We are down to the last eight in the Champions League and Tuesday’s two quarter-final first legs look mouthwatering on paper.
Arsenal take a break from their Premier League title quest by entertaining Bayern Munich, who dumped them out of the competition the last time they featured in it in 2017, when the Germans claimed a 5-1 win at the Emirates.
Bayern striker Harry Kane will be on familiar turf after his exploits at the Gunners’ arch-rivals Tottenham, but the Bundesliga outfit are in a bad run of form and look up against it.
Meanwhile, in Spain, Manchester City will be looking to claim an advantage to take back to the Etihad when they face Real Madrid, who they beat in last season’s semi-final on the way to their first triumph.
However, it could be a difficult evening as Los Blancos are undefeated in their last 26 home games.
- Arsenal-Arsenal half-time/full time vs Bayern Munich
- Real Madrid draw no bet vs Manchester City
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
Arsenal needed penalties to get past FC Porto in the last round, but they have not conceded in their four home Champions League games this season.
Mikel Arteta’s side are much stronger than they were in 2017 when they were beaten 5-1 by Bayern at the Emirates and the Gunners defence is looking solid, with just five goals conceded in their last 13 matches.
Their Bundesliga opponents are going through a rough patch and have allowed Bayer Leverkusen a 16-point gap in the all-but-over German title race.
They have won just one of their last six away games - at bottom-of-the-table Darmstadt - and their latest reverse at Heidenheim, when they allowed a two-goal lead to slip, will have hit them hard.
Arsenal look strong and should have enough to gain a first-leg advantage to take to Bavaria and, as they have scored 10 first-half goals in their four home games in this competition this term, it is worth chancing it that they will lead both at half-time and the final whistle.
ARSENAL-ARSENAL HALF-TIME/FULL-TIME
Real Madrid vs Manchester City
Manchester City eased past Real Madrid to book a Champions League final spot last season, but Pep Guardiola’s team do not look as imperious as they did in their treble-winning campaign and could be vulnerable at the Santiago Bernabeu.
City claimed a 1-1 draw in the Spanish capital in last season’s semi-final, having won the first leg 4-0, but they face a team unbeaten in their last 13 matches and Carlo Ancelotti’s team have not lost in 26 home games.
The Citizens have won all eight of their Champions League games this season, but that form only goes so far when they have played Leipzig, Young Boys, Crvena Zvezda and Copenhagen.
They have been unable to see off title rivals Liverpool and Arsenal in recent matches and there is potential for a difficult evening if Toni Kroos, Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde take a grip in midfield.
There is a storm chance that the game could end level, but Madrid look the more likely candidate to establish a first-leg lead, so back them in the draw-no-bet market.
