This week’s Champions League fixtures will see teams who suffered surprise losses, such as Real Madrid against Shakhtar, try to make up the ground, while others such as both Manchester clubs United and City will be trying to strengthen their stranglehold on their respective groups.
Let’s take a look at a couple of the sportsbetting highlights of this midweek’s Champions League fixtures.
Juventus vs. Barcelona (Wednesday, 8pm GMT kick-off)
Five years ago, Juventus and Barcelona competed in the Champions League final. This season, it would be a surprise of sorts if either team made the showpiece finale of the tournament.
Here’s what happened when the ‘Old Lady’ met the Catalans half a decade ago.
With no Cristiano Ronaldo – the Portuguese player still out after a positive Coronavirus test – we don’t get to witness Messi take on his old foe one more time, but the Serie A side could still be a huge threat to a side who look weak at the back and conceded three at home to Real Madrid in El Clasico at the weekend. If players such as Paulo Dybala and Alvaro Morata are on form, Ronald Koeman’s woes may worsen as his former glorious side look to salvage their Champions League campaign as well as their La Liga title tilt under immense pressure from their fans.
Our tips: Juventus to win (7/4) & Juventus to be winning at half-time and full-time (7/2)
Manchester United vs. RB Leipzig (Wednesday, 8pm GMT kick-off)
While the Red Devils have been in poor form at home so far this season, losing to both Crystal Palace and Spurs at Old Trafford, as well as a stalemate when hosting Chelsea on Saturday evening, they have sparkled away from home.
As well as a thrilling 3-2 victory at Brighton and a 4-1 thrashing of Newcastle at St. James’ Park, United beat Paris St. Germain on their own ground again last week after having dumped the out of the competition two years earlier.
Leipzig, however, could prove a very difficult proposition to the Old Trafford side and should be backed to at least take the lead against the three-time European Cup winners.
Our tip: RB Leipzig half-time / draw full-time (15/1) & Marcel Sabitzer to score at anytime (9/2)
Other Bets
Shakhtar Donetsk shouldn’t be as long as 10/3 to beat Inter Milan given their impressive victory at the Bernabeu last week, while we can see Atalanta (3/4) doing some real damage to Ajax’s chances of progressing to the knockout stage after their defeat last time out to Liverpool.
Manchester City are 9/5 to win in Marseille with both sides scoring, while we like the look of FK Krasnodar to shock Chelsea and win in Russia with the odds of 12/1 frankly insulting to the hosts.
Gameweek #2 Fixtures:
Tuesday 27th October
Lokomotiv Moscow vs. Bayern (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Inter Milan (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
Atalanta vs. Ajax (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
Atlético Madrid vs. Red Bull Salzburg (8pm GMT kick-off)
Liverpool vs. FC Midtjylland (8pm GMT kick-off)
Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Real Madrid (8pm GMT kick-off)
Marseille vs. Man City (8pm GMT kick-off)
Porto vs. Olympiacos (8pm GMT kick-off)
Wednesday 28th October
Istanbul Basaksehir vs. Paris St. Germain (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
Krasnodar vs. Chelsea (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
Club Brugge vs. Lazio (8pm GMT kick-off)
Borussia Dortmund vs. Zenit St. Petersburg (8pm GMT kick-off)
Ferencvaros vs. Dynamo Kyiv (8pm GMT kick-off)
Juventus vs. Barcelona (8pm GMT kick-off)
Manchester United vs. RB Leipzig (8pm GMT kick-off)
Sevilla vs. Rennes (8pm GMT kick-off)
