UCL Odds: Dortmund, Monaco Meet in Action-Packed Quarters
Dortmund (-150) vs. Monaco (+425), Draw (+355)
Monaco and Dortmund aren’t exactly the Champions League favorites, but they’re two of the most exciting teams around right now. They will face off on April 11th at Westfalenstadion for the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal.
Dortmund suffered a 1-0 loss against Benfica in the first leg of the Round of 16, but came back with a triumphant 4-0 win in the second. Dortmund has never been a great defensive side, but they make up for it with a high-intensity, attacking game. Their two draws against Real Madrid in the group stages proved that the current squad can hold their own against the very best.
Monaco are currently leading Ligue 1 and stand a real chance of winning the league this year. Dortmund may be an attack-minded side, but Monaco takes it to a whole new level. The young, scrappy club is virtually incapable of sitting on a lead. If they’re not attacking, they’re conceding goals.
Their Round of 16 games against Manchester City were some of the wildest we’ve seen this season. In the first leg as the away team, Monaco built up a strong 2-1 lead against Manchester City. And instead of holding onto the lead, they pressed on and tried to extend it. Ultimately, it backfired and they lost 5-3, but it resulted in one of the most entertaining matches we’ve seen so far.
It’ll be interesting to see how Dortmund approaches the game. The most effective strategy would probably be to pull back and play the counterattack, exploiting Monaco’s defensive weaknesses. But that’s not really Dortmund’s style.
Monaco is stacked with young talent and when they push forward, they’re one of the most energetic teams around. But they lack versatility and don’t have much experience playing against the top teams in Europe. They’ve had a meteoric rise these last few years, but Ligue 1 success is very different to Champions League success.
Dortmund will be playing at home, which is always a huge advantage for them. At least for the first leg, I think they’re a good pick.
Pick: Dortmund (-150)
Don Aguero is a man of many talents, writing about nearly anything you can put odds to. Don has been writing for SportsBettingDime since 2015, covering sports, entertainment and politics. You name it, he's covered it! He is also a steadfast West Ham fan, and has learned to embrace that suffering.
