Free betting tips: Barcelona v Chelsea and Besiktas v Bayern Munich in the Champions League last 16
George Pitts is expecting goals when Chelsea travel to Barcelona, while also backing Besiktas to go out fighting.
Champions League recommended bets
2pts Barcelona to win and both teams to score at 21/10
1pt Besiktas to score first at 19/10
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Barcelona v Chelsea (1945 GMT, BT Sport 2)
Chelsea face a tough task when they travel to Barcelona for the round of 16 second leg, with the hosts 9/20 favourites to win on the night.
Andreas Christiansen’s misplaced pass led to a speedy Barca attack where they scored a valuable away goal, taking a 1-1 scoreline back to the Nou Camp.
Antonio Conte’s side had performed so well to keep Lionel Messi and co quiet up to then, with Willian starring, hitting the post twice as well as opening the scoring.
The 29-year-old Brazilian has scored five goals in as many appearances in all competitions for the Blues and he can be backed at 6/1 to find the back of the net anytime on Wednesday.
Read more: Barcelona v Chelsea - five of the best
Chelsea now need to score, with a 1-1 scoreline meaning extra-time, but it's hard to see them keeping Barcelona quiet and I can see the home side winning with both teams finding the net at 21/10.
Ernesto Valverde’s side, who are unbeaten in La Liga so far this term, will be without Philippe Coutinho for the remainder of Europe’s top competition this term, with the former Liverpool playmaker ineligible.
Messi missed their weekend win due to the birth of his third son, but he is available again and will be hoping to continue where he left off in the last leg after scoring against Chelsea for the first time. A score-and-win double with Messi is available at evens, while Barca to win both halves is 12/5.
We have seen some great clashes between the two sides over the years, including 2011/12 when Chelsea beat Barcelona en route to Champions League glory and they will be hoping for a similar shock this time around.
Conte did set his side up well in the first leg, but they have not been at their best this term and Barcelona’s confidence and high performance levels will be too much in another entertaining clash in Catalonia.
Prediction: Barcelona 3-1 Chelsea (4-2 agg) Sky Bet odds: 10/1
Best bet: Barcelona to win and both teams to score at 21/10
Alternative: Barcelona to win both halves at 12/5
Besiktas v Bayern Munich (1945 GMT, BT Sport Showcase)
A really tough one to call, due to the fact Bayern were 5-0 winners in the first leg which makes this a dead-rubber.
We saw last week when Man City, holding a similarly commanding lead, made changes and eased off the gas as they suffered an extremely rare home defeat to Basel.
Domagoj Vida’s 16th-minute red card made Besiktas' task even tougher on the night, with doubles for Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski and a Kingsley Coman strike all but sealing Bayern's place in the last eight.
A 5-0 scoreline has never been overturned in the Champions League before, so you would expect the Turkish side to just try to salvage some pride and win on the night. But Bayern rarely slack under Jupp Heynckes, who has won 45 and drawn three of his last 50 games in charge of the German giants – a mighty 90 per cent win ratio.
However, with Lewandowski and defender Joshua Kimmich both one yellow card away from suspension, they could miss out and on balance it could be worth backing Besiktas to get a result on the night.
Defeat in the Allianz Arena was Besiktas’ first in Europe’s top competition this term and the atmosphere at Vodafone Park could be intimidating for the visitors, as Bayern’s compatriots RB Leipzig found out earlier in the season.
Besiktas could be worth backing in the draw-no-bet market at 7/2, but the best way to get with them might be to catch Bayern cold and open the scoring at a shade under 2/1.
For Bayern, who will be hard to contain even if ringing the changes, Sandro Wagner is likely to start in Lewandowski’s absence and an anytime goalscorer bet at 15/8 also looks worth considering.
Besiktas’ Euro campaign may be coming to an end, but perhaps they can go out on a high with a famous victory over Bayern.
Prediction: Besiktas 2-1 Bayern Munich Sky Bet odds: 16/1
Best bet: Besiktas to score first at 19/10
Alternative: Besiktas draw/no bet at 7/2
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Posted at 1520 GMT on 13/03/2018.