Champions League Week 1 Predictions & Tips - Sept 8-9th
Champions League preview featuring short previews, betting tips and our best selections from Wednesday and Thursday's opening league-phase fixtures.
Barcelona vs Feyenoord
Barcelona begin their Champions League campaign against Feyenoord at Camp Nou on Wednesday.
The Catalans have made a perfect start to the season, winning their first four games, with Sunday's emphatic 5-0 victory against Valencia their most impressive performance so far.
While big underdogs, Feyenoord should offer some counter-attacking threat. The Dutch side arrive in Catalonia on a 19-match unbeaten run in all competitions and have won each of their last six away fixtures.
High-scoring outcomes have been a recurring theme for La Blaugrana. At least five goals were scored in three of their previous four competitive fixtures, while the Catalans found the net 17 times across their opening four games.
I have my stake on a high-scoring home win.
Prediction: 4-1
Best Bet - Barcelona Win/Over 3.5 Goals
Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid
Wednesday's standout fixture sees Liverpool welcome Atletico Madrid to Anfield.
Liverpool have made an inconsistent start to the season under new boss Andoni Iraola. After back-to-back 2-2 draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, Iraola’s Reds claimed a much-needed 2-0 win at Ipswich last Friday.
Atletico have also struggled for consistency. Diego Simeone's side secured seven points from their opening four La Liga fixtures, but Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao exposed familiar problems on the road.
Both teams scored in eight of Liverpool's last nine competitive games before the clean-sheet win against Ipswich. Atletico have enough attacking quality to make this a competitive contest, but seem likely to come unstuck under the bright lights at Anfield.
Liverpool won each of their previous three encounters with Atletico, including a dramatic 3-2 victory at this stage of last season’s Champions League.
I fancy another high-scoring outcome on Wednesday, with the Reds likely to edge an entertaining matchup at Anfield. Two of the last three meetings finished 3-2 to Liverpool, and a repeat result offers a big-priced correct-score selection.
Prediction: 3-2
Best Bet - BTTS/Over 2.5 Goals
Sporting Lisbon vs Galatasaray
Sporting Lisbon host Galatasaray at Estadio Jose Alvalade in another attractive Wednesday fixture.
Sporting have started the season in fine form, with four wins and one draw, scoring 14 goals and conceding five. The Portuguese side have also won their last five home matches in all competitions.
Galatasaray recovered from an opening day Superliga draw by winning three successive league games, scoring 12 goals across their first four domestic fixtures. Seven of their last eight matches finished with over 2.5 goals, and a similar outcome is expected this week.
Sporting should make home advantage count, but the Turks should bring up the BTTS/Over 2.5 goals selection.
Prediction: 2-1
Best Bet - BTTS/Over 2.5 Goals
Como vs RB Leipzig
Como welcome RB Leipzig to Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Thursday in their first-ever appearance in European competition.
The unbeaten hosts have collected seven points from their opening three Serie A fixtures and will be confident against an RB side with some injury worries ahead of their trip to Italy.
Como produced their best performance of the season in Friday's emphatic 4-1 win at Genoa. The hosts have now won six of their last eight competitive fixtures, with three of their previous four seeing at least three goals scored.
RB Leipzig arrive in Italy after a disappointing 3-1 defeat at Werder Bremen. Inconsistency remains a concern for the visitors, who won six and lost six of their previous 12 matches.
Only two of those contests finished with fewer than three goals, while Leipzig saw BTTS in seven of their last eight competitive fixtures.
In what is likely to be an open contest, I fancy the hosts to score a first-ever European win with at least three goals scored.
Prediction: 2-1
Best Bet - Como to win/ Over 2.5 Goals
Best of the Rest
One of two early kick-offs on Wednesday sees Stuttgart host Norwegian debutants Viking.
Ten of Stuttgart's last 11 competitive matches finished with at least three goals scored, while six of their previous seven saw four or more.
Viking scored five goals in their Champions League play-off tie with Dinamo Zagreb but have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last seven.
A high-scoring home win looks likely in Germany.
One of the standout fixtures of the week takes place in Naples as Napoli take on Premier League champions Arsenal.
The Gunners impressed in their weekend win against Chelsea while Napoli come into this contest after throwing away a two-goal lead against Inter.
With the Londoners at peak confidence, an away win looks to be on the cards.
In Paris, reigning champions PSG should prove too strong for Slovak visitors Slovan Bratislava.
Luis Enrique's men have endured a poor start to the season and remain winless in four matches following a surprise 2-1 home defeat against Monaco.
PSG will surely return to winning ways, but BTTS offers more value than backing the short-priced hosts. The Parisians failed to keep a clean sheet in their last nine matches, while Slovan scored 12 goals in their five most recent fixtures.
Thursday’s action kicks off with a tasty contest in Istanbul as Fenerbahce take on Roma. The Italians extended their perfect start to the season with a dramatic 2-1 victory against Atalanta last weekend, and look strong enough to at least avoid defeat in a typically hostile atmosphere.
PSV Eindhoven welcome Shakhtar Donetsk to Philips Stadion in Thursday’s other early kick-off. The Dutch champions scored 18 goals across their opening five league matches, but are still searching for their first clean sheet of the season.
Shakhtar won four of their first five league fixtures and should prove tricky opposition for the Eredivisie hosts. With both teams offering greater quality in attack than defence, BTTS and over 2.5 goals is the preferred selection.
In Germany, Bayern Munich should return to winning ways against Bodo/Glimt after being held to a goalless draw by Schalke. That result ended a remarkable run of 59 consecutive matches in which the Bavarian giants had scored.
Bayern bagged five in a routine victory against Stuttgart in their first home fixture of the season, and another high-scoring success is expected at Allianz Arena.
Bodo/Glimt have enough European experience and attacking quality to test Bayern’s high defensive line, but they are unlikely to contain the hosts. Bayern to win and over 3.5 goals is the preferred selection.
Elsewhere, Manchester United are very short to beat competition newcomers Sabah at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils have gone seven matches without a clean sheet, while Sabah won six of eight qualifiers and scored 14 times across their last five games. BTTS again offers plenty of value.
Finally, Slavia Prague entertain Lens in what could prove the tightest contest of the two nights.
With little to separate the sides on paper, a low-scoring draw looks the most likely outcome in Czechia.