We were literally just one “Bruno Fernandes goal contribution + Man Utd win” away from landing those 54.49 odds. That club sef! Anyway, you can’t really say “football is back” until the Champions League returns, and with the competition kicking off this week, we can officially say football is FULLY back!
This week’s Champions League fixtures already have plenty in store for us. From the big clash between Real Madrid and Inter, to Liverpool hosting Atletico at Anfield, and a PSG side - the reigning back-to-back champions - desperately needing three points after making their worst league start of the QSI era. There’s a lot to unpack, so let’s get into the football predictions that could make you some bucks this midweek. And yes, I left out a Man Utd win this time. Lesson learned.
Our Picks:
Fixture | Tips | Bet |
Real Madrid vs. Inter | Early Goals Over 2.5 | |
Barcelona vs. Feyenoord | Early Goals Over 3.5 | |
Napoli vs. Arsenal | Kai Havertz Anytime Scorer | |
Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid | 1UP Liverpool | |
PSG vs. Slovan Bratislava | Over 2.5 Goals | |
Fenerbahce vs. AS Roma | Both Teams to Score | |
Bayern Munich vs. Bodø/Glimt | Both Teams To Score | |
Manchester United vs. Sabah | Both Teams To Score |
- Total Odds: 45.85
- Booking Code: FF18XV
Real Madrid vs. Inter
16 years after leading Inter to a historic treble, Jose Mourinho begins this season’s Champions League campaign hosting his former employees at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday, and there is plenty to like from a betting perspective.
Real Madrid will be looking to bounce back after a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Real Betis, but their overall form remains strong. Before that setback, Jose Mourinho’s side had won four straight, scoring 13 goals and conceding just three across those games. Their recent record also points towards goals, with four of their last five matches producing over 2.5 goals.
Inter arrives Madrid in arguably better spirits after a dramatic 3-2 comeback against Napoli. Lautaro Martinez scored twice, including the stoppage-time winner, while Marcus Thuram also found the net. The Nerazzurri have won their last four matches and scored eight goals across their previous five, while three of those games produced over 2.5 goals.
The head-to-head record, however, heavily favours Madrid. Los Blancos have won each of their last four meetings with Inter, including the last three without conceding, though those games were at least half a decade ago - the most recent was a 2-0 victory at the Bernabéu in December 2021. Overall, Real have scored 11 goals and conceded just two across those four Champions League meetings.
There is a potential twist, though. Real Madrid could be short-handed in midfield, with Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva suspended and Aurelien Tchouameni a doubt. Inter, meanwhile, have a near fully fit squad and will be buoyed by their comeback win over Napoli.
Still, Madrid’s home advantage, attacking firepower and dominant recent record against Inter make them difficult to oppose. With both sides carrying plenty of attacking quality, the Early Goals markets look very rewarding.
Betting Tips:
Barcelona vs. Feyenoord
Both sides picked up impressive away wins over the weekend and come into this clash full of confidence. That said, Barcelona should have far more belief than their opponents, especially when you consider the gulf in quality. The Catalans travelled to Valencia on Sunday afternoon and smashed them 5-0, keeping their place at the top of LaLiga table after Real Madrid’s defeat on Saturday. Lamine Yamal grabbed a brace, while Raphinha continued his incredible scoring run with his sixth league goal in just four games. The Brazilian forward has bounced back after a disappointing World Cup that saw him battle injuries and is now leading the race for the Pichichi.
The reigning Spanish champions have been in ruthless form in front of goal this season, scoring 17 times in four games at an average of 4.25 goals per match. Feyenoord, meanwhile, have scored 13 and conceded seven in five Eredivisie games, with their matches averaging four goals per game, including their 3-1 win at NEC last weekend. With goals likely to be on the cards again, a high-scoring Barcelona win looks hard to ignore here, and BetKing has the best odds for it.
Betting Tips:
Napoli vs. Arsenal
Arsenal head to Italy on Wednesday to face Napoli in their Champions League opener, with the Gunners arriving in much better shape. They topped last season’s Champions League table en route their run to the final, and I expect them to approach this game with that level of seriousness.
Napoli have endured a rough spell after starting the season with a 2-0 win at Genoa. Max Allegri’s side have since lost back-to-back games, including a 2-1 home defeat to Como and a dramatic 3-2 loss to Inter Milan, a game which they led 2-0. They have also kept just three clean sheets in their last 12 competitive matches, suggesting Arsenal could find joy in attack. Napoli will be without Scott McTominay, while Alessandro Buongiorno and Luca Marianucci remain sidelined.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are flying. The reigning Premier League champions have won all three league games so far, scoring six and conceding just once. They came from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1 at the weekend and have won three of their four European meetings with Napoli.
Kai Havertz could be worth watching in the false-nine role. He has already scored three goals in his four appearances this season, including against Chelsea, and would give the online betting community a 2.72x return on a betting stake if he keeps this streak alive.
With Napoli’s defensive struggles and Arsenal’s strong start, the Gunners look well placed to make a winning start to their European campaign as they aim to go a step further than they did last season.
Betting Tips:
Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid
Liverpool host Atletico Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday for their Champions League opener, with the Reds looking to build on their first win of the season.
