12 Jun 2019
The Genting Casino Champions League odds suggest Manchester City are the best team in Europe at the moment – or certainly the most likely to win the trophy - sitting at 9/4 to lift ‘old big ears’.
They take on German side Schalke on Tuesday evening at the Etihad, holding a commanding 3-2 lead from the first leg, following two late goals from Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling.
Schalke created plenty of chances in the first leg, however, and they won’t fear the reigning Premier League champions and current leaders.
City come into this clash on a good run. They maintained their one-point lead over Liverpool with a convincing 3-1 success over Watford on Saturday and have won their last nine matches.
Schalke have been in the doldrums in the last couple of weeks, conceding 15 goals in their last four matches, and were beaten 4-2 at Werder Bremen on Friday. That came on the back of a 4-0 home defeat by Fortuna Dusseldorf.
City have won three of their previous four meetings with Schalke, whose sole success over the Sky Blues – a 2-0 win – came in the Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final in 1970.
Schalke will have to score at least twice to knock City out of the tournament and they are 18/1 to register a victory. They are 33/1 to go through, which may seem big, but both Ajax and Manchester United were similarly-priced before progressing to the last eight, having overturned fist-leg deficits.
City’s odds for the win are 1/7 and their odds to go through are 1/500, so we may not get too rich playing that market. The draw is available at 8/1.
TEAM NEWS
Nicolas Otamendi is ruled out through suspension, having been dismissed in the first leg, but Pep Guardiola welcomes back England centre-half John Stones from injury and Aymerio Laporte was fit enough to be included on the bench against Watford on Saturday.
City will not be at full strength though, as Kevin de Bruyne, Benjamin Mendy, Claudio Bravo and Fernandinho all remain sidelined.
Schalke have plenty of problems with Daniel Caligiuri and Alessandro Schopf ruled out through injury. It also seems likely that goalkeeper Alexander Nubel will return to the bench with Ralf Fahrmann continuing his run in the Champions League.
Swiss striker Breel Embolo, who missed the first leg, scored both goals against Bremen on Friday and is likely to play, as is midfielder Omar Mascarell, who is back in the squad after serving his suspension.
CITY SAUNTER TO LAST EIGHT?
Schalke have scored at least once in each of their four previous games with City, but they will have to score at least twice to have any chance of overcoming City’s comfortable first-leg cushion.
Schalke need a 2-0 win or better – and they are 125/1 to win by that scoreline – to reach the quarter-finals.
The quadruple-chasing hosts have won 16 of their last 18 matches and lost just once. The one draw they had in that run came in the League Cup final against Chelsea, which they ultimately won after a penalty shoot-out.
Schalke’s dismal Bundesliga form – they sit in 14th place in the table and are just four points off the relegation zone – means that Saturday’s home game with Leipzig is likely to be at the forefront of their minds, while the Champions League is a happy distraction.
This also makes them a dangerous team, as they can throw caution to the wind.
Despite a leaky defence, they have plenty of ability coming forward and it is 11/10 that Schalke score over 0.5 goals.
City have been slow starters in recent weeks, failing to score in the first half in each of their last four games and the 3/1 for it to be a draw at half-time and City to lead at full-time may interest some.
However, Schalke have been struggling mightily at the back and their creaky rear-guard may well be breached in the first period. It is 8/15 that City lead at half-time and full-time and that appeals a little more.
Schalke have conceded at least three goals in five of their last six matches and were dominated by City in the first leg. Were it not for a penalty and an unfortunate dismissal, City would likely have won more comfortably.
Schalke cannot afford to keep 11 men behind the ball and will have to be more adventurous than most sides that go to the Etihad if they wish to have any hope of progression.
That will leave them open to City’s pace and while it is 23/20 for both teams to score and 17/10 for City to win but concede, the 17/20 for over 3.5 total goals may be of more interest.
A 4-1 City win is on offer at 12/1 and it is 10/11 that City beat a -2 goals handicap. There are various ways to look at this, but the layers are suggesting it will be nothing short of a comfortable night for the hosts.
For all the odds on this big game, click here.
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