Eight rounds of battles were fought by the teams to reach the UEFA Champions League play-offs. And finally, this stage begins on 17 February with four matches. Our focus is on Istanbul, Lisbon, Dortmund and Monaco. The TipsGG analytics team has prepared predictions for each of Tuesday’s matches along with their betting options.
Galatasaray vs Juventus
Galatasaray will play in the Champions League play-offs for the first time since 2014 and will host Juventus at Rams Park. The visitors arrive after a painful defeat in the Derby d’Italia. The clash in Istanbul promises to be extremely tense, as both teams have similar tournament statistics.
The Lions traditionally look significantly stronger at home. In the current Champions League campaign, Galatasaray collected 7 points out of 10 possible at home – two wins, one draw and one defeat. The support of the stands in Istanbul remains one of the key factors in Okan Buruk’s team’s success: intense pressing, aggressive wing play and high tempo from the first minutes create serious problems for opponents. At the same time, away from home the Turkish club looked much less convincing – only one win in three defeats, underscoring the team’s heavy dependence on the home factor.
In the Champions League, Juventus’ results largely mirror their opponents’: 8 points at home (two wins and two draws) and 5 away (one win, two draws and one defeat). Notably, all of the Turin side’s away matches were very tight and ended with minimal scorelines, indicating a pragmatic style in guest games.
Given Galatasaray’s stronger home record and Juventus’ cautious away model, it is hard to expect open football from the first minutes. The Turin side are unlikely to take big risks at any cost, while the hosts will try to use the crowd support to gain an advantage before the return leg. In such a scenario, a narrow Galatasaray win or a draw look like the most logical outcomes.
Prediction: Galatasaray to win by exactly 1 goal or draw (odds 2.10)
Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta
Both Borussia and Atalanta approach the first knockout play-off tie in good shape after strong domestic performances. Each side has successfully fulfilled their tasks. The 4:0 thrashing of Mainz undoubtedly gives Niko Kovač’s team a fighting boost – especially as it is their third consecutive win since the 0:2 Champions League defeat to Inter. However, it must be noted that the beaten teams were Mainz, Wolfsburg and Heidenheim – all from the lower half of the Bundesliga table.
Atalanta are somewhat similar in progression to Borussia. The Bergamaschi have settled very decently into the European qualification zone in Serie A and also reached the Coppa Italia semi-finals. In the Champions League, Atalanta could easily have avoided the play-offs, but unnecessary defeats to Athletic (2:3) and Union (0:1) let them down. Before the trip to Dortmund, Raffaele Palladino’s team confidently beat Lazio in Rome – 2:0. Seven wins in 11 matches in 2026 allow positive thoughts about the Nerazzurri.
In this case, it is hard to single out a clear favourite. Borussia have Signal Iduna Park, where the team plays with inspiration and can give the fans a show. But the recent meeting with Inter confirmed that playing against Italians remains difficult for them even on home soil. Atalanta, in turn, have won this season at stadiums where the atmosphere is close to what happens in Dortmund. I don’t think the visitors will look scared. We are in for an interesting – and possibly open – match where the hosts will play for the win, but Atalanta will not sit back in defence.
Match bet: Both Teams to Score + Total Over 2.5 (odds 1.94)
Benfica vs Real Madrid
Benfica’s stunning rescue in the final round of the Champions League league phase allowed the Eagles to cling on to progression. The Lisbon side approach the home tie against the Royal Club on a five-match unbeaten run, but a wave of injuries has left the team looking less solid than a month ago.
The Whites, under Álvaro Arbeloa, beat Real Sociedad (4:1) in the last Primera round and extended their winning streak to eight games in a row. Returning after a short rest to an already fiery attack is Kylian Mbappé – with him, Real will undoubtedly find it easier to tear apart opponents’ defences.
Stubborn Benfica, backed by a charged Estádio da Luz, will surely try to squeeze the maximum out of the first leg. However, even at home stopping Madrid will be extremely difficult: the visitors’ attack is in full order, even without Rodrygo.
Prediction: Real Madrid Individual Total Over 1.5 (odds 1.75)
Monaco vs PSG
The hosts approach the meeting with mixed form but maintain resilience in the Champions League and remain unbeaten at home, where they rely on discipline and a compact structure. Even with limited scoring output, Monaco are capable of holding the tempo and extracting the maximum from their compact model, while the recent win over Nantes and a successful head-to-head in Ligue 1 add confidence.
Luis Enrique’s team collected 14 points in the group stage and maintain a solid goal difference of 21:11, confirming their high attacking potential. In the final rounds of the tournament, the Parisians slowed their points accumulation, but overall they remain competitive and confident in away matches. Seven wins in their last ten Champions League away games highlight their ability to adapt to pressure. Even the 1:3 defeat to Rennes in Ligue 1 is viewed as an unfortunate episode against the backdrop of their overall quality and squad depth.
Considering the Parisians’ away resilience and experience in decisive stages, it is logical to expect a fairly high-scoring scenario with an advantage for the guests.
Match bet: PSG Individual Total Over 1.5 (odds 1.51)