RB Leipzig vs Tottenham Odds & Pick: UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Leg 2
- Second legs of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 begin next week
- RB Leipzig entertain Tottenham at the Red Bull Arena with a 1-0 lead to defend
- Get the preview, odds and best bets for this game below
It’s been a difficult few weeks for Jose Mourinho and Tottenham, with no wins since they were beaten by RB in the first league in north London. The return leg – Tuesday, March 10 at 3:00 pm EST, presents a huge challenge to the Lillywhites.
But while RB starts the game as favorites, the Mourinho factor means Spurs are not without a chance and so there could be some value here for the punters. We’ll take a look and see if this is doable for Spurs.
RB Leipzig vs Tottenham UCL Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total | Odds to Qualify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RB Leipzig | -1.0 (+119) | -147 | O 2.5, 3.0 (+102) | -500 |
| Tottenham | +1.0 (-135) | +380 | U 2.5, 3.0 (-118) | +350 |
| Draw | N/A | +275 | N/A | N/A |
All odds taken Mar. 5
Lloris Heroics
Spurs have plenty of work to do if they are to get anywhere near replicating their Champions League heroics of last season. The first-leg, at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, ended 1-0 to RB and so the Germans have what could prove to be an invaluable away goal in their back pocket, although they know it could and should have been more than one.
In the end, all RB had to show for their efforts was Timo Werner’s penalty, which, while enough to win the game, wasn’t sufficient to put the tie beyond Tottenham’s reach. Werner missed two other guilt-edged chances and Angelino hit a post as Leipzig laid siege on the Spurs goal to no avail.
Thanks to the heroics of their keeper Hugo Lloris, the north Londoners are still very much in this tie and while manager Jose Mourinho preferred to call it ‘good goalkeeping’ rather than good luck, the French international single-handedly kept Spurs in the competition. They’ll now need their manager to use every bit of his Champions League nous and experience to somehow conjure up an away win that will either see them win the tie or take it to extra-time and, possibly, penalties.
Massive Ask for Spurs
It remains a big ask for Spurs though whose form has been poor since the first leg, with no wins and a run that also saw them dumped out of the FA Cup by the EPL’s bottom team, Norwich City. Mourinho has worked Champions League miracles in the past, and he going to need to do so again – particularly as he is without his two main goalscorers, Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.
A win is just what Tottenham and their fans need to lighten an increasingly fractious mood in north London, but it’s questionable whether they have the quality to deliver one.
RB Leipzig vs Tottenham Head-to-Head Stats
| 4/7 | Wins/Games played | 3/7 |
| 1 | Losses | 3 |
| 11/1.57 | Goals scored/Per game | 18/2.57 |
| 117/40 | Goal attempts/On target | 92/46 |
| 4455 | Passes attempted | 3706 |
| 85% | Passing accuracy | 83% |
| 8 | Goals conceded | 15 |
| 2 | Clean sheets | 2 |
RB on the Up
For the Germans, it’s a very different story. For them, it’s very much a story of continued success and for a relatively new club – they were formed in 2009 – they’re on an upward trajectory, part of which is this season’s Champions League journey.
In addition to being odds-on to make it to their first-ever Champions League quarterfinal, they still have a realistic shot at winning their first Bundesliga title and are currently just three points behind leaders’ Bayern Munich.
But, if Tottenham, are looking for a positive to cling to, then the fact that Leipzig has shown some vulnerabilities at home in the Red Bull Arena is definitely one. In the group phase of the UCL, they were beaten 2-0 by Lyon on home soil and also struggled against Benfica in a game that ended 2-2, so Spurs will need to try and exploit this small chink in their armor.
Mourinho Caution
Spurs’ problem though is that Mourinho’s style of soccer is inherently cautious and, while what’s probably needed is for the Lillywhites to play on the front foot and make it difficult for RB early on, their manager will almost certainly ask for caution – as he always does. He will want Tottenham to stay in the game and then hope to snatch a late equalizer.
So, while it’s not inconceivable that Spurs could do as Mourinho asks and stay defensive and make it a tight, cautious game, I’m not sure they have enough to score twice against RB. In fact, I can see Werner again being the difference and scoring for RB in a low-scoring draw that will be enough for them to qualify.
Pick: RB Leipzig to qualify (-500) / RB and Spurs to draw 1-1
Once just a sports fanatic, fan-turned-writer Gary Gowers has been featured on European television and radio networks to discuss several professional football clubs. His work can be found in an assortment of publications like The Metro, MyFootballWriter.com, and BBC Radio Norfolk.
