Champions League: Big Ambitions at Spurs and BVB

Champions League: Big Ambitions at Spurs and BVB

Tottenham Hotspur vs Borussia Dortmund

Lucien Favre takes his Bundesliga leaders to North London on Wednesday night as BVB aims to take an important step towards the Champions League quarterfinals.

They face a Spurs team, beset by injury but on a fine run of form, and equally determined to dominate at home as well as in Europe. Champions League Spurs vs BVB is undoubtedly one of the ties of the round as we enter the last 16 phase of Europe’s premier competition.

Mauricio Pochettino is almost certain to be without Spurs skipper and talisman Harry Kane, but his team is on a run of three consecutive wins, while Favre’s side has had league draws with Frankfurt and Hoffenheim and a cup stalemate with Werder Bremen. Does that mean Spurs has the edge at home? Maybe so, but they will be under serious pressure to make it count.

Talking Points

Spurs thrive without star men

In the absence of the injured Kane and Dele Alli Spurs have found a way to keep on winning and stay in touch with the Premier League leaders. Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was the hero on Sunday as Pochettino’s men beat Leicester City 3-1. The France stopper saved a penalty from Jamie Vardy and kept his side’s nose in front to take three valuable points.

Christian Eriksen was on target with a beautiful second-half strike against Leicester and Heung-Min Son scored a late breakaway as the Foxes looked for a leveller. Eriksen and Lucas Moura each have two Champions League goals and they will be the men to watch in Kane’s absence.

Spurs came back from the dead in their Group B campaign to qualify, thanks to a late Moura equaliser against Barcelona. So the hosts will be determined to make the most of their second chance. But pressure on this talented side to win some silverware is mounting, after exits in the Carabao and FA Cups they are left with the two big ones. But lifting the Premier League or the Champions League might be a step too far at this stage of Spurs’ evolution.

Dortmund still in pole position

Favre’s BVB enjoyed a more relaxed journey to the last 16, losing just once en route to topping Group A ahead of Atletico Madrid. And the Dortmund giants have had a sensational domestic season so far. Now they need to show they can deliver at the business end of the season.

BVB is still top of the Bundesliga by five points, but after two draws FC Bayern has come into view and, after a poor start to their season, is ominously just five points behind. Favre’s team has a great chance to end Bayern’s six-year dominance of the German league but they must hold their nerve. And, of course, we’ll be following all the Bundesliga drama and action as it unfolds right here at SBOBET.

The Germans were dealt a blow in the cup draw with Werder Bremen as influential striker Marco Reus picked up an injury and is unlikely to feature. But Favre’s team has plenty of firepower.

Young England starlet Jadon Sancho was the star of the show as BVB drew at home to Hoffenheim this weekend, scoring a goal, as did the club’s Champions League top scorer Raphael Guerreiro. But the league leaders conceded two late goals when the points looked to be in the bag, and skipper Lukasz Piszczek will be determined his defence stays awake against the threat of Spurs’ talented attackers.

History

The hosts have a slight edge in the previous Spurs vs BVB results, winning three, losing two and drawing one. The Whites beat Dortmund twice in the Champions League in 2017, but the Germans put Spurs out of the Europa League Round of 16 a year earlier.

BVB’s top scorer in Europe, Guerreiro, has four goals as has Kane for Spurs. The home captain will be missed, but his team is on a run of three consecutive home wins.

Betting Tip

Over 2.50 Goals @ 1.83

The hosts may be on a fine run of form at home, but their three wins have come against Leicester City, Watford and Newcastle United, none of which can claim to have the ability and firepower of BVB.

Nevertheless, the Spurs vs BVB betting odds pitch Pochettino’s men as favourites at a price of 2.35, with the draw at 3.50 and BVB at 3.05.

Spurs would love to take a lead to Dortmund where they will face over 80,000 fans and the legendary Yellow Wall, the 12^th man for BVB. But they will have one heck of a battle on their hands at Wembley. I’m pretty sure we’ll see goals in what promises to be an entertaining clash, and for an alternative bet a 2-2 draw at 12.50 wouldn’t be a surprise.

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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