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Chelsea vs Lille
Chelsea returned to Premier League action with a win on Saturday, but they struck late to beat Crystal Palace. It hasn’t been a great month for the Blues, despite the fact they’ve come out on top in each of their games this month.
Chelsea are on a five-game winning run, although two of those victories came in extra-time. None of the performances were particularly impressive, but the Blues remain competitive in three cup competitions, having lifted two trophies this term. However, will their uninspiring form be enough in Europe?
Chelsea may not be at their best right now, but they are heavy favorites for the last eight after twice landing the easiest tie on paperback in December. Chelsea blew the top spot in their group late in their final group match, but lining up against a Lille side who are mid-table in Ligue 1 makes the holders heavy favorites for a quarter-final berth.
While the visitors are French champions and group winners, they topped one of the most open pools in the competition. Lille (7) come into this round as the lowest scoring group winners since both Leicester City and Atletico Madrid in 2016-17, so they don’t exactly pack much of a punch.
Chelsea have seen under 2.5 goals land in their last eight matches, while last season Thomas Tuchel’s men made it incredibly tough for European opposition. They kept five clean sheets in seven knockout games, all of which saw under 2.5 goals.
Lille have kept back-to-back clean sheets heading into this tie, so expect them to look to keep things tight at Stamford Bridge. The Blues aren’t looking all that expansive, so back under 2.5 goals in this clash.
Prediction: Corner: O 2.5 Away
Villareal vs Juventus
Europa League holders Villarreal are into the last 16 of the Champions League and they’ll be hoping their European experience can help them into the latter stages. The Yellow Submarines are seen as outsiders in the tie against Juve, but this is another tricky clash for the Italians.
Juve have been upset by Ajax, Lyon, and Porto in recent Champions League campaigns, with the Old Lady going through an underwhelming season under Max Allegri. Things could get even worse for them with another last 16 exits in Europe.
Villarreal have won seven of their last 10 league games and they head into this one with three wins in their last four. During that run, the Yellow Submarine have scored nine times, while they also held league leaders Real Madrid to a draw.
Juventus have seen their form pick up in 2022, but they did drop points at home to Torino on Friday night. The Old Lady have seen both teams score in their last three games, while BTTS has landed in seven of their last 10.
Villarreal had an entertaining journey to the last 16, with 21 goals scored across their six group matches. Only Swiss side Young Boys failed to score against them, so you’d expect a Juventus side who struck first in five of six group games could break through here.
This is a tie that probably would have been cagier had the away goals rule been in force. Villarreal boss Unai Emery would have been wary of the Italians’ threat but with no away goals to worry about and given the Spaniards’ strong away displays in their group back them to take risks here.
Prediction: Corner: O 3.5 Away
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester United
Atletico Madrid managed to bounce back from their latest defeat when they visited Osasuna at the weekend but Diego Simeone’s side isn’t exactly at the peak of their powers right now and their porous defence could come under fire again on Wednesday.
Los Colchoneros scraped through the Champions League Group Stage with seven points from six games and that patchy form hasn’t improved much since. They sit fifth in the La Liga standings and have only won three of their last eight competitive games, conceding an uncharacteristic 16 goals in this period and keeping just one clean sheet.
Fortunately for Simeone, Manchester United are not the force they once were and every attack has a chance against the Red Devils’ equally fragile backline.
The visitors played their part in a fantastically entertaining 4-2 win at Elland Road on Sunday to make it back-to-back wins, but they have only managed two clean sheets in their last eight games and both of those came at Old Trafford.
Away from home, they have conceded in each of their last five, although it is worth noting they have found the net in every competitive away game since April 2021.
Unsurprisingly, I’m expecting both teams to find the net at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano. Both teams to score has landed in 12 of Manchester United’s 16 away games this season and with Atletico Madrid’s defense struggling I fancy them to make it 13 in 17.
Prediction: Yellow: O 1.5 Home
Benfica vs Ajax
Benfica managed to shock Champions League Group E as they qualified for the knockout rounds ahead of mainstays Barcelona but that was largely down to Blaugrana’s deficiencies rather than anything spectacular about the Portuguese outfit.
The Eagles were in decent shape towards the end of the group campaign but they have dropped off the boil since then and a clash with one of the most in-form sides in Europe will not be high on their wishlist.
Ajax became the latest in a short line of teams to win all six of their Champions League group games and it’s no surprise to see them as firm favourites for this tie, especially given the form they are in right now.
Their 1-0 win at Willem II at the weekend made it ten competitive wins on the bounce and they have lost just three games all season which, incredibly, all came at the Johan Cruijff Arena.
de Godenzonen flourish on the road
Away from home, de Godenzonen haven’t lost since December 2020 and they have won 12 of their 14 competitive trips this season, so I’m definitely backing them to take a first-leg lead against a Benfica outfit that have only won five of their last 11 in all competitions.
However, I’m not expecting Ajax to have it all their own way. Benfica may be in shaky form but they have still managed to score in each of their last ten matches, while Ajax conceded in all three Champions League away games in the group stages. This makes Ajax to win and both teams to score the standout bet on Wednesday.
Two of Benfica’s last three home games have ended in 2-1 defeats and, with Ajax scoring at least two goals in all six group games, I’m backing a 2-1 correct score prediction here.
Prediction: GG/ O 2.5
