Liverpool are playing in only their third Champions League group stage in eight seasons and are hoping to progress to the knockout stages for the first time since they reached the quarter-finals during the 2008-09 campaign. Although Liverpool have to let their soccer do the talking, Bovada believe the Reds will sail through Group E as they are -1200 to progress and -175 to top the group.
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These two sides met in May 2016 when Sevilla ran out 3-1 winners in the Europa League final to deny Liverpool a place in the Champions League. Daniel Sturridge opened the scoring for Liverpool, but three second half goals in what was a clinical display by Sevilla saw the Spaniards run out worthy winners. The Reds are a different team from that game though and now have enough attacking talent to test the very best in European soccer.
Adam Lallana is still in the treatment room and misses out and Mohamed Salah could miss this game, but Brazilian star Philippe Coutinho looks set to return after injury and after the transfer window closed without him being transferred to Barcelona. A key player for Liverpool is Sadio Mane. The lightning quick winger was sent off in the 5-0 drubbing by Manchester City last weekend but can play in this fixture as his ban is only for the English Premier League. Mane has three goals in four games and his pace is enough to frighten even the elite defenders of this world.Â
Another man to watch is Roberto Firmino, particularly if Coutinho returns to the starting line-up. Firmino and Coutinho link up well and that could see Firmino add to his two goals already scored this term. Firmino is +400 to score first and +125 to bag a goal anytime in this game.
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Sevilla are unfancied in this match and are priced at +385 to beat Liverpool on the road. The Spaniards won the Europa League three seasons in a row but it remains to be seen if the team that finished fourth in La Liga can step up their game and beat teams in the Champions League.
Forward Nolito is definitely out of this encounter, as is midfielder Johannes Geis, but other than that Sevilla have a full strength squad to choose from. The team is unbeaten in all competitions this season and has registered three wins and two draws to date. Worringly for fans of Sevilla is they have only kept one clean sheet and that came against lowly Eibar last weekend, a game that Sevilla won by three goals to nil. Factor in that Liverpool has scored 14 goals in their last six outings and it doesn’t take a genius to work out there should be plenty of goals in this game.
Liverpool has won all six of its last six home games in European competition and I fully expect the Reds to extend that impressive record to seven consecutive games.
I’d be willing to place a wager at the -150 odds available right now and would even consider backing Liverpool with a -1 spread at a welcoming +110. The best value, however, looks to be both teams to score and Liverpool to claim all three points at seemingly generous +200.
As good as Liverpool are at attacking, they are as bad at the back and with Sevilla unable to keep clean sheets, this is the market I will be piling into before kickoff.
Category : Betting Picks
Tag : Champions League betting , Liverpool , sevilla , uefa champions league
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