Man City vs Schalke 04 Odds & Pick: Champions League Round of 16 2nd Leg

• Manchester City won 3-2 away Schalke 04 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 knockout
• Rahim Sterling netted the winner as Man City rallied from a 2-1 deficit
• Manchester City finished with 10 men after Nicolas Otamendi was sent off

Home with a one-goal lead over Schalke 04, you have to like Manchester City’s chances of advancing to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.

If Manchester City do succeed, it will mark the third straight year they’ve advanced to at least the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal stage. That includes a 2015-16 semifinal appearance.

FC Schalke 04 2 – 3 Manchester City FT:

Ball possession: 33% – 67%
Total shots: 7 – 21
Shots on target: 2 – 6
Fouls: 11 – 9
Chances created: 4 – 16
Shots inside box: 3 – 9
Accurate passes: 241 (76%) – 564 (89%)

We fight till the end!🔥 pic.twitter.com/wfEIU1QUu3

— City Report (@cityreport_) February 20, 2019

Schalke 04 is back in the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2014-15. The club reached the semifinals in 2010-11, losing to Manchester United. Kickoff is set for Tuesday, March 12 at 4:00 p.m. EST at Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City vs Schalke 04 Odds

*All odds taken 03/06/19

Manchester City have never lost a UEFA Champions League knockout round tie when coming home for the second leg with a lead (2-0).

City Rally at Schalke

Manchester City looked to be off and running in the first leg against Schalke 04. Sergio Aguero slotted them into the lead after 18 minutes. But then things took a sudden detour.

💯 Nabil Bentaleb has scored all 14 penalties he has taken in his club career.#UCL pic.twitter.com/6RfJoMhKmo

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 20, 2019

Nabil Bentaleb hammered home a pair of penalties to give Schalke the lead. Another grim twist was added to City’s fate with 20 minutes to play. Booked for the second time, Nicolas Otamendi was sent off.

Leroy Sane's powerful free-kick against Schalke 04 earned him this week's @championsleague Goal Of The Week 🔥. Have you seen a better free-kick this season?#UCL #GOTW #InnovateYourGame🧠⚽ pic.twitter.com/ahPF7064qD

— Nissan Sports (@nissansports) February 22, 2019

But this was only setting the stage for Manchester City’s wild comeback. Former Schalke player Leroy Sane tied the score with a brilliant 25-yard free kick tally. That left it for England international Rahim Sterling to net home the winner in the final minute.

He's 🔝 of the league… 🎶@Sterling7 #ManCity pic.twitter.com/TE73MIQtSf

— City Report (@cityreport_) March 3, 2019

It was the first time since 2015 that Manchester City had rallied from a goal down at halftime to win a UEFA Champions League tie. That result was also against a German side, a 4-2 verdict over Borussia Monchengladbach.

City Soaring High

Manchester City are 6-0-1 in their last seven fixtures across all competitions. They’ve conceded just two goals in those seven matches.

Liverpool are now a point behind Manchester City after a goalless draw in the Merseyside derby. Who will lift the Premier League trophy? 🤔#UCL pic.twitter.com/fo3eDOq1ch

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 3, 2019

City has driven back to the top of the table in the English Premier League. They are seeking to defend their title and win their third league championship since 2011-12. After a recent 6-0 thrashing of Chelsea, Manchester City is being hailed as the best team in Europe at the moment.

Manchester City vs Schalke 04 Statistical Comparison

Schalke is Suffering

The situation is beginning to spiral desperately downward for Schalke 04. They’re 0-4-1 in their last five Bundesliga matches. They’ve struggled to find the back of the net, scoring just once during that skid.

Thank god that's over 😩

(FT) #s04 #S04F95 pic.twitter.com/YU5vVwQETF

— FC Schalke 04 (@s04_en) March 2, 2019

Schalke has dropped to 14th overall in the standings and there is speculation about the future of manager Domenico Tedesco. Published reports indicate that former German international Gerald Asamoah is being considered as Tedesco’s replacement. Asamoah was a Schalke player from 1999-2010.

💬 #Tedesco on the upcoming games: "Our character is now under question – now more than ever. We now have to bring everything we can onto the pitch. We will think about what we need to do better and change things for Bremen."#s04 #S04F95 pic.twitter.com/YJDuYA4SIz

— FC Schalke 04 (@s04_en) March 2, 2019

It’s uncertain whether goalkeeper and club captain Ralf Faehrmann will be in the side for this match. He’s dropped recently for indifferent form in favor of German under-21 international Alexander Nuebel.

Benjamin Stambouli, Faehrmann’s replacement as captain in recent matches, was accosted by supporters on the pitch following Saturday’s 4-0 loss to Mainz. They demanded he remove the captain’s armband.

City Has Too Much Power

Hard to see any result in this second-leg showdown other than a City rout. They are unbeaten (7-0-1) in their last eight Champions League games against German opponents.

Finish them! 💥@tecnomobile

🔵 #mancity pic.twitter.com/KMRoxObq9D

— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 3, 2019

Manchester City striker Aguero has netted 10 goals in his last seven games from all competitions. He’s the top goalscorer in the top five European leagues so far in 2019 with 11.

Sergio Aguero has contributed to 118 goals in 119 Premier League games at the Etihad.

⚽️ 96 goals.
🎯 22 assists.

Loves being at home. pic.twitter.com/O2sf77b5Cr

— Roxy Palace (@RoxyPalace) March 1, 2019

Finding positives in the Schalke 04 camp is difficult. The first-leg loss to Manchester City ended their nine-game unbeaten run in Champions League play (6-0-3).

We're better than this – and now it's time to show it 👊

LET'S GO SCHALKE! 💙

(46') #S04F95 0-1 pic.twitter.com/DI8eTMq1Vn

— FC Schalke 04 (@s04_en) March 2, 2019

They’ve allowed at least three goals in three straight matches and five of the last six. Schalke is winless in its last four away matches.

This is the lowest they’ve been in terms of points in the Bundesliga standings since 1983, when Schalke was relegated. Second-place finishers a year ago, they currently occupy a relegation playoff position.

Pick: Manchester City -667, -2.5 Spread, Over 3.5