Tuesday’s Champions League Tips: Real Madrid can confirm superiority at Stamford Bridge

This season’s Champions League quarter-finals will reach a conclusion this week, so now is the perfect time for expert Greg Lea to use his expertise to find some winning selections. 

Chelsea v Real Madrid

Kick-off: 7.45pm Tuesday

Chelsea’s season comes down to this. With nothing left to play for domestically - even qualification for the Europa Conference League is essentially out of reach - the Champions League is the only competition still of interest to the Blues.

It might not be for much longer as Chelsea trail 2-0 ahead of Tuesday’s second leg at Stamford Bridge. They were outclassed at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu last week and, although their task was complicated by Ben Chilwell’s sending-off in the 59th minute, a two-goal defeat was a fair reflection of the game. 

The tie is not over yet and an early goal would give Chelsea hope, but the evidence of the last few weeks suggests Madrid should have very little trouble in west London. 

The reappointment of club legend Frank Lampard was made in a bid to galvanise the squad. It has not worked - at least not yet. Each of Lampard’s three games at the helm has ended in defeat. The latest loss, a 2-1 reverse at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion, kept Chelsea in the bottom half of the Premier League table. 

This Madrid team has been there and done it in Europe, and that experience will stand them in good stead even if they do suffer an early setback here. Chelsea’s squad contains plenty of talent, but as a collective unit they are far inferior to Madrid. The odds available for an away win are too tempting to pass up.

Prediction: Real Madrid to win @ 2.48 

Napoli v AC Milan

Kick-off: 7.45pm Tuesday 

Of the four Champions League quarter-finals taking place this week, three have a strong favourite to advance. The anomaly is this all-Italian affair, which hangs in the balance ahead of Tuesday’s clash at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Milan won the first leg 1-0 at San Siro and are now considered more likely to progress to the semis. They will draw confidence from a recent 4-0 thrashing of the Serie A champions-elect on their own turf. Milan will also hope that the club’s considerable European pedigree has a positive effect against a side that has had very little prior success in the Champions League.

However, it is worth remembering that Napoli are 22 points clear of Milan in the Italian top flight. They have been one of the best teams in Europe this term and are a force to be reckoned with in front of their own fans, notwithstanding the aberration that was the 4-0 loss last month.

Napoli had to make do without their top scorer Victor Osimhen last time, but Luciano Spalletti has already confirmed that he is ready to start the second leg. With 25 goals in 30 appearances, this has been a tremendous campaign for the Nigeria international. His timely return to the XI will make Napoli’s attack even harder to contain.

Before his recent injury, Osimhen notched back-to-back braces against Eintracht Frankfurt and Torino. The striker will back himself to make the difference against Milan, and I fancy his chances of finding the net at some point.

Prediction: Victor Osimhen anytime goalscorer @ 2.18

Tuesday’s Champions League Tips 

Chelsea v Real Madrid: Real Madrid to win @ 2.48
Napoli v AC Milan: Victor Osimhen anytime goalscorer @ 2.18