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RB Leipzig +115 Odds to Finish Top 2 in UCL Group H with PSG and Man U

Daniel Coyle

by Daniel Coyle in Soccer News

Updated Oct 18, 2020 · 6:02 PM PDT

RB Leipzig players celebrating
RB Leipzig hope to avenge their loss to Paris Saint-Germain in last season's Champions League semi-final when this season's group stage gets underway, but the club faces long odds of advancing to the knockout stage for a second straight year. Photo by MIS/Imago/Icon Sportswire.
  • After reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-final last season, RB Leipzig face long odds to advance out of this season’s group of death
  • PSG areheavy favorites to win Group H, followed by struggling Manchester United
  • See the odds and trends ahead of the start of this season’s Champions League group stage

RB Leipzig will be aiming to build on last season’s breakthrough performance in UEFA Champions League play, as they get set to hit the pitch for group-stage action as a +110 bet to finish among the top two in Group H.

Odds to Win Group H – UEFA Champions League

Team Odds to Win Group Odds to Finish Top 2
Paris Saint-Germain -182 -1250
Manchester United +275 -225
RB Leipzig +450 +115
İstanbul Başakşehir +10000 +2000

Odds as of October 18, 2020.

Leipzig Poised to Build on UCL Breakthrough

Aided by a favorable group stage draw a year ago, and the single-game elimination format subsequently adopted by the UCL due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Red Bulls emerged as the Cinderella story of last year’s tournament.

However, the club will face a tougher road this time around after drawing into this season’s group of death that will pit them against Istanbul Basaksehir, Manchester United, and powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain.

PSG Still the Club to Beat

Fresh off a breakthrough campaign of their own, PSG looks to take the next step this season. The Parisians ended a lengthy history of futility in in this tournament by advancing to the Champions League final for the first time, a run that featured a hard-fought 3-0 win over Leipzig in semi-final action.

After a slow start, the three-time defending Ligue 1 champions have tallied five straight wins in league play to reclaim their familiar perch atop the table. And with a lineup featuring two of the top players in the world, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, it comes as no surprise that PSG have emerged as heavy -182 favorites to win Group H.

Rocky Start for Red Devils

Manchester United have opened ahead of Leipzig in the Group H odds, as a strong -225 bet to finish in the top two. But a rocky start to their Premier League campaign has cast doubt on this club’s ability to fulfill that promise. The Red Devils are coming off a solid third-place finish in last season’s Premier League, and bulked up during the transfer window with the addition of veteran Edinson Cavani, and promising youngsters Donny van de Beek and Amad Diallo. However, with lopsided losses to Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur, the club currently find themselves mired in 14th place on the EPL table.

While there is no doubting the talent on this Red Devils squad, their recent inconsistency leaves Leipzig with a massive opportunity to gain the upper hand when these two clubs meet for their first group stage matchup at Old Trafford on October 28. Both of Manchester United’s Premier League losses this season have come on home turf, where they have recorded just two victories in seven matches across all competitions, while getting outscored by a wide 16-9 margin.

Istanbul Basaksehir sit as the clear longshots sporting +2000 odds to finish among the top two. However, with a lineup featuring several former Premier League players including Martin Skrtel, Demba Ba, Nacer Chadli, and former Red Devil Rafael da Silva, the reigning Turkish League champions are well positioned to play the role of spoiler.

Red Bulls Silencing the Naysayers

As for the Red Bulls, they have silenced the naysayers, who had written them off in the wake of top goalscorer Timo Werner’s departure for Chelsea during the transfer window. Leipzig have seized the early lead atop the Bundesliga table while going undefeated in five outings across all competitions since their UCL semi-final loss to PSG, with the club outgunning opponents by an impressive 13-2 margin.

Now eager to settle the score with PSG, and well positioned to exploit Manchester United’s struggles to find consistency, the Red Bulls offer considerable value as a +110 wager to advance to the Champions League knockout stage for a second straight year.

The Picks: Paris Saint-Germain to win Group H (-182); RB Leipzig to finish top 2 (+110)

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