cross-shot which deceived the poorly-positioned Real keeper Keylor Navas.
The crucial moment in the tie came just before half time when Bayern failed to properly clear a Real attack and a long header across the box was allowed to reach Marcelo who struck a sweet left-foot volley into the bottom corner of Ulreich’s net to bring the Spanish side level.
That goal served to highlight the profligacy Bayern showed in front of goal for most of the night with several players spurning good chances. Those missed opportunities came home to roost early in the second half when a dreadful pass from Rafinha left Real three on two against Bayern and Manuel Asensio, on a sub for the injured Isco, shot low past Ulreich to put Real 2-1 ahead.
This was a game that Bayern could and should have won, but poor finishing, some untimely injuries to key players and some suicidal defending saw the current holders Real secure a perhaps undeserved but crucial 2-1 away victory.
Second Leg Preview
- Kick Off – 7.45pm
- Date – Tue 1st May
- Venue – Bernebeu, Madrid
- Probable Real Madrid XI – Navas, Vallejo, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo, Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, Vazquez, Asensio, Ronaldo
- Probable Bayern Munich XI – Ulreich, Rafinha, Sule, Hummels, Kimmich, Martinez, James, Ribery, Thiago, Muller, Lewandowski
I expect Vallejo to come in for the injured Carvajal at right back for Real, although Vazquez could also slot in and allow Benzema or Bale to partner Ronaldo in attack. If Isco is unfit, Asensio will start and it seems likely that this may well be the case.
Bayern need to shuffle the pack with Boateng and Robben both injured in the first leg adding to an already long list of injured players at the club. I expect Thiago to replace Robben, with Sule coming in to replace Boateng.
Last year, Bayern lost 2-1 at home to Real but then beat the Spanish side 2-1 at the Bernebeu forcing extra time. However, Arturo Vidal was sent off on 88 minutes and in extra time, Real added three goals to their total to progress. My gut feeling here is that Real won’t need extra time this time around.
I think the Spanish side will have learned their lesson from the last round against Juventus and I think they’ll earn a narrow win on the night to earn their place in Kiev. You can back Real Madrid to win at 11/10 with Coral Sport.
Wednesday 2nd May
AS Roma (2) v (5) Liverpool
First Leg Recap
At one stage, AS Roma were all but out of this competition as Liverpool raced into a 5-0 lead in a blistering 40-minute spell in the middle of the game. After a solid start by the Italians, two missed chances from Sadio Mane lit the blue-touch paper and the Reds began to perform.
Two first half strikes from Mo Salah alongside goals from Sadio Mane and two for Roberto Firmino in the second half put Liverpool 5-0 up. However, when Salah was withdrawn with about 70 minutes gone, Liverpool’s attacking threat notably diminished and Roma began to get a stranglehold on the game.
In the last ten minutes goals from Dzeko and a penalty from a Perotti gave Roma a chance of progress, though they’ll have to repeat the 3-0 scoreline they beat Barcelona in the last round in order to reach the final.  That is a huge ask against a team that scores as many goals as Liverpool and who tore Roma apart for a large portion of this breathless first leg.
Other than the two late goals, the only sour note for Liverpool was the knee injury sustained by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain which ends his season and also means he misses the World Cup for England in the summer.
Second Leg Preview
- Kick Off – 7.45pm
- Date – Wed 2nd May
- Venue – Stadio Olimpico, Rome
- Probable AS Roma XI – Alisson, Jesus, Fazio, Manolas, Kolarov, Pellegrini, Nainggolan, De Rossi, Strootman, Dzeko, Schick
- Probable Liverpool XI – Karius, Gomez, Robertson, Lovren, Van Dijk, Wijnaldum, Milner, Henderson, Salah, Mane, Firmino
Can Roma come back from a 5-0 deficit at one point to claim a final spot? It would be an incredible achievement if they did and the two late goals the Italian side claimed at Anfield gives them at least a fighting chance and that was all they needed in the last round against Barcelona to secure that semifinal berth.
However, they face a Liverpool that are averaging over 3.3 goals per game in the tournament and who have scored 44 goals in total in the competition in 13 games. The record if 45 in a season by Barcelona in 1999/2000, when they got 45 goals in 16 games. The Reds have hit seven, five and three on the road already this season against opponents and also beat Man City 2-1 away from home in the quarter final.
If Roma can put three past Barcelona without reply then they can score three against Liverpool. However, the way Liverpool play on the counter means Roma are so susceptible against them that I feel the Anfield side will score at least one and likely more goals on the night and that just makes Roma’s task too difficult.
I think if Liverpool get one goal that will suck the life out of the stadium and I can see the Reds killing the game in the first half or early in the second with an away goal. I also don’t think Roma can presume they will win this game as the Reds have been superb away from home. I think this ends in a draw here which is an 11/4 chance with Coral.
Worried about your gambling?