Prediction: Tottenham vs RB Leipzig

Prediction: Tottenham win

Best Odds: 8/5

Bookmaker: bet365

Champions League football is back in our lives and it’s safe to say that the majority of football fans are pretty pleased about that fact. There are eight mouthwatering ties for us to sample as we look ahead to the Round of 16, and while some of the games maybe easier to predict than others, Tottenham Hotspur vs RB Leipzig certainly doesn’t fall into that category. In what should be one of the most difficult ties to call, the pair will meet at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the first leg of their two-legged showdown.

Tottenham

Jose Mourinho may be a polarising figure in world football but he definitely knows how to win games in both the Premier League and in Europe. He’ll attempt to do so once again with a Spurs side that, despite their issues, are still going steady in the top flight as well as in the knockout stage of the Champions League. If they can start off well and really put the pressure on Leipzig early, they’ll be in with a great chance of taking a healthy lead over to Germany.

Team News

Kane, Sissoko and Son are the three big absences for Mourinho whereas Foyth and Lamela are both set to be assessed prior to kick-off.

RB Leipzig

The biggest question of all for RB Leipzig lies in whether or not they’re putting all of their eggs into one basket with the Bundesliga title race. They are neck and neck with Bayern Munich right now and while it may appear as if they’re slowing down, they’ll still believe that they are in with a great chance of taking it all the way to the final day. In the Champions League, though, this is probably one of the most winnable ties they could’ve hoped for.

Team News

Kampl and Adams are both out of action whereas at the back, Nagelsmann has some big decisions to make with Orban & Konate being injured and Upamecano being suspended.

Factors to Consider

• Tottenham finished in 2nd place in Group B with 10 points, whereas RB Leipzig finished in 1st place in Group G with 11 points.
• Tottenham have won four and drawn two of their last six games.
• Leipzig have won two, drawn two and lost two of their last six games.
• Tottenham have scored 11 goals and conceded six in their last six games.
• Leipzig have scored nine goals and conceded eight in their last six games.

Conclusion

This game has all the traits of an ‘anything you can do, I can do better’ type of showdown with both teams going for it from an attacking point of view. Neither is particularly sturdy when it comes to their defensive capabilities and with both wanting to take a lead into the second leg, we could be seeing goals galore in North London. We’re going to back Tottenham to just about get themselves over the finish line with a narrow win, but don’t be surprised if we see a few away goals.

Prediction: Tottenham win

Best Odds: 8/5

Bookmaker: bet365