RB Leipzig v Tottenham: Champions League betting preview, tip, analysis & TV

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for RB Leipzig v Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League last 16 second legs.

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 8pm Tuesday

Best bet

RB Leipzig -1 on Asian handicap
1pt 24-25 bet365
Back this tip with bet365

Team news

RB Leipzig
Willi Orban (knee) and Ibrahima Konate (muscle injury) are out long-term and Ethan Ampadu (back) has not played since the first leg.

Tottenham Hotspur
Steven Bergwijn, Juan Foyth and Ben Davies have joined Moussa Sissoko (knee), Harry Kane (hamstring) and Heung-Min Son (arm) on the sidelines but Hugo Lloris (groin) returned at the weekend.

Match preview

Tottenham pulled off two great escapes on their run to last season's Champions League final, coming from behind to eliminate Manchester City and Ajax, but they are unlikely to dig themselves out of a hole against Bundesliga highflyers Leipzig.

When the draw for the round of 16 was made it was received positively by Spurs, who were 4-5 favourites to reach the last eight.

But Tottenham's winter of discontent – featuring injuries to key players Moussa Sissoko, Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son and the departures of Danny Rose and Christian Eriksen – handed the initiative to Leipzig, who cruised to a comfortable 1-0 victory in last's month's first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Jose Mourinho's side struggled to create clear chances and could be equally toothless in the return because they appear no nearer to working out an effective way of playing without Son or Kane.

The limitations of Tottenham's injury-hit squad are making life difficult for Mourinho, who took his frustrations out on under-performing midfielder Tanguy Ndombele after Saturday's 1-1 draw at Burnley.

Mourinho's brutally honest criticism of Ndombele would have been echoed by many Spurs fans frustrated with their record signing's apparent lack of fitness and appetite for English football.

But the public dressing-down of Ndombele is a high-risk strategy which could further alienate the player.

Nonetheless, it was hard to argue with the gist of Mourinho's comments and his assertion that the team's welfare must come before the needs of individual players.

He needs 11 committed players against Leipzig at the Red Bull Arena and even that might not be enough to avoid a chastening defeat.

At some point Spurs will have to take a few risks and that could be dangerous against Julian Nagelsmann's free-flowing side, who are giving Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund a run for their money in the Bundesliga title race.

Their top scorer, 21-goal striker Timo Werner, is second to Robert Lewandowski in the Bundesliga scoring charts and has netted four times in the Champions League.

Spurs also have to keep a close eye on classy Austrian midfielder Marcel Sabitzer and pacy winger Christopher Nkunku, who has supplied 12 assists.

Leipzig have looked increasingly at ease in their second Champions League campaign. They finished top of Group G and are good enough to threaten the tournament's big guns.

Spurs know they came through a similar test in last season's semi-finals when they overturned a 1-0 first-leg loss to Ajax.

But three of the starting side in Amsterdam – Kieran Trippier, Rose and Eriksen – are playing for other clubs and Sissoko and Son are injured.

A major rebuild is required this summer and the scale of it could be increased by a heavy defeat in Germany.

Key stat

Tottenham have kept two clean sheets in their last 20 matches.

If you are concerned about your gambling and are worried you may have a problem, click here to find advice on how you can receive help

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport