Champions League Contenders Lock Horns in Second-Tier Derbies on Sunday
Published March 10, 2019 by Florin P
Manchester United travel to Arsenal and Sevilla welcomes Real Sociedad on Sunday afternoon, in their bid for a Champions League berth.
With only two games left to be played in the Round of 16 of the Champions League, many prominent European teams already prepare for the next season. The race is particularly tight in England and Spain, where several teams compete for the final spot eligible for the most important European football competition. Manchester United and Arsenal lock horns in the Premier League Derby, with Marseille and Nice reignite a local rivalry after overcoming a lot of adversity in recent weeks.
Arsenal and Manchester United Eye the Fourth Place
The two teams are separated by a single point and the winner of this match will claim solitary fourth place regardless of what happens in the other matches. The stakes are high because Tottenham and Chelsea are expected to pick up all three points and they are also in the race for a Champions League berth. 888 Sport acknowledges Arsenal’s solid home record this season and regards them as favorites, with odds of 7/5. Even though Manchester United were more successful in the head to head matches, they are priced at 2/1 simply because they play on the road. At 5/2, the draw also looks like a very tempting betting market.
Slumping Sevilla Hope for a Miraculous Recovery
Sevilla have started the season on a positive note, but in recent weeks they have emerged as La Liga’s biggest disappointment. Unless they put an end to this terrible slump, they will lose any chance of playing in the Champions League next season. Luckily for them, they have home pitch advantage and play against Real Sociedad, a team they have dominated in the past. Odds of 7/10 offered by bet365 Sports on them to win aren’t exceptionally high, given their awful form. Punters might be more tempted to bet on the underdogs to cause an upset, since the odds on this to happen stand at 4/1.
Southern France Prepares for the Local Derby
Marseille and Nice are separated by just four points, but both are trailing Lyon, the team occupying the last Champions League spot. The rivalry between the two teams is so intense that regardless of their placement and objectives for the current season, this match generates a lot of enthusiasm. Marseille play at home, where they have won eight matches this season, so they are justly favorites at odds of 13/20. We get odds of 9/2 at Winner Sports on Nice to win for the first time at the Velodrome since 2015.
