This week we have both Champions League Semi Final 2nd Leg ties taking place and to celebrate one of those games, bet365 Sport has a fantastic value offer for many of its customers.
The action begins tonight (Tuesday) with Villarreal hosting Liverpool at the Estadio de la Ceramica trying to come back from a 2-0 deficit from the first leg at Anfield. The Reds could well make it three finals from three competitions if they avoid a three-goal defeat in Spain.
On Wednesday, the action remains in Spain but heads to the capital Madrid for the second leg of the pulsating clash between Manchester City and Real Madrid, which is delicately poised from the first leg with City holding a 4-3 advantage.
It is this game which bet365 Sport is offering new and eligible customers a free £5 bet on (more details below) and we’ll bring you coverage of both games, as well as which markets to back with your standard or free bet.
Real Madrid v Manchester City £5 Free Bet
Enjoy a £5 Free Bet on Real Madrid v Man City with bet365.
No deposit required. New & eligible customers only. Account must be fully verified to place the bet. Applies to single bets and Bet Builders only. Returns exclude Free Bet stake. T&Cs apply.
Champions League Semi Final 2nd Legs
Tuesday 3rd May – 8pm
Villarreal (0) v (2) Liverpool
Liverpool take a comfortable 2-0 lead into the second leg in Spain after a good night’s work at Anfield last week. An own goal and a Sadio Mane strike within three minutes early in the second half put the Reds very much on course for their third Champions League Final appearance in the past five years.
Villarreal have defeated a number of top teams in this year’s competition but coming back from this deficit at home, where they have a poorer record than on the road in this years’ competition, looks very tough.
That’s especially when you consider in their five away ties in this tournament this season, Liverpool have won all five, scoring 15 goals in the process.
Villarreal’s best results have tended to come on the road and the fact that they had just one shot at Anfield, none on target, does not bode well for Unai Emery’s team here.
Liverpool have lost just three games all season long, two in the Premier League and one in the Champions League at home to Inter Milan in a tie they went through anyway. No team has beaten them by more than one goal, so this is a huge task facing Villarreal.
The Spanish side could have Dia back in their side for this game and his attacking threat could well give Villarreal a cutting edge that they sorely lacked at Anfield. Gerard Moreno though will likely miss out again and his absence is a big one for the Spaniards.
But the problem is that if Villarreal do push on to try and score, that will leave spaces in behind which Liverpool can exploit on the counter attack and in truth, given how the Reds have utilised this tactic so well in away games and how they have controlled them in difficult places,
Predicted Teams
Villarreal – 4-3-3 – Rulli, Foyth, Estupinan, Pau Torres, Albiol, Parejo, Capoue, Coquelin, Chukwueze, Lo Celso, Dia
Liverpool – 4-3-3 – Alisson, Alexander Arnold, Robertson, Van Dijk, Konate, Fabinho, Thiago, Keita, Salah, Mane, Diaz.
Our Tips
Villarreal need a win by three goals to progress, or a win by two to force extra time and penalties. No team has done that to Liverpool this season and in truth, I can’t see that happening here either.
So Liverpool for me will progress, I also feel that the Reds have enough attacking talent to counter Villarreal and score goals themselves and I make them the team to back to win the game here.
Liverpool are 8/11 to win the game but if you want better odds, you can take Liverpool to win by a correct score of 3-1 at odds of 12/1.
If you fancy an anytime goalscorer bet, Sadio Mane is in good goalscoring form and is appealing at 8/5 to score at any point in the game.
Wednesday 4th May – 8pm
Real Madrid (3) v (4) Manchester City
This is the game on which you can use your bet365 Sport Free £5 bet and as such, it is probably the one that most punters are likely to have a bet on out of the two games.
The first leg in Manchester last week was an absolute joy to watch as City and Madrid played out a Champions League classic. City went in front through De Bruyne after just 94 seconds and then Jesus made it 2-0 after 11 minutes.
City could have been 3 or 4-0 up before Benzema pulled one back on 33 minutes and then in the second half Foden scored to make it 3-1, only for Vinicius Jr to score a fine goal to cut the deficit back to 3-2 almost immediately.
Bernardo Silva’s flashing shot put City 4-2 up, but Benzema’s cute Panenka-styled penalty made it 4-3 and set up an enthralling second leg in Madrid this week.
Real will be well aware that they need to improve at home compared to how they played against Chelsea last time out in this competition, but with Casemiro back in the team, I would expect them to be stronger defensively.
However, City have so much talent and are so good at keeping the ball and hitting on the counter, that I feel the English Champions are going to pick holes in the Real defence and may well actually fancy their chances of winning the game here more easily than they did at home.
Predicted Teams
Real Madrid – 4-3-3 – Courtois, Carvajal, Mendy, Nacho, Alaba, Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, Benzema, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo.
Manchester City – 4-3-3 – Ederson, Walker, Cancelo, Laporte, Dias, Rodri, Gundogan, Silva.B, Foden, De Bruyne, Jesus.
Our Tips
This game could go any way as the odds suggest, but I have a very strong feeling that Manchester City will not just progress to the final, but win the game on the night. To me, they are a much better team all round than Real Madrid.
So, I’d take City to win at 11/10 or you could do City to win and both teams to score, which is a 12/5 shot with bet365.
Phil Foden has an uncanny knack of scoring vital goals for City and I think him to score any time at 15/8 is another great value bet.
You may wonder what I used my bet365 Free £5 bet on and I put together a Bet Builder bet of three selections. Phil Foden to score at any time, both teams to score and Manchester City to go through inside 90 minutes, which gave me odds of 7/2.
So remember, to use up your free bet before Wednesday’s game with bet365!
