The Champions League knockout stage is in full swing. Chelsea hold a comfortable, yet tricky, two-goal advantage over FC Porto. Meanwhile, Paris Saint Germain and Bayern Munich are set for another high-scoring spectacle following PSG’s 3-2 victory in the first leg.
With sparks set to fly, it’s time to turn research into money. This article provides a selection of my favorite prop bets PointsBet Sportsbook has to offer for Tuesday’s two-match slate.
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Chelsea (-120) vs. FC Porto (+320) | Tuesday, 3:00 p.m. ET
Prop Tip - Mason Mount Anytime Goalscorer (+270)
Thomas Tuchel’s side is in a prime position to book their place in the UEFA Champions League semifinal as they square-off with FC Porto holding a 2-0 first-leg advantage. Chelsea enter the match after a 4-1 win over Crystal Palace over the weekend. The front three highlighted the club’s biggest win since Tuchel’s appointment as Christian Pulisic, Kai Havertz, and Mason Mount had strong showings. The momentum gained over the weekend, coupled with FC Porto’s need to attack to overcome the two-goal gap, means Chelsea will get their chances on Tuesday.
Olivier Giroud (+135) has the shortest odds among the group of Chelsea attackers. This isn’t a surprise since the Frenchman has a club-high six goals in Champions League play. Giroud, however, isn’t a lock to start due to the emergence of Havertz (+215) as the new spearhead of Chelsea’s attacking trio. While there is a clear case for either getting on the scoresheet, the player I will be backing is Mason Mount.
Mount has been phenomenal this season. The England international has two goals and an assist in his last three matches for Chelsea. Across his previous 215 minutes of action, Mount is averaging a shot every 21.5 minutes and a shot on target every 53.5 minutes. The 22-year-old’s key to success has been his excellent positional play, which allows him to create and capitalize on quality chances on a match-to-match basis. His goal in the first leg was a great example of this. Mount received a pass from Jorginho on the edge of the box, pulled off a nifty swivel turn with a defender on his shoulder, and buried a well-struck bullet in the bottom left-hand corner of the net. The combination of form and price makes Mount an extremely appealing option.
Prop Tip - Sergio Oliveira Anytime Goalscorer (+300)
FC Porto will need to throw caution to the wind to advance. The Portuguese outfit is, however, boosted by a returning pair of crucial attackers. Forward Mehdi Taremi (+260) and midfielder Sergio Oliveira (+300) are eligible to feature, having missed the first leg due to one-match Champions League bans.
Oliveira’s primary appeal is his role on penalties and direct free-kicks. He’s yet to miss from the penalty spot in Champions League play, having converted all three of his chances so far. While only one of his club-high five goals has come from open play, the central midfielder leads Porto in shots on target (9) and ranks joint-first with striker Moussa Marega in total shots (12). Oliveira’s last outing before his one-match ban was also his best in European play this season. The 28-year-old converted a penalty and scored a beautiful free-kick in the quarterfinals’ second-leg tie against Juventus.
Paris Saint-Germain (+190) vs. Bayern Munich (+115) | Tuesday, 3:00 p.m. ET
Prop Tip - Kylian Mbappe First Goalscorer (+440)
Kylian Mbappe is on fire. The 22-year-old phenom has scored eight goals in his last four Champions League appearances. It’s hard to argue against anyone taking the safer route of backing Mbappe at his anytime goalscorer price (+105). However, if you’re looking for a bolder play, there is enough support to justify backing him as the first goalscorer.
Mbappe has been the first goalscorer in each of PSG’s last two Champions League matches. Mbappe converted a penalty in the 30th minute of the second leg of the quarterfinal tie with Barcelona. In the 3-2 first-leg win over Bayern Munich, he needed just three minutes to put PSG ahead. The case for Mbappe being the first goalscorer is even more significant when considering that four of his eight goals in the last four UCL matches have come during the first half. It’s also worth noting that Mbappe has provided the first goal for Paris Saint-Germain in two of their last three Ligue 1 matches. Both goals came within the first 20 minutes.
Prop Tip - Over 3.5 Goals (-115)
Paris Saint-Germain (21) and Bayern Munich (26) are the highest-scoring clubs in the Champions League this season. Both clubs have scored in all nine of their matches. Bayern Munich have found the net two or more times on eight occasions, while Paris Saint-Germain have scored three or more in four of their last five games.
The stage is set for another high-scoring encounter following Paris Saint-Germain’s 3-2 win in the first leg. Bayern Munich only produced two goals from a whopping 31 shots at the Allianz Arena, while Paris Saint-Germain came away with three goals from just six total attempts. With Bayern needing to erase the deficit and Paris Saint-Germain more capable of striking on the counter, all signs point to another big scoreline.
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