Andoni Iraola’s side finally clicked at the weekend, beating Ipswich 2-0 as Alexander Isak scored twice inside the opening nine minutes, both goals assisted by Cody Gakpo. Isak’s form will be worth watching, especially with Liverpool expected to attack aggressively at home. They have also won their last three meetings with Atletico, including a 3-2 thriller at Anfield last season.
Atletico, meanwhile, had a reality check over the weekend as they suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to Athletic Club. It was their first loss of the season and their third consecutive game to produce over 2.5 goals. Simeone’s side had scored at least twice in their previous three matches, but their lack of a recognised striker could be a concern with Alexander Sorloth injured and Julian Alvarez still recovering from the emotional damage suffered during the transfer window.
Given both teams’ recent goal trends, over 2.5 goals looks like an appealing angle, with Liverpool’s home advantage making them likely to get a win. For this game though, we’ll play it safe and lean on the 1UP option.
Betting Tips:
PSG vs. Slovan Bratislava
The reigning back-to-back European champions come into this one in a bit of… well, I wouldn’t exactly call it a crisis. Luis Enrique just had his contract renewed at the club, a deal that now makes him the highest-paid Head Coach in the world. But you have to admit, their form is a little worrying.
Since beating Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup almost a month ago, PSG has lost the Trophée des Champions to Lens and picked up just two points from their opening three Ligue 1 games. They suffered another defeat on Friday, losing to Monaco at the Parc des Princes, and have now dropped to 13th in the table, seven points off the top. It’s their worst start in the QSI era, but there’s still a sense of calm around the club, with many believing it’s only a matter of time before they turn things around. And really, there’s no better time to start than against Slovan Bratislava.
The Slovakian champions started the season strongly, winning their opening four league games before back-to-back defeats saw them fall to fourth. In between those league matches, though, they’ve enjoyed an unbeaten cup run, including five wins and two draws in the Champions League qualifying rounds and an 8-0 win in the Slovak Cup just five days ago. Despite the shaky form on both sides, goals look like the one constant here.
Betting Tips:
Fenerbahce vs. AS Roma
This is one game that could lowkey be pretty entertaining to watch for different reasons. Fenerbahce haven’t exactly made the strong start they would have wanted in the Super Lig, winning two and losing two of their opening four games. But from a neutral’s point of view, those games have been a lot of fun, producing 14 goals in total - eight for and six against. With players like Mason Greenwood, Marco Asensio and Romelu Lukaku leading the attack, they have more than enough firepower to cause problems for just about anyone.
Things won’t be quite as straightforward against Roma, though. I Giallorossi have made a perfect start to their Serie A campaign, winning all three games, scoring 10 goals and conceding just once. Over the weekend, they looked destined for defeat with Atalanta leading the game with two minutes left. But quick goals from Mario Hermoso in the 89th minute and Matias Soule in the 93rd turned the game completely on its head. Roma finished with a jaw-dropping 35 shots, 11 of them on target, while dominating possession with 66%. The Italians are the slight favourites here, mainly thanks to their defensive solidity, but with both sides boasting serious attacking quality, the Goals market is also well worth considering.
Betting Tips:
Bayern Munich vs. Bodø/Glimt
Following their surprise draw away at Schalke over the weekend, Bayern Munich will be keen to get back to winning ways this midweek. They’ll need to be careful, though, as Bodø/Glimt have built quite the reputation for taking down bigger clubs. Last season, they famously beat Inter home and away to knock the Italian giants out of the tournament, and before that, they had also picked up wins over Man City and Atletico Madrid in the League Phase.
Bodø/Glimt is currently riding a seven-game winning streak across all competitions, with three of those victories coming in the Champions League qualifying rounds. Bayern, however, have plenty of firepower of their own, with Kane still carrying the kind of scoring form that made him so dangerous last season. That should make this a must-watch, with the game having all the makings of a routine win for the German giants and another memorable upset for the Norwegians.
Betting Tips:
Manchester United vs. Sabah Masazir
Manchester United will make their return to the Champions League this Thursday when they host debutants, Azerbaijan’s Sabah Masazir. The Red Devils haven’t exactly made the best start to the league season, losing their opener to newly promoted Hull City before bouncing back with a 5-2 win over Ipswich Town. They then threw away another two points in the 96th minute at Everton, leaving them 5 points off Man City and Arsenal. Even more worrying for Michael Carrick’s side is their defensive record, having conceded twice in each of their opening three games, a glaring weakness that will need fixing quickly. Against Sabah Masazir, anything less than a convincing win is unlikely to satisfy the fans, especially with the Manchester Derby waiting for them at the weekend.
This game also comes with an incredible storyline for Sabah Masazir boss Valdas Dambrauskas, the 49-year-old Lithuanian who appeared on the popular game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? back in 2002. He used his modest winnings of 4,000 litas (around £725) to move to England and chase his coaching dreams. That journey eventually took him to Manchester United Soccer Schools, where he worked with kids. He bounced around England before getting a big break and since then, he’s won 13 trophies across five countries. This Thursday, he gets to lead his team out at Old Trafford, the very place that helped shape his ambitions as a 25-year-old immigrant. I don’t know if that’s enough of a story to get a dream win to kickoff their Champions League trophy, but my bet of the day is that both teams will score.