The 2020-21 UEFA Champions League goes on Wednesday, February 24, with the first-leg matchup at Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, where Borussia Monchengladbach squares off against Manchester City.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Borussia will host the Citizens in Budapest without the audience on the stands. That’s the main reason why Manchester City is listed as a massive favorite to win this battle on FanDuel Sportsbook, so let’s see what’s the best betting pick for Wednesday’s clash between the Foals and Citizens.
Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Manchester City
Three-way: 1: Borussia +800; X: +475 Draw; 2: Man City -333
Spread +1.5: Borussia +100; Man City -115
Total 3.0 Goals: Over -120; Under +105
Both Teams to Score: Yes -125; No -110
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH
The Foals have played poorly over the last few weeks, recording just one win in their previous five outings in all competitions. They outlasted Stuttgart 2-1 on the road in the DFB Pokal, while the Foals are winless in four straight German Bundesliga games. Along with a pair of road draws at Wolfsburg 0-0 and Union Berlin 1-1, Borussia suffered a couple of home losses to Mainz 2-1 and FC Koln 2-1.
Monchengladbach can count on all its important first-team players, so we’ll see Marco Rose’s best eleven at Puskas Arena. Forwards Marcus Thuram and Alassane Plea combined for 15 goals and 13 assists this season while attacking midfielder Lars Stindl scored 13 goals and 12 assists on his own. Plea is the team’s top scorer in the Champions League with five goals in six appearances.
Betting Trends:
- Six of Borussia’s last nine games produced three or more goals in total
- Five of Borussia’s last six contests produced goals on both sides
- Borussia lost three of its last four games against Man City along with a draw
MANCHESTER CITY
The Citizens went bonkers in the last two months. They are rolling on an 18-game winning streak following a 1-0 road victory over Arsenal in the English Premier League this past Sunday. During their tremendous run, the Citizens haven’t allowed more than one goal in a single game while keeping their net intact on 12 occasions.
Winger Raheem Sterling leads the way for Manchester City with 13 goals and ten assists in 33 games in all competitions. Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan also has 13 goals on his tally along with three assists, while playmaker Kevin De Bruyne racked up 15 assists in 25 outings this season. The Citizens will miss centre-back Nathan Ake on Wednesday, while Gundogan is questionable to play due to a groin injury.
Betting Trends:
- Man City won 11 straight games away from home
- Five of the Citizens’ last seven road tilts produced four or more goals in total
- Five of Man City’s last six wins came by two or more goals
Considering their current form, the Citizens shouldn’t have any problems outlasting the Foals by two or more goals at -115 odds. Their defense has been outstanding over the last two months, and the fact that the Citizens haven’t allowed more than a goal in 18 straight outings tells you enough about their defense.
On the other side, the Foals have struggled lately and will have a mountain to climb in Budapest. They will be fired up to prove their worth against one of the best European teams, but I don’t think that will be enough against the in-form Pep Guardiola’s team.
Manchester City will keep the ball in possession for most of the game. The Citizens will create a lot of scoring opportunities and only bad luck can prevent them from a comfortable victory over Borussia Monchengladbach.
In the last five years, these two teams met each other four times in the UEFA Champions League. Manchester City won three of those four contests while covering the spread twice in the process.
The Pick: Manchester City -1.5 at -115
