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After thrilling group stage matches before the World Cup, the UEFA Champions League (UCL) is about to start the knockout stages next month. Sixteen teams from various domestic leagues have managed to top their respective groups, allowing them to clinch the prestigious trophy.
Apart from football fans, sports bettors in Southeast Asia are also preparing hard for them to maximize their budget and have a decent chance of making a profit when they bet on UCL. Those who engage in online sports betting in Malaysia and Singapore will be treated with high-quality matches, making it hard for many to choose what to put their money on.
To help you decide which teams to pick when online betting in Malaysia, here are our predictions on who might win each matchup in the round of 16 stages.
RB Leipzig vs Manchester City
RB Leipzig continues to make a name for themselves after going toe to toe with the defending champs in Group F to finish second. This is their fifth UCL appearance since joining the top flight of European football, and it is a solid team to root for in the playoffs. Led by goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi and Christopher Nkunku, the German team will look to replicate their sensational ’19-‘20 run, where they went to the semifinals before losing to PSG.
However, what awaits The Red Bulls is the current Premier League champs looking to avenge their semifinals exit last year. Manchester City went unbeaten in Group G and is also the favorite to win the tournament with 2.75 odds. The arrival of Erling Haaland provided a massive boost for the Citizens up front, giving them a reliable striker in the competition. And unless RB Leipzig manages to contain Haaland, this should be an easy matchup for Manchester City.
Prediction: Manchester City
Club Brugge vs Benfica
Probably two of the biggest surprises in the remaining teams, Belgium’s Club Brugge and Portugal’s Benfica, will battle it out to make history for their teams. Benfica was able to top Group H, featuring PSG and Juventus, allowing them to make their second-straight UCL playoffs. They have enough firepower in the offense, led by Rafa Silva and Joao Mario, and are a serious contender for this year’s title.
Meanwhile, Club Brugge narrowly finished in the top 2 of Group B, just one point short of Benfica’s rivals, FC Porto. Despite being the heavy underdogs in this matchup, the Belgian club is expected to bring the fight to Benfica, especially since they are currently leading the tournament in clean sheets. However, it might still not be enough to stop Benfica from securing a spot in the top 8.
Prediction: Benfica
Liverpool vs. Real Madrid
The two finalists from last year’s UCL will face each other early in this year’s playoffs. Liverpool will look to turn things around and try to beat the reigning champions to bring the title back to Anfield. However, the Reds are having an abysmal season, bowing out of the Carabao Cup and placing 9th in the Premier League table, 21 points below Arsenal. And out of all their five January games (as of writing), they only managed to win one, making much doubt if they can overcome their Spanish rivals.
On the other hand, despite suffering a tight loss against RB Leipzig late in the group stages, Real Madrid is still in their usual dominant form. They have only conceded six goals so far and are another favorite to win the tournament. With how things are going on right now, there is no doubt that the Los Blancos can dominate Liverpool both at home and on the road and quickly punch their ticket in the quarterfinals.
Prediction: Real Madrid
Milan vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Probably the most balanced matchup in this list; these series can go either way. Milan finished second in Group E, just 3 points below Tottenham’s London rivals, Chelsea. They are also currently sitting second on the Serie A table and are looking solid on both sides of the field. With Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Olivier Giroud on the team, AC Milan has enough firepower for them to have a spot in the quarterfinals.
Tottenham managed to escape elimination from Group D, which was all decided on the very last match day of the group. However, their inconsistency as a unit remains a big question mark against them, especially despite the addition of big names like Ivan Perisic and Richarlison. But they are still a formidable team around the pitch, and Milan should be wary of what the Spurs can do once they have the momentum.
Prediction: Milan
Frankfurt vs. Napoli
Frankfurt survived a wild Group D along with Tottenham, but their lack on the offensive side can be a deciding factor for this matchup. Their defense must contain Napoli’s relentless attack to give themselves a chance to reach the quarterfinals.
Napoli, the hottest team in Europe at the moment, is undoubtedly the heavy favorite in this match. They are currently on top of the Serie A table with a huge point gap and almost went unbeaten in the UCL group stages. With Giacomo Raspadori and Giovanni Simeone up front, Napoli can quickly pass through Frankfurt in the round of 16.
Prediction: Napoli
Dortmund vs. Chelsea
Like Liverpool, Chelsea also has a terrible Premier League run, placing just below the Reds in 10th place. But they managed to top Group E with 13 points. The Blues won the UCL in 2021 and, despite their current struggles, remain a quality team in the competition.
Dortmund has been one of the most prominent German teams in the past decade, with their best finish being in 2013 when they lost against fellow Bundesliga team Bayern Munich in the finals. And despite losing Haaland to Manchester City, they are still a team to beat in the competition. But their inconsistency throughout the years might play a significant role in this matchup, allowing Chelsea to play in the quarterfinals again.
Prediction: Chelsea
Inter Milan vs. Porto
This matchup is heavily favored to go on Inter Milan’s way, especially with their overall good balance of defense and offense. They finished second in Group C, topping Barcelona, who went down to Europa League. The presence of Stefan De Vrij and Romelu Lukaku will be a massive boost to the Italian club and might be enough to intimidate the Portugal team.
But FC Porto has their share of upsets in recent memory, including their huge win against Juventus in the round of 16 two years ago. But despite winning Group B, Inter Milan has more quality in them, which makes it hard for Porto to score another upset this year.
Prediction: Inter Milan
PSG vs. Bayern Munich
Another exciting matchup in this round of 16 is PSG vs. Bayern, which stars some of the most well-known players worldwide. The rematch of the ’19-’20 finals is expected to go either way, but Paris Saint-Germain is a favorite to come on top. Kylian Mbappe is just on another level at the moment, and the addition of Lionel Messi makes PSG’s front three with Neymar a deadly combination.
Bayern is no pushover in this matchup, as they have world-class players around the pitch that can still go toe to toe with PSG. However, despite winning all their group-stage games, their defense has shown signs of frailty, and the Parisians can easily exploit that to knock Bayern out of the UCL.
Prediction: PSG
Conclusion
The two-leg UCL knockout stages will begin next month, and many bettors worldwide are already finalizing who their picks for each matchup are going to be. Many matchups are expected to close, while some teams are expected to dominate. If you are looking to make a profit with your bets, it will help to research the team’s current forms, as it can considerably impact the overall result.
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