ALEX CROOK PREVIEW: Champions League QFs 2nd Legs

Star Sports ambassador ALEX CROOK looks ahead to this week’s Champions League matches…

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LIVERPOOL v PSG
Tuesday, 8pm

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Liverpool are going to need to magic up one of those famous Anfield European nights to produce a miracle comeback against the European champions.

Last week’s 2-0 defeat in Paris has left Arne Slot’s men with a huge, but not impossible, mountain to climb.

The reality is PSG should have put the tie to bed in the first leg and how costly the visitors’ profligacy will be will determined on events at Anfield tonight.

Liverpool fans will point to their incredible recovery from 4-0 against Barcelona in the semi-finals seven years ago as reason for hope.

But this team, who have so tamely surrendered their grip on the Premier League title, has rarely looked capable of producing such a stirring performance in what has been a pretty woeful campaign.

Slot’s Reds beat Fulham 2-0 on Saturday to boost their chance of qualification for next season’s Champions League and they have now won four of their last five at home.

PSG meanwhile had their feet up at home after the French FA agreed to postpone their clash with nearest title rivals Lens.

I am focusing on the cards market in this game. Liverpool had two players booked in Paris and that number could easily have been bigger whereas PSG have a very low card count in the competition this season.

Liverpool to get the most cards at 11/10 with starsports.bet is my play.

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ARSENAL v SPORTING
Wednesday, 8pm

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Arsenal kick off a potentially season-defining five days when they host Sporting on Wednesday, protecting a slender 1-0 advantage from last week’s first leg.

The Gunners’ quest for a first Premier League title in more than two decades suffered a major blow when they were beaten 2-1 at home by Bournemouth on Saturday.

That tepid performance means Mikel Arteta’s side have suffered three successive domestic defeats, with the trip to Portugal the outlier in a run is threatening to unravel their hunt for silverware.

You have to go back to 2005 for the last time Sporting won on English soil, but they did come back from 3-0 down to beat Bodo/Glimt 5-3 on aggregate in the last round.

They also knocked Arsenal out of the Europa League on penalties when they last met at the Emirates three years ago.

However, the Gunners are conceding less than a goal per game at home and remain the only unbeaten team in this season’s Champions League.

Arsenal to win to nil at 7/5 with starsports.bet looks relatively solid.

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ATLETICO MADRID v BARCELONA
Tuesday, 8pm

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Barcelona have it all to do to book a semi-final spot after their ten-men lost 2-0 at home to Atleti last week.

Even a repeat of their 2-1 league win at the Metropolitano would not be enough to save Hansi Flick’s charges from crashing out.

They also need to end Atleti boss Diego Simeone’s amazing record of having never lost a knockout home game in Europe.

But Barca are nine points clear at the top of La Liga for a reason and are more than capable of scoring the three goals they need to turn the tables.

Just ask Eddie Howe after his side were left bashed up in the round of 16 having been in the tie for long periods.

If Atleti attempt to simply sit deep and hang onto their lead then I think Barca can take advantage and an earlier goal from the visitors changes the whole complexion of the game.

I like Barcelona to qualify at 13/5 with starsports.bet.

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BAYERN MUNICH v REAL MADRID
Wednesday, 8pm

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In last week’s column I said Bayern were my tip to win the Champions League, and saw nothing in last week’s 2-1 first leg triumph to change that viewpoint.

Vincent Kompany’s side were comfortably the better team and should have won by a bigger scoreline, but were wasteful in front of goal.

Having lost just one of their last 28 home Champions League games, it is no surprise the Bavarians are odds-on favourites win on the night.

Real have scored in the majority of their away games this season and these two racked up 40 shots between them in Madrid so I am expecting another really open game.

Harry Kane returned from injury with a well-taken goal at the Bernabeu and his numbers are ridiculous with 49 goals in 41 club appearances.

The England captain has to form a key part in any build-a-bet so I am backing Bayern to win, both teams to score, Kane to score at any time and over 1.5 Real cards at 17/10 with starsports.bet.

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RECOMMENDED SELECTIONS
1️⃣ BEST BET: Arsenal to win and both teams to score, no 1.5pts at 7/5 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
2️⃣ NEXT BEST: Liverpool team with most bookings 1pt at 11/10 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
🎲 LONG SHOT: Barcelona to qualify 0.5pts at 13/5 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
📊 BUILD-A-BET: Bayern Munich to win, both teams to score, Harry Kane to score at any time and over 1.5 Real Madrid cards 1pt at 10/3 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
🚀 ALEX ACCA: Barcelona, Southampton, Ipswich, Arsenal 1pt at 8/1 ?

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