The Champions League playoff stage begins this week as eight teams battle for the final four spots in the Round of 16.
The pregame narrative: A blockbuster matchup between Real Madrid and Manchester City kicks off at the Etihad on Tuesday and I expect Kylian Mbappe to be active. Then, back Harry Kane to score against Celtic.
Check out the best Champions League prop bets for the Round of 16 playoff.
Champions League prop bets
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Best Bet: Mbappe over 1.5 shots on target (-136)
Carlo Ancelotti preached patience after Mbappe missed a penalty in a 2-0 loss to Liverpool on Nov. 27.
It was a low point for the French superstar fighting through it with his new club.
But great managers tend to get the best out of their players and Mbappe turned a corner for Los Blancos to start the new year.
- Mbappe has scored nine goals in his last eight games.
- He’s registered 17 shots on target in that span, clearing this mark six times.
Real Madrid owns the most star-studded lineup in Europe with Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo playing high in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Mbappe spearheads that attack and should feast against a Manchester City side which is a shell of its former self right now.
The Citizens have been a defensive mess after losing Ballon d’Or winner Rodri to a torn ACL. Pep Guardiola gets some reinforcements with John Stones and Ruben Dias returning, though neither is in top form.
City was just battered 5-1 by Arsenal in the Premier League with Stones in the lineup. A few matches before that, it lost 4-2 to PSG in the UCL league stage.
Key stat: Mbappe has 67 SOT for Real Madrid, clearing this line in 22 of 34 games across all competitions.
Quick pick
Kane to score (-143): I don’t love these odds but you could argue they’re generous considering how lopsided this matchup could get.
Bayern’s offence was ever-threatening during the league stage but it squandered some big chances, which is why it’s in this playoff. The Bavarians currently lead in these key categories, per FotMob:
- 22.5 xG (1st)
- 68.9% possession (1st)
- 8.6 shots on target/game (1st)
- 41 big chances (1st)
Kane was at the forefront of that attack, netting six goals on 6.4 xG. He also led this tournament with eight goals last year.
The English national is a goalscoring machine — he has 27 in 26 appearances for Bayern across all competitions — and gets a Celtic side which allowed 13.4 xG in the league stage (14th-most).
Picks made at 10:01 a.m. on 02/11/25.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.