⚽ Champions League Second Leg Predictions: Best Bets & Odds for Knockout Playoffs Today

After swinging and missing on Tuesday's two bets, I'm looking for better fortune on Wednesday with my Champions League knockout predictions.

Gary Pearson

Last Updated: February 25, 2026 1:40 AM EST • 4 minute read

Pictured: Vinicius Junior after wining the first leg as we offer our Champions League knockout predictions and odds. Photo by Rodrigo Antunes via Imagn Images

Enjoying SBR content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account

My Champions League knockout predictions for today's second leg of the playoffs feature Real Madrid and PSG.

Both are heavily favored to advance to the Round of 16, with Real Madrid hosting Benfica at the Bernabeu and PSG welcoming Monaco to Parc des Princes. I'm backing Real Madrid in a game with at least three goals while analyzing the chances of the Under cashing in Paris.

⚒️ Champions League knockout playoffs quick picks: Wednesday

Real Madrid ML & Over 2.5 goals (-110) | Implied probability: 52.38%
PSG vs. Monaco Under 3.5 goals (+104) | Implied probability: 49.02%

🔮 Champions League predictions: Knockout playoffs second leg

Here are my Champions League predictions for the knockout playoffs as part of our soccer picks this week.

Match	Bet	Odds	Units	Confidence
Inter Milan vs. Bodo/Glimt	Inter Milan -2 ❌	+138 via BetMGM	1u -> 1.38u	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Real Madrid vs. Benfica	Real Madrid & Over 2.5 goals	-110 via BetMGM	1u -> 0.91u	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Olympiacos	Bayer Leverkusen ML ❌	-125 via FanDuel	1u -> 0.8u	⭐⭐⭐⭐
PSG vs. Monaco	Under 3.5 goals	+104 via FanDuel	1u -> 1.04u	⭐⭐⭐⭐

Total wagered: 5 units | Max profit: 4.13 units

🔥 Champions League predictions knockout playoffs leg 2

Real Madrid vs. Benfica prediction: Real Madrid & Over 2.5 goals (-110)

Thanks to an incident that blew up the internet in the first leg, this is going to be the most explosive match of the week. Real Madrid, among the Champions League odds contenders, is angry, focused on making Benfica pay after Gianluca Prestianni allegedly made racist remarks toward Vinicius Junior.

Suffice it to say, Real Madrid is on the warpath, an ominous prospect for traveling Benfica. The Bernabéu provides a hostile environment in the best of circumstances, which this clearly is not.

Expect a giant performance from Real Madrid as it looks to make a statement entering the Round of 16.

PSG vs. Monaco prediction: Under 3.5 goals (+104)

I hope you enjoyed last week's 3-2 thriller in Monaco, as I expect an entirely different encounter on Wednesday. PSG will want to lock it down at Parc des Princes, and it should do precisely that while possessing the ball for large stretches.

PSG allowed one goal in its previous four home matches, and Monaco bagged just one in the last four in enemy environments. PSG is also returning to health, which should help on the defensive side of the ball.

I love the plus-money odds on this bet, and I'd play it to -110.

💡 How I'm betting Champions League playoffs leg 2

I've placed greater emphasis on backing home teams in the second leg. Real Madrid and Inter Milan are two of Europe's best on their home patch, and the former has the added incentive of being irate with Benfica.

I believe those aspects create a perfect storm for Álvaro Arbeloa and his side.

Inter Milan rarely goes quietly into the Champions League night, especially against a perceived inferior opponent. That motivation and unique circumstance of losing the first leg are why I devoted a full unit to the bet.

PSG is excellent at home, too, and it will not want to get involved in another high-scoring affair. Its increased possession will ensure that doesn't happen.

🏦 Champions League bankroll management

Properly managing your bankroll is the most crucial aspect of sports betting, regardless of the sport or your preferred bet types. Our betting calculator can help you decide how much to commit to each wager, and we advise tracking your deposits, withdrawals, and bets. Here's a look at how I'll bet this parlay.

Each full unit represents a $10 bet. To learn more about this topic, check out our LJ Blut's how-to-bankroll-management article.

🔢 Champions League odds: Knockout playoffs leg 2

Live Champions League odds; updated in real time.

Atalanta vs. Borussia Dortmund odds: Wednesday, 12:45 p.m. ET

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 25
Kickoff: 12:45 p.m. ET
Location: New Balance Arena (Bergamo, Italy)
How to watch: Paramount+

Juventus vs. Galatasaray odds: Wednesday, 3 p.m. ET

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 25
Kickoff: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Allianz Stadium (Turin, Italy)
How to watch: Paramount+

💵 Juventus vs. Galatasaray parlay

I offer a 3-leg Juventus vs. Galatasaray same-game parlay, including plays on the moneyline and total.

PSG vs. Monaco odds: Wednesday, 3 p.m. ET

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 25
Kickoff: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Parcs des Princes (Paris)
How to watch: Paramount+

💵 PSG vs. Monaco parlay

I offer a 3-leg PSG vs. Monaco same-game parlay, including an anytime goal scorer pick.

Real Madrid vs. Benfica odds: Wednesday, 3 p.m. ET

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 25
Kickoff: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Bernabéu (Madrid, Spain)
How to watch: Paramount+

Champions League knockout playoffs leg 2 FAQs

Who is favored to win Real Madrid vs. Benfica?

Real Madrid is the -160 moneyline betting favorite to win Wednesday's second leg, taking place at Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain.

Who is favored to win PSG vs. Monaco?

PSG is the -400 moneyline betting favorite to beat Monaco at Parc des Princes and complete the sweep of its Ligue 1 rivals.

📃 Affiliate disclosure

Sportsbook Review may receive a commission if you sign up through our links.Not intended for use in MA. Bonuses not applicable in Ontario. 21+ only. (Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)

Written by:
Gary Pearson

Gary Pearson has written professionally since 2010, focusing on sports betting since 2014. Before entering the sports betting space, he contributed to the Canadian Press, FanSided, the Hockey Writers, the Calgary Herald, and other publications. His work and NFL experience has also been featured in Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report. Gary, who consumes sports like a blue whale devours plankton, has a penchant for writing predictions and analyses across several sports, including hockey, soccer, football, tennis, and more. He bets regularly, preferring single-game picks, props, and live betting. While there isn't a sport he has yet to dabble in, Gary prefers betting on soccer, hockey, and football. He studied at various post-secondary institutions, including the University of Calgary, SAIT Polytechnic, and Griffith University, located in Brisbane, Australia. Gary has a marketing degree and completed his bachelor's degree in journalism at Griffith University. He feels strongly that life experience is as essential as post-secondary education, helping formulate more accurate predictions and analyses. Gary believes that competing at a high level of amateur sports during his formative years helped him better understand an athlete's psyche and the nuances and complexities of a team's dynamic, both on and off the playing surface. He feels that knowledge is immeasurably important when offering his analytical expertise. He has lived on five continents and currently resides in Canada.