Liam Flin
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The 2023-24 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals come to a thrilling conclusion on Wednesday afternoon, as Bayern Munich host Arsenal while Manchester City take on Real Madrid. Both first legs finished as ties, with Bayern battling Arsenal to a 2-2 finish while City and Madrid went back and forth before finishing 3-3. Our soccer experts have their Champions League picks and best bets for each of those games, with both scheduled to kick off at 3:00 pm ET on Wednesday on Paramount+. You can also find out our soccer predictions for more Champions League picks as well as our EPL best bets each week.
Bayern Munich vs Arsenal best bet: Over 2.5 goals (-150)
Arsenal saw their Premier League aspirations take a huge hit at the weekend and they could be dealt another terminal blow when they make the trip to Munich on Wednesday. The Gunners lost 2-0 at home to Aston Villa to fall 2 points behind Manchester City, with the only consolation being Liverpool’s earlier defeat to Crystal Palace. This followed on from a 2-2 tie at home to Bayern Munich, and the German team could assert their dominance back at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
Bayern’s standards may have slipped this season, but they remain a force to be reckoned with in Munich, so Mikel Arteta’s team could be in trouble after winning just 2 of their last 5 outings. Whatever the scoreline, we can expect goals on Wednesday. Seven of Bayern Munich’s last 10 games and 4 of their last 6 at home have featured at least 3 goals, while each of their last 4 meetings with Arsenal have gone over 2.5 goals, including their 2-2 tie last week.
Read our full Bayern Munich vs Arsenal predictions
Manchester City vs Real Madrid best bet: Man City ML & Over 2.5 goals (+120)
Manchester City and Real Madrid played out a thrilling 3-3 tie in the Champions League quarterfinals last week and the second leg at the Etihad Stadium should also not disappoint. The first leg was tumultuous with City taking the lead after only 2 minutes before Real Madrid hit back to lead 2-1 after 14 minutes. City then netted another 2 after the break to take control but a 79th-minute goal from Federico Valverde levelled the score at 3-3, meaning it is all to play for in the second leg.
It was a similar situation last season when, in the semifinals, the first leg between the teams finished 1-1 before City destroyed Real Madrid 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium. And while the gap between the teams has undoubtedly narrowed since that game, City have what it takes to again win the second leg. They turned on the style on Saturday with a 5-1 thrashing of Luton in the EPL, extending their unbeaten home run to 41 games in all competitions. Pep Guardiola’s men have barely put a foot wrong in the Champions League this season, either, winning 8 successive games prior to the 3-3 tie with Real Madrid.
Read our full Manchester City vs Real Madrid predictions
