Real Madrid VS Apoel Nicosia Match Prediction

Real Madrid beat APOEL home and away when they last met in the Champions League, after the Cypriot team's surprise run to the quarter-finals in 2012. Madrid won 5-2 at home after a 3-0 away win.

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Real Madrid vs APOEL Nicosia Match Tips

Real Madrid are huge favourites for Wednesday's game, and it is easy to see why. The European champions will expect nothing less than a big home win.

They have failed to win their last two league matches, but with Cristiano Ronaldo available again the hosts - even with Karim Benzema out - will receive a significant boost to their firepower up front.

Ronaldo has more Champions League goals than anyone else, and this is his chance to add to that record and prove a point following his domestic ban for pushing a referee.

The Portuguese superstar's protestations have, righly, fallen on deaf ears but he can put things right on the pitch against the Cypriot minnow.

They last met in the Champions League quarter-finals, but few would expect APOEL to reach those heights again - especially not in a group with the European champions.

Real Madrid should win, and win comfortably. Any other result would be a huge shock.

Real Madrid vs APOEL Nicosia Recommended bets with odds

The best price to be found on a Real Madrid win is 1/16 with Ladbrokes, and even a win to nil will only return 4/7 with Ladbrokes.

Better value comes from betting on individual players, and Cristiano Ronaldo is 15/13 with Ladbrokes to score two or more goals, while Marco Asensio is evens with the same bookmakers to score at any time.

You can bet against both teams to score at 8/13 with Betfair, while Real Madrid are 1/3 with Ladbrokes to be leading at half-time and full-time - a sure sign of the dominance expected from Wednesday's game.

Real Madrid vs APOEL Nicosia Prediction

Real Madrid may have faltered in their last two league games, but they should bounce back to winning ways comfortably.

Correct Score Prediction: Real Madrid 4-0 APOEL

Team News

Karim Benzema misses out with a hamstring injury, but Cristiano Ronaldo is available as his extended ban only applies to Spanish domestic matches. Gareth Bale is likely to return in place of Lucas Vazquez, in a front three with Ronaldo and Marco Asensio.

Key Players

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 105 goals in 140 Champions League matches - more than any other player in the competition's history.

Team Form

Real Madrid started the season by beating Manchester United in the European Super Cup and the Barcelona home and away in the Spanish Super Cup. They are unbeaten in La Liga, but have drawn their two most recent games against Valencia and Levante, having won on the opening day at Deportivo.

Real Madrid Predicted Starting Line-up

Expected Line-up: 4-3-3

Team News

Georgios Efrem is APOEL's only injury concern, with the remainder of the team likely to be similar to that which saw off Slavia Prague in the play-off round.

Key Players

Igor de Camargo has scored five times this season in seven games - no other APOEL player has more than one.

Team Form

APOEL came right through the Champions League qualifiers, having started their campaign in the middle of July. They beat Slavia Prague to reach the group stages after a 2-0 home win and goalless draw away, but they lost the Cypriot Super Cup 2-1 to Apollon. Their first league game of the new season, on Saturday, ended in a 4-1 win away to Nea Salamis.

APOEL Nicosia Predicted Starting Line-up

Expected Line-up: 4-4-2

While they have dropped points in their last two league games, Real Madrid will expect nothing less than a convincing win against APOEL on Wednesday, as they look to make the strongest possible start to the defence of their Champions League title.

Real Madrid are unbeaten in their last 15 home games in the UEFA Champions League, and have lost just one of their last 38 home games in the competition.