Content Editor at Free Super Tips, Alex was born in the shadow of Old Trafford and is an avid Man Utd fan. After graduating from university he combined his love of football, writing and betting to join FST and now closely follows goings-on in all of the top European leagues.
In The Mixer is FST’s weekly column where we catch up with our team of experts in football betting and get their opinions on the hot topic of the week.
The Champions League returns for the knockout stages next week and this week our panel of experts turn their attention to the Golden Boot race, with a familiar name cropping up more than a few times.
It’s been a long time since we saw any Champions League action, so I’ll forgive you if you’ve forgotten the state of affairs. As a quick reminder, here are the current leaders in the Golden Boot race:
Champions League 2022/23 top scorers
- Kylian Mbappe – 7
- Mohamed Salah – 7
- Erling Haaland – 5
- Mehdi Taremi – 5
- Robert Lewandowski – 5
Haaland to live up to favourite tag
Alex Wrigley
Sports editor at Free Super Tips
Erling Haaland may be lagging behind Kylian Mbappe and Mohamed Salah but the Norwegian has every chance of making up that ground.
The 22-year-old is rewriting the record books in the Premier League and has five goals in four Champions League appearances, too, taking his tally to 28 goals in just 23 appearances in the competition. Meanwhile, PSG face a tough Round of 16 tie with Bayern Munich, the first leg of which will have to be navigated without the injured Mbappe, and Liverpool are dreadfully out of form, opening the door for Haaland to catch his rivals.
Joe Casey
Sports journalist at Racing Post
Erling Haaland is en route to destroying the Premier League goalscoring records and it is not hard to make the case for him to be the Golden Boot winner in the Champions League this season.
The Norwegian already has five goals, two off the pace set by Mo Salah and Kylian Mbappe, but Liverpool and Paris St-Germain’s round-of-16 games against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich respectively are much tougher than Manchester City’s against RB Leipzig.
Haaland also has his joint-best goalscoring record over another team against Leipzig, netting six times in four meetings with the German side.
The Citizens’ striker has 28 goals in 23 Champions League matches and the 15-8 about him being top scorer this season appeals.
Ian Wilkerson
Sports journalist at Racing Post
I would be surprised if this wasn’t another individual prize that Erling Haland captured this season and he is more than capable of catching both Kylian Mbappe and Mo Salah, who are two goals in front of him.
The problem for the leaders is that they face difficult games in the last 16, so it is more a lack of faith in their teams being able to progress rather than a reflection on their individual talents.
Paris Saint-Germain have already lost twice in Ligue 1 since the turn of the year and are far from guaranteed to see off Bundesliga leaders Bayern MUnich, while a two-legged clash against Real Madrid looks daunting for Liverpool, who have been poor in the Premier League this term.
Manchester City will not be disappointed to face RB Leipzig and while they will want to overhaul Arsenal in the Premier League race, this is still the trophy they want to win more than any other, so expect them to move through the gears, with Haaland a central figure in that.
Eachway outsiders offer value
Liam Flin
Sports journalist at Racing Post
As the pacesetter in the Premier League Golden Boot race, Erling Haaland is the obvious choice and most likely to scoop the award with Manchester City’s prime target being Champions League glory.
That said, I think Vinicius Junior could represent a bit of each-way value.
The Brazilian is a starter in a Real Madrid team who won the Champions League last season and should be fancied to overcome Liverpool in the last 16.
He is on four goals as it stands, only three adrift of leaders Kylian Mbappe and Mo Salah, and managed 22 goals in all competitions last campaign.
James Milton
Sports journalist at Racing Post
Kylian Mbappe is out of PSG’s last-16 first leg against Bayern Munich and Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool are in dismal form for their clash with holders Real Madrid so the Golden Boot race has opened up nicely for Erling Haaland.
However, a small each-way bet on his Manchester City teammate Riyad Mahrez is worth considering at 100-1. The Algerian scored twice in the group stage so has ground to make up but he notched seven goals in last season’s Champions League and has been in fine form domestically, finding the net six times since the World Cup – against Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham.
Mbappe’s injury is a boost for Bayern and their striker Eric Choupo-Moting is another lively outsider, scoring group-stage goals against Barcelona, Inter and Viktoria Plzen during an impressive campaign.
Tom McGarry
Sports journalist at ICS
Kylian Mbappe and Mohamed Salah currently lead the way at the top of the Champions League scoring charts, but with the former having been ruled out of the first leg of PSG’s last 16 tie with Bayern Munich and the latter struggling for form, that could open the door for someone else to emerge from the pack.
Manchester City star Erling Haaland is the obvious candidate, but perhaps a value each-way bet could come from another member of Pep Guardiola’s squad, with Julian Alvarez appearing a prime candidate.
Alvarez looks set to be a more regular feature for City over the second-half of the season and, with an inviting last 16 tie to come against RB Leipzig, the Argentine ace could considerably add to the two goals he has already scored in this season’s Champions League.
Rob Eddy
Sports editor at ICS
I can understand the reasoning behind Erling Haaland’s favouritism in this market and may be made to look foolish, but I am not convinced that Man City are in the best nick right now, and two goals may still be a lot to make up.
I can’t really take Mohamed Salah’s chances seriously, given Liverpool’s current form also, but the same could be said of Real Madrid and I wouldn’t rule out the chance of the Reds at least progressing.
Still, Kylian Mbappe is my man – despite PSG drawing Bayern Munich in the last-16 and him being absent for the first leg. Mbappe has scored 28 goals in 32 appearances this season, bagged a hat-trick in a World Cup final in which his side was played off the park, and with the talent alongside him, he can add to his seven goals at a tempting 10/3.
Aaron Rogan
Sports journalist at Free Super Tips
After his incredible showing in Qatar, Lionel Messi looks like brilliant value to be the Champions League’s top scorer this term. The Argentine is holding down the fort himself in Paris right now, scoring in three of the five games he’s appeared in since claiming the World Cup golden boot.
He may trail teammate Kylian Mbappe by three goals but four strikes in five group stage appearances is a great record. He has a chance to catch up in the last 16 clash with Bayern Munich, where Messi will likely be PSG’s best weapon.
Even without Mbappe in the next round I like the French champions’ chances of going far in this competition. With Messi just 11 goals shy of becoming the competition’s all-time top scorer and given that his side look distinctly less erratic this term, the Argentine is my pick at 25/1.
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