Copenhagen vs Manchester City Prediction 13.02.2024

• Competition: UEFA Champions League &— last 16 1st leg
• Date: Tuesday, 13rd, February 2024
• Kickoff: 20:00 UK / 21.00 CET
• Venue: Parken Stadium (Copenhagen)

As the knockout stages of the Champions League commence, Danish powerhouse Copenhagen is set to face off against current champions Manchester City in the first leg of their round-of-16 matchup at Parken Stadium.

Despite being considered underdogs and dismissed by many in Group A, Copenhagen proved their critics wrong by delivering an exceptional performance on Europe’s most prestigious club stage this season. As anticipated, Bayern Munich breezed through the group stage with relative ease, leaving only one spot for the knockout phase. The Danish Lions claimed this spot by narrowly defeating Galatasaray 1-0 in a decisive match, thanks to a goal from Lukas Lerager. This victory propelled the team to second place in the group, surpassing Turkish powerhouse Galatasaray and Manchester United.

Meanwhile, the current European champions, Man City, sailed through the initial stage of the competition, signalling their intention to retain the “Big-Ears” trophy. Indeed, Pep Guardiola’s team was unyielding in their group, which included RB Leipzig, Young Boys, and Crvena Zvezda, effortlessly advancing to the last 16 just like record Champions League winners Real Madrid, by securing maximum points from the first six group matches. Even more notable, the Citizens set a new club milestone by establishing the longest winning streak in the Champions League, with their exhilarating 3-2 triumph over the Red-Whites from Belgrade on the final matchday of Group G marking their eighth successive victory.

Copenhagen vs Manchester City Betting Tips: AH2 (-1.5)

This is unquestionably the most mismatched match-up in the round of 16 of the continent’s top club competition, with “big ears” trophy defenders Man City expected to assert their dominance and entirely dash the Danish champion’s hopes in the first leg. The Danish heavyweight’s absence from competitive matches could be a major issue, considering their last official game was in mid-December. However, they’ll certainly be buoyed by their previous performances against last year’s champions, Man City, having held them to a draw twice at Parker Stadium. They earned a 2-2 draw in the 2009 Europa League round of 16 match, and two years ago, they achieved a 0-0 draw in the Champions League group stage.

Despite enjoying robust support from their fans, the Lions’ chances of defeating the reigning European champions for the third straight time seem unlikely. This is particularly due to their stark drop in performance just before the winter break, with three games in the top-flight league without a win (D1, L2), causing them to fall to third place in the standings. Fans at the Parken Stadium may also be disappointed as Pep Guardiola’s team has found their winning form again. They are currently on a powerful ten-game winning streak across all competitions, following a comfortable 2-0 victory over Everton last weekend.

The Citizens, led by the formidable Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, are notable for their offensive strength, especially during away games. They’ve managed to successfully score three goals against the opposing teams in five of their last six competitive away matches. Manchester City, the champions of last year’s treble, presently seems invincible, leaving their competitors reeling. It’s expected that Copenhagen will experience the full force of Guardiola’s team’s offense, so anything less than a clear-cut victory for the visitors would be truly unexpected.