UEFA Champion League: Manchester City v Schalke Preview and Prediction

Date/Time: Tuesday 12th March 2019 (Kick-off 9:00 PM CET).

There have been a couple of huge upsets in the Champions League Second Round already and the second half of the Last 16 Second Legs are going to be completed this week.

Pep Guardiola has warned his team of avoiding complacency as Manchester City look to put the final touches on their Last 16 tie with Schalke having won 2-3 away from home last month. It makes the English Champions big favourites to progress and they should be strong enough to do that with relative comfort considering the amount of goals they have scored at home.

However even the manager admits that the players are not quite used to the Champions League as they are with domestic matters and that can see them in tighter games than they would want to be.

It may be something to consider later in the tournament, but Schalke don't look like they are going to be capable of causing the problems that others team could do for Manchester City. As well as they played in the First Leg, Schalke looked vulnerable every time Manchester City came forward and now they are under pressure to win by a two goal margin or score at least three goals here.

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They may give it a go, but that is going to leave spaces for Manchester City to try and exploit and Schalke have been conceding far too many goals as they have slipped towards the bottom of the Bundesliga. In their last 3 away games Schalke have conceded at least three goals in each game and it is no surprise they have lost each of those.

Manchester City do have some injury issues which may make them more vulnerable, but I think they will be on top for much of the game and I believe the home team win by a comfortable margin. It hasn't been the case for teams so far in the Champions League Knock Out Rounds with the away teams causing one or two upsets already, but Manchester City are very strong at home and they are facing a team that will be lacking in confidence and could easily capitulate if they fall behind here.  

 

Prediction: Manchester City -2.25 Asian Handicap

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