Champions League 2nd leg semi-final preview and top picks

The UEFA Champions League’s thrilling semi-finals return with pivotal second-leg matches in Paris and Madrid. Here’s a breakdown of the upcoming contests:

Paris St-Germain vs Borussia Dortmund

Tuesday, March 7 – 9:00pm CET – Parc des Princes
Aggregate Score: 0-1

Borussia Dortmund carries a narrow 1-0 lead into Paris, thanks to striker Niclas Fullkrug’s pivotal first-leg goal. Despite their advantage, Dortmund remains the underdog. PSG, no strangers to overcoming deficits — they rallied past Barcelona in the previous round — face another uphill battle without center-back Lucas Hernandez due to injury. Despite their roster issues, PSG’s rest over the weekend positions them well for a comeback. They previously defeated Dortmund 2-0 at home earlier this season, but Dortmund has since improved, notably stifling PSG star Kylian Mbappe in the first leg. Top online betting sites offer tempting odds of +110 for Dortmund to advance.

Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich

Wednesday, March 8 – 9:00pm CET – Estadio Santiago Bernabeu
Aggregate Score: 2-2

A balanced first leg in Munich saw Bayern’s Leroy Sane and Harry Kane neutralized by a double from Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. Now shifting to Madrid, the freshly crowned La Liga champions are favored to progress, listed at $1.40. Conversely, Bayern’s recent 3-1 loss to VfB Stuttgart and mandatory use of a full-strength lineup hints at their vulnerability. Also, injuries plague Bayern, with Raphael Guerreiro the latest casualty. Facing the 14-time Champions League victors, Bayern will likely struggle to contain a healthy Madrid, especially with Vinicius Jr, who has already tallied five goals in the competition.

Sports betting picks