Schalke 04 vs Manchester City 2019 Champions League Lines & Pick

Manchester City enters the Round of 16 as a heavy favorite to eliminate Schalke 04 as the first leg is set for Wednesday. City won Group F with a 4-1-1 record, scoring 16 goals in group play. Schalke 04 finished as the runner-up in Group D, with a 3-2-1 record and coming in behind Porto. City brings a venerable offense, while Schalke 04 has a reputation for solid defense, but they lost Naldo to AS Monaco during the winter transfer window. We have your complete soccer betting preview on the first leg from Germany, as Schalke 04, behind Weston McKennie, one of the U.S. men’s national team, look to pull off what would be a considerable upset.

Schalke 04 vs Manchester City 2019 Champions League Lines & Pick

🔴 @Atleti ⚫️ @juventusfc 🔵 @s04 🔵 @ManCity Who’s making the headlines tonight? #UCL pic.twitter.com/cDGvUk2rS0

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) 20 de febrero de 2019

When: Wednesday, February 20, 2019, 3:00pm ET Where: VELTINS-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany TV: Galavision Radio: None Live Stream: UEFA.com Soccer Odds: Manchester City -375 / Schalke 04 +850 / Draw +525

Why should you bet on Schalke 04?

Schalke 04 enters this game with basically zero momentum, as they are winless in four consecutive Bundesliga games, and they have one goal over the last three matches in that streak. However, Schalke 04 was able to put together an impressive run in group play. They only scored six goals over the six games, but they won three of those contests, showing that they have the grit to pull out results when games are close. Their defense held firm during group play and will need to stand tall again to keep City at bay and perhaps push a goal through on the counterattack should City get greedy. Schalke 04 has not taken a loss in their last nine home games against European clubs (six wins, three draws), and if they win, that would make three straight home Champions League victories for the first time since 2011 — which was also the last time they made the Round of 16. That year, they made it to the semifinals. Defense has been impressive for this side, as they posted four clean sheets in their six group play matches. Also, City has fallen in five of their eight knockout round games in the Champions League away from home.

Why should you put your money on Manchester City?

Manchester City comes in on the momentum of routing Newport County on Saturday in FA Cup play. City has put up 10 goals over their last two contests, and there is a legitimate concern as to whether they will put their best eleven on the field against Schalke, because they face Chelsea in the League Cup final on Sunday. That may mean that Pep Guardiola may put some of his starters on the bench to rest ahead of that tougher matchup. City will be missing John Stones (groin) and Gabriel Jesus (hamstring). City has not lost in their last seven Champions League games against teams from Germany (six wins, one draw) dating back to a 1-0 setback against Bayern Munich in 2014. They are facing a team in Schalke 04 that has not made it out of the round of 16 in their last three appearances in the Champions League and that has not even made it out of group play in eight years. If you like City, you see their patient offense breaking down Schalke 04 and putting in enough road goals to get the win and make the home leg comfortable.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

Schalke 04 is stumbling into this game, on the basis of their recent Bundesliga form, while City is scoring in bunches right now. There is the possibility of City overlooking this match with their match against Chelsea coming up on Sunday, and with the thought that they have the home leg to clean up any messes that come in Germany. Even so, I see City’s offense taking care of business, so I predict a final score of City 2, Schalke 0.