Minnows APOEL Nicosia take on reigning champions Real Madrid in the Champions League next week, with the Spanish side looking to confirm their place in the knockout phase of the competition with three points in Nicosia. However, the Cypriot side will be looking to claim their first win in Europe so far this season.
Champions League – GSP Stadium, Nicosia – Tuesday 21st November – 19:45 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 13/2 at William Hill |
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Apoel Nikosia
Real MadridMatch Preview
Despite sitting comfortably in second place in Group H of the Champions League, Real Madrid will be looking to make up for a defeat last time around at Wembley when they take on APOEL Nicosia in Cyprus. Zinedine Zidane’s side will be the overwhelming favourites for victory, with their opponents having failed to earn a single victory in the competition so far this season. A win for the Spanish giants would confirm their place in the knockout phase of the competition once more. Despite Real being the overwhelming favourites for three points, there are still plenty of appealing betting markets surrounding the clash. Let’s take a closer look at the two teams for those still unsure of who to back, starting with APOEL Nicosia.
APOEL Nicosia Team News & Form
APOEL earned a fantastic point away at Borussia Dortmund last time around, meaning that they move level on points with the German giants in the table. Manager George Donis is now preparing for another potential giant killing, with their players undoubtedly keen to put in a better performance than they did at the Santiago Bernabeau. The home side have scored just two goals and conceded eight from their four Group H matches to date. Their squad is made up of talent from a wide variety of nations, with the likes of Igor de Camargo, Nuno Morais and Tommy Oar among their main threats.
Real Madrid Team News & Form
Real Madrid were humbled by a 3-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley last time around, their only loss in Europe so far this season. Zidane’s players can secure their place in the knockout phase of the competition with three points in Cyprus however, with the La Liga winners looking to return to top form after an indifferent start to the season. Cristiano Ronaldo has six Champions League goals to his name already this season, while the likes of Isco and Karim Benzema are also set to start in Cyprus. However, Welsh winger Gareth Bale will miss out after suffering an injury setback this week.
Head to Head
The two teams have played three times in the past, with Real Madrid having won on all three occasions, including their 3-0 win in Spain earlier this season.
Betting Odds and Predictions
Real Madrid are the overwhelming favourites for three points with all major bookmakers, with Skybet offering the Spanish giants odds of 1, while those looking to back a surprise home success can take advantage of odds of 2/13 with Ladbrokes.
Top Betting Tip
However, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on Real Madrid scoring over 2.5 goals in Cyprus, which is available at odds of 4/7 with William Hill.