Champions League Betting Picks for Tuesday 2/13/24: Can Real Madrid Win on the Road?

We've got the return of the Champions League, with the first matches from the Round of 16.

When looking at the Champions League soccer odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, which bets make the most sense for this match day?

Champions League Betting: 2/13/24

Manchester City at FC Copenhagen (3PM ET)

Manchester City -1.5 Goals (-130)

We begin with the biggest mismatch in the round of 16. The defending champions Manchester City begin their knockout stage against FC Copenhagen, who have made this round for just the second time in their history.

Copenhagen are third in the Danish Superliga this season, which is ranked as the 14th-best league in UEFA's rankings. They qualified from a group that included Bayern Munich and Manchester United but had a negative expected goal (xG) difference, per FBref.com.

Manchester City have won their last eight matches in all competitions, including five of them by more than a goal. They dominated their group, winning all six matches and having an xG differential of +17.3. They are second in the English Premier League table and are the favorites to win it again.

It's hard to see Copenhagen competing with Man City in this match. They did play Bayern very tight in their two meetings but lost the home matchup, 2-1. With City at close to full health, they should have the ability to win by multiple goals. They also have the incentive to score a lot of goals as a substantial lead heading into the second leg would give them a great advantage.

The price of -130 isn't too large to lay on a -470 overall favorite, so I'd feel good about betting this one.

Real Madrid at RB Leipzig (3PM ET)

Real Madrid Moneyline (+120)

The second match on Tuesday is a bit closer than the first one. It features two teams going in opposite directions in their respective leagues.

Real Madrid had a huge win in La Liga on Saturday. They thoroughly beat second-placed Girona 4-0 and won the xG battle 3.2 to 0.3. Overall, Madrid have failed to win just six times this season in all competitions -- three of those coming against their city rivals, Atletico Madrid.

RB Leipzig has not played well since the winter break. They have won just one of their five matches against lowly Union Berlin. They are currently fifth place in the Bundesliga.

It's unfortunate for Real Madrid that they will be without Jude Bellingham as he picked up an ankle injury in that match against Girona. He's one of the best players in the world at the moment. It looks like Brahim Diaz will get the start in his position, and he's a very talented attacking player who can do a modest job filling that role.

Even without Bellingham, I still believe Madrid can go into Germany and get the win against a struggling side. They have a ton of experience in this competition and have the talent all over the pitch to win this match.

Getting +120 is a great price here -- even on the road.

Player Props

Vinicius Junior to Score or Assist (-115): A young star who already has a huge history in this competition, Vinicius Junior should be able to contribute to a goal.

Vini is averaging 0.91 goal contributions per 90 minutes in La Liga this season, the best of his career. RB Leipzig have conceded 11 goals in five matches in 2024. The dynamic talent of Vinicius will be tough for them to handle, and I don't believe they will be able to contain him.

Jeremy Doku to Assist (+230): Somewhat of a forgotten man on Manchester City with Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden grabbing the headlines of late, Doku shouldn't be ignored.

He has five assists in 975 Premier League minutes this season. He hasn't contributed to a goal in a while but has 0.8 expected assists in his last four matches. One of those should turn into an assist eventually. It wouldn't be a surprise if that happens in this match against Copenhagen in which we expect Man City to be ahead.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.