2010 may have been the last time that England and Germany met in a competitive international match and, as Paul the Octopus correctly predicted, it was the Germans that emerged triumphant. This evening’s biggest games in the Champions League feature sides from these two countries as Manchester United host Wolfsburg and Borussia Monchengladbach welcome Manchester City, but will it be the Germans that are once again celebrating?
We preview these two games, as well as the David versus Goliath clash of Malmo and Real Madrid, with online sportsbook Betfair.com and provide our top Champions League picks.
Man United v Wolfsburg: 1.75 – 3.60 – 4.60
The first of the two England v Germany matches that are happening in the second round of Champions League football this Wednesday evening take place at Old Trafford as Premier League leaders Manchester United take on Wolfsburg for the first time since the group stages of the 2009/10 competition. That time around it was the EPL side that claimed all six points from home and away wins as they outscored the Germans 5-2, but United only taking their first tentative steps back into European football after missing out last season will they be able to triumph in their first proper home Champions League match this season?
Both the teams involved in this clash tonight were involved in tight matches two weeks ago in the first round of Group B action as United were beaten 2-1 in the Netherlands by PSV after losing left back Luke Shaw to a double break of his leg while Wolfsburg edged CSKA 1-0 on home soil thanks to a Draxler goal late in the first half. Although United are still suffering a number of injury concerns on top of Shaw’s injury they have gone from strength to strength since that loss at the Philips Stadion as they have scored nine goals in three matches to move into round four of the Capital One Cup and sit first in the EPL.
With confidence overflowing in the Old Trafford camp and Wolfsburg having managed just one in three games since beating CSKA, including losing 5-1 away to Bayern Munich, as well as just a single win on the road this season we feel that the Betfair odds on this Man United v Wolfsburg game are correct and we’re likely to see a home win at Old Trafford.
Our top Man United v Wolfsburg pick is back the Premier League side to win @ 1.75
Monchengladbach v Man City: 4.00 – 3.70 – 1.85
The second clash of Bundesliga and Premier League sides in this Wednesday evening’s Champions League action also sees another of the Manchester sides in action as City travel to Monchengladbach for their first ever encounter with the side currently sitting 14th in the German top flight. Despite City currently occupying second place in the highest league in England things are not as straightforward as they may seem for this clash despite Betfair making City the odds-on favourites for victory.
City having slipped to three defeats in their last four matches as EPL losses at home to West Ham and away at Tottenham have seen them cede top spot to their local rivals after they were upset at The Etihad by Juventus in their European opener two weeks ago. The exact opposite has happened for the Germans as they lost all of their first six games of the season, failing to find the net in four of these, but their last two games have seen them rediscover their scoring touch with seven goals and six points to see them drag themselves off the foot of the table. They were beaten 3-0 in Spain by Sevilla in their Champions League opener, but with successive wins and home advantage can they triumph in this evening’s action?
We feel that the home team will take something from this match as their boost in form has coincided nicely with City’s slump and while we’re not confident of all three points for Monchengladbach we do not see them being defeated on home soil this evening.
Our best Monchengladbach v Man City bet is back Monchengladbach/Draw Double Chance at odds of 1.90
Malmo v Real Madrid: 13.00 – 7.00 – 1.25
The final of the trio of matches we’re taking a look at from this Wednesday night’s Champions League fixture list is another first time meeting as Sweden’s Malmo face the ten time winners Real Madrid. The Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo powered away side are, unsurprisingly, the big favourites to win this match, but is an upset on the cards for the minnows who were beaten 2-0 in France by PSG two weeks ago?
The Swedes have done well since losing in the French capital a fortnight ago with six goals netted in two wins and a draw in the Allsvenskan, but with Real having carded the same set of results while only conceding a single goal will the hosts of this Malmo v Madrid clash be able to break through? An opener from Karim Benzema and a hat-trick from Ronaldo saw Real defeat Shakhtar Donetsk in their Champions League opener and can see them having another straightforward victory this evening.
Our Malmo v Real Madrid pick is back Real Madrid to win both halves @ 2.37