Tottenham Hotspur vs RB Leipzig
When you look at the other ties in the round of 16, the Champions League match between the Spurs and RB Leipzig may have gone under the radar for some. But while champions Liverpool take on Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, let’s not forget that Spurs were beaten finalists in last season’s competition.
And RB Leipzig is one of the most ambitious clubs on the planet, so this has all the makings of a really entertaining battle.
At the moment neither of these two teams is talked about as a potential winner outside North London and Leipzig. Of the two, Spurs may have the better chance, the eighth favourite at odds of 21.00 to lift the European crown, while Leipzig are the tenth favourite at 36.00.
But then the latest Spurs vs RB Leipzig betting odds make the Bundesliga outfit slightly odds on to make it to the quarter-finals, at 1.87 to see off Jose Mourinho’s team, with Spurs at 2.07 to navigate this tie.
Head coach Julien Nagelsmann has guided RB Leipzig to second in the Bundesliga table, and they are genuine contenders, having earned a point away to FC Bayern recently.
Talking Points
Spurs on the march
Not every Spurs fan has been happy with their lot this season. Even since changing head coaches in November all has not been rosy in the garden. Jose started with a flurry of wins and then stuttered a little, but he seems to have steadied the ship once again.
Heung-Min Son’s last gasp winner against Aston Villa on Sunday took the Whites up to fifth in the Premier League, and within a point of Chelsea, before the Blues match with Manchester United on Monday night. And the win was their third in a row, while Spurs are seven unbeaten and have won their last four home matches.
And they have done all that without top scorer and Captain Harry Kane. The England skipper bagged six goals at the Champions League group stage, while Son has scored five in this competition.
Spurs will also be without Moussa Sissoko, but reinforcements are stepping up. Giovanni Lo Celso made the difference for the Whites when he came on as a sub against Aston Villa, while new signing Steven Bergwijn scored in Spurs 2-0 victory over Manchester City.
The Red Bulls are flying too
If Spurs are on the march then they could meet a formidable match on Wednesday when Die Roten Bullen come to town. Nagelsmann’s side beat Werder Bremen 3-0 at the weekend and are now just a point off the top of their league.
Emil Forsberg and Timo Werner have three goals each in this competition, but Werner’s Bundesliga form has been prolific, he’s scored 20 league goals already and only Robert Lewandowski has more.
Forsberg is likely to start on the bench with Patrik Schick, on loan from Roma, in line for a start. And Spurs will need to look out for flying wingback Lukas Klostermann, who was on target against Bremen and will be a constant threat.
RB Leipzig will be without club captain Willi Orban and Ibrahima Konate, both with long term injuries.
History
Losing the Champions League final so feebly to Liverpool last season remained former boss Mauricio Pochettino’s biggest regret when he left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November.
RB Leipzig haven’t come so close to European glory and these two teams haven’t previously met, which is little surprise as the German club was only founded in 2009. Die Roten Bullen finished runners up in their first season in the top flight in 2017 and gained entry to the Champions League. No other side has risen through the ranks to reach Europe’s premier competition so quickly.
Recent form slightly favours the hosts. Spurs come into the game with four wins and two draws from the last six games, in all competitions, while RB Leipzig have won two, drawn two and lost two.
Betting Tip
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Tottenham Hotspur vs RB Leipzig | Tottenham Hotspur Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 2.09 |
| February 20, 04:00 (GMT+8) |
This first leg could go either way with the Spurs at 2.49 to take a lead to Germany, while RB Leipzig are at 2.77 and the draw is available at odds of 3.25.
The German side has a real threat going forward and Mourinho will set up to keep things tight at the back, but even without Kane, his own forwards have been in great form. They have the momentum and I think Spurs will have the edge.
And, of course, we’ll be back with all the latest Spurs vs RB Leipzig updates as they happen on Wednesday.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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 = €20 (Highly confident) |
= €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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