RB Leipzig vs Liverpool Odds & Prediction – Champions League Round of 16 Leg 1

• RB Leipzig and Liverpool meet in the first-leg of the UCL last 16 on Tuesday, February 16, KO 3:00 pm EST
• The English champions will be looking to bounce back in European competition after a torrid spell in the EPL
• We preview the game, look at the odds, and offer a best bet below

It is to Budapest’s Puskas Stadium that RB Leipzig and Liverpool head this week to open the knockout phase of this season’s  UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, February 16, KO 3:00 pm EST. It is the first-ever competitive meeting between these two teams and the Leipzig leg of the tie is being held in Budapest due to coronavirus restrictions.

We list the odds below, preview the game, and offer the best bet for this EPL match below.

RB Leipzig vs Liverpool UCL Odds

All odds taken Feb 15 at DraftKings

Three Defeats In Three for Liverpool

When the group stages of the UCL ended back in early December, the world seemed a very different place for Liverpool, who, at that time, were joint-top of the EPL and looked on course to at least challenge for their second consecutive EPL title and their seventh Champions League trophy. But since then, the Reds of Merseyside have endured a miserable run of form that has culminated in them dropping 13 points behind EPL leaders, Manchester City.

Final workout before heading to Hungary ✊⚽️#UCL | #RBLLFC pic.twitter.com/7HqdD1voSF

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 15, 2021

Since qualifying for the group stages, Liverpool has won just five of the 15 matches they have played in all competitions, losing six which includes each of their last three games. Manager Jurgen Klopp is under more pressure than he has been at any time in his tenure on Merseyside and there are even unconfirmed rumors circulating in the British press of the club’s owners considering his position – something that a few weeks ago would have been unheard of.

Klopp Under Pressure

At the weekend, in the third of their most recent defeats, the Reds managed to take the lead against second-placed Leicester City and controlled the game for spells but were hit by a three-goal blitz late on.

Whether or not Liverpool can forget their woes in the EPL and concentrate on going deep in this season’s UCL will be key to how this game unfolds, but a forward line that reads, Mane, Salah, and Firmino always poses a threat and always give them a chance of winning games. The big question is whether their makeshift defense, without Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez, can be solid and resolute enough.

RB Leipzig vs Liverpool  Head-to-Head Stats

Defensive Issues Rectified in Leipzig

For Leipzig, it took a 3-2 win over Manchester United on Matchday 6 of the group stages to secure their place in the last 16 but it is worth noting is they conceded no less than 12 goals in the process; the worst goals-against record of any team left in the tournament. But their emergence from what looked a very tricky group, which included PSG, was outstanding and has given them a chance to replicate last season’s achievement of a place in the semifinal.

Hello Hungary! 👋🛬

🔴⚪ #RBLeipzig pic.twitter.com/lnm0CXQDD7

— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) February 15, 2021

Since the conclusion of the UCL  group stages, Leipzig has lost only twice in 13 in all competitions, and along the way have kept nine clean sheets, which suggests that the defensive problems that beset their qualification have now been rectified. They will certainly be tested in their defensive third by Liverpool.

Liverpool Undefeated in 10 Against German Opponents

While Liverpool comes into this, as mentioned above, off the back of three straight losses, and Leipzig goes into it having won four on the bounce, the most recent being a 2-1 win over Augsburg last Friday; a win that took them up to second in the Bundesliga, four points behind leaders Bayern Munich. If they can hold onto second, it will be the highest finish in their relatively short history, but such is their current form they will also expect to progress to the last eight of the UCL.

🗣 Head coach Julian #Nagelsmann:

"Liverpool's team is full of top players, which makes it hard for me to single out any key players. But as captain, Jordan Henderson has a really important role and pushes the team."

🔴⚪ #RBLeipzig #RBLLFC pic.twitter.com/xiJz4jgATY

— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) February 15, 2021

In Liverpool’s favor however is a simply outstanding record against German opposition. They are unbeaten against them in their last 10 games; a run that dates back to 2002. Whether this counts for anything on Tuesday remains to be seen, however, and it will be a very nervous Liverpool that walks out in Budapest. Leipzig’s form is excellent and they have momentum, and it is for that reason alone that I see value in the +210 on offer for the home win.

Pick: RB Leipzig to win (+210)