The Champions League play off stage kicks off this week on Tuesday and Wednesday night. Let’s have a look at the games and run the rule over the betting odds for the games.
Celtic vs. Hapoel Beer Sheva
Stats: This will be the first time that Hapoel have played British opposition.
Celtic have won 13 of their last 14 home Champions League qualifiers.
Hapoel haven’t played in a major European tournament since 1997, when they lost 1-14 on aggregate to Roda JC in the first round.
Score prediction and odds: Celtic to win 3-0: 37/4
Moussa Dembele to score anytime: 7/5
FC Porto vs. Roma
Stats: Roma haven’t scored in their last three European fixtures.
Porto have lost their last four European matches without scoring.
This is Roma’s Champions League playoff game.
Score prediction and odds: A draw: 9/4
0-0 as the final score: 23/4
Ludogorets vs. Viktoria Plzen
Stats: This is the first competitive meeting between the two teams.
Plzen have never lost at this stage of the competition. They beat Copenhagen in 2011 and Maribor in 2013.
These two teams played each other in a friendly in January, with Ludogorets winning 2-1.
Score prediction and odds: Ludogorets to win: Evens
Ludogorets to win and keep a clean sheet: 41/20
Villarreal vs. Monaco
Stats: Villarreal have never lost to a French team in Europe. They’ve faced French opposition four times, winning two and drawing two.
The clubs have never played each other in a competitive game.
Monaco’s Falcao scored five goals against Villarreal over two legs for Porto in the 2010/11 Europa League semi-finals.
Score prediction and odds: Monaco to win: 3/1
Villarreal to win and both teams to score: 15/4
1-1 as the final score: 19/4
