REAL MADRID have one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals after beating RB Leipzig in Germany but will know the job isn't done yet against a free-scoring team who have drawn just two blanks in their last 18 games.
Unfortunately for boss Marco Rose, one of those games where they failed to find the net was in the first leg against Real Madrid, despite creating a host of chances. I fancied the La Liga leaders to win in Germany and another one of my bets also came up when Brahim Diaz lashed home a stunning winner.
But the result was harsh on the Bundesliga outfit as they had far more shots on target and were only let down by the lack of a killer touch. The response since that defeat has been decent, with RB Leipzig winning two of their three domestic games and losing the other one narrowly to Bayern Munich.
They now face the monumental task of beating Real Madrid in their Bernabeu back yard, with Carlo Ancelotti's side only tasting defeat twice all season – both times to city rivals Atletico.
Los Blancos had to come from 2-0 down to salvage a draw at Valencia on Saturday and the match ended in controversy as the referee blew for full-time seconds before Jude Bellingham headed home what he thought was a last-gasp winner.
The England midfielder was sent off for dissent, although furious boss Ancelotti insisted the Lord's name wasn't taken in vain as he claimed the f-bomb wasn't directly aimed at whistler Jesus Gil Manzano.
Bellingham now faces a domestic suspension but he might sit out this clash with RB Leipzig too as another yellow card would rule him out of the first leg of the quarter-final if Real Madrid finish the job.
And Diaz certainly proved he was a more than capable deputy by scoring that spectacular winner in the first leg when Ancelotti's star man was still out injured.
How the bookies view it
Real Madrid are heavy favourites to go through after that first-leg win and their best price is just 1/10 at 888Sport. Even a win on the night offers scant value at 4/7 with most firms. RB Leipzig are 15/2 with Betfair to qualify and 23/5 for a Bernabeu victory. The draw at 90 minutes pays 18/5 at William Hill.
Head to head
That triumph in Germany edged Real Madrid ahead in their head-to-head with RB Leipzig after one victory apiece in last season's group stage. The Germans lost 2-0 on their last visit to Spain's capital.
Players to watch
Vinicius Junior scored a weekend double against Valencia and that took the winger's tally for the season to 14. He's 11/8 with Bet365 for anytime scorer while McBookie price the Brazilian at 13/5 for an assist.
RB Leipzig will be hanging their hopes on stiker Lois Openda as they bid to stun the Spanish giants. The Belgian is on 21 goals for the season and looks a bit overpriced at 5/2 with Unibet for another goal.
Anything else catch the eye?
RB Leipzig need to attack so it bodes well for an open game. BTTS is just 8/13 at Bet365 and over 2.5 goals is even shorter at a best 11/20 with Unibet but combining those bets boosts the odds to 20/23 at BoyleSports.
Xavi Simons is always a threat from midfield for the German side and Paddy Power price him at evens just to have a shot on target, which looks worth a punt.
Real Madrid players will be wary of picking up bookings ahead of a potential quarter-final so backing RB Leipzig for most cards could pay off at 20/21 with Bet365.
This UEFA Champions League match between Real Madrid and RB Leipzig will be played on Mar 6, 2024 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Real Madrid vs RB Leipzig prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
