Last week’s first legs had us all on the edge of our seats, so what is in store this time round, as all four clubs believe Wembley is within touching distance?
Here are our betting tips for this week’s semi-final second leg action.
Champions League Betting Tips - Tuesday 7 & Wednesday 8 May
UEFA Champions League Double of the Week
Paris Saint-Germain vs Borussia Dortmund betting tips
Most regarded Borussia Dortmund as massive underdogs before a ball was kicked in this semi-final but, following Wednesday’s tie at Westfalenstadion, it is they who boast the advantage, even if only a slender one.
Roared on by a crowd of over 81,000 at one of football’s iconic venues, the first leg six nights ago was an engrossing affair, that somehow only produced a solitary goal.
The often maligned target man Niclas Füllkrug would prove to be the hero, bursting in-behind before firing the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma to score the night’s only goal towards the end of the first half.
Both sides squandered clear-cut chances, with PSG going closest when both Kylian Mbappé and then Achraf Hakimi thwacked adjacent uprights mere seconds apart.
Julian Brandt could have made it two right at the death, denied by Donnarumma, but it is die Schwarzgelben who are ahead at the half-way mark of the tie; will this still be the case come the conclusion of play?
Borussia Dortmund have really upset the odds to be here, first topping the group of death, one that featured PSG, before ousting PSV Eindhoven and Atlético Madrid in the knockouts, the latter a memorable comeback.
So, this is only their fifth appearance in the semi-finals of this competition, hoisting aloft the trophy in 1997, before being beaten at Wembley by Bayern Munich the last time they featured at this stage in 2013.
If Edin Terzić's team repeat the feat of Jürgen Klopp’s side 11 years ago it would be a remarkable achievement, considering Dortmund are fifth in the Bundesliga, despite hammering Augsburg 5-1 at the weekend.
Thus, most expect Paris Saint-Germain to reach the final for just the second time in their history, despite that narrow deficit in Germany.
Luis Enrique’s side swatted aside Real Sociedad in the round of 16, before producing a remontada of their own against Barcelona in the quarters, 4-2 down on aggregate at one stage, only to then score four unanswered goals at Montjuïc, albeit against ten-men.
Domestically, having already won Ligue 1 and the Trophée des Champions, with a Coupe de France Final against Lyon to come, les Rouges-et-Bleus could complete a fifth domestic clean-sweep in ten seasons.
Nevertheless, continental success continues to be PSG’s primary focus, with this their first Champions League semi-final played in front of supporters for 29 years, ousted by Fabio Capello’s AC Milan back then.
So, a huge night awaits at Parc des Princes, with les Parisiens confident of making home advantage count.
Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich betting tips
Given that these two clubs have 20 European Cups between them, featuring in 41% of all 68 Champions League Finals between them, despite never facing each-other in one, it wasn’t too surprising that the first leg was a high-calibre exhibition of football.
Bayern Munich certainly started better but, in true Real Madrid fashion, it was they who struck first, with Toni Kroos’ exquisite, inch-perfect through-ball finding Vinícius Júnior who slotted beyond Manuel Neuer.
The German juggernauts, 1-0 down at the interval, weren’t behind for long after the break, with Leroy Sané thundering home an equaliser, before referee Clément Turpin pointed to the penalty spot soon after, with Lucas Vázquez penalised for a trip on Jamal Musiala.
The ever reliable Harry Kane sent Andriy Lunin the wrong way and the Allianz Arena erupted into a cacophony of noise.
But, there was to be a twist in the tale, as los Blancos were awarded a late penalty, Kim Min-jae dragging down Rodrygo, with Vini Jr the coolest man the Bavaria, slotting home a potentially pivotal equaliser.
2-2 it finished, meaning it’s now winner takes all for a place at Wembley.
Real Madrid, remarkably, are targeting a sixth Champions League triumph in just 11 seasons, having already overcome RB Leipzig and then holders Manchester City on penalties in the knockout phase.
At the weekend, Carlo Ancelotti’s team were crowned La Liga champions, courtesy of their comfortable 3-0 win over Cádiz, following by Barcelona calamitous 4-2 defeat at Montilivi later on Saturday evening.
So, will los Merengues remain on track to win both the league and European Cup in the same season for only the fifth time, previously achieving this feat in 1957, 1958, 2017 and 2022?
For Bayern Munich, winning the Bundesliga has been a near-foregone conclusion for over a decade, but their 11-year stranglehold over the Meisterschale has come to an end this season, unable to keep pace with the unbeatable Bayer Leverkusen.
However, having already ousted Lazio and Arsenal, the campaign could still end on a massive high, although this is the only opportunity for Thomas Tuchel’s team to avoid a trophyless season.
The last time Bayern featured at this stage of the Champions League they won the whole thing in 2020, although they have lost each of their last four semi-finals played over two legs, all coming against Spanish opposition, desperate to avoid déjà vu.
Nevertheless, having earned that draw on the road, we cannot see beyond a Real Madrid triumph at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
Champions League Free Bet Offers
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/xlmedia/31ed1d86-a42b-4acd-9517-813a526d3a0b.png)
