Champions League Predictions > Oct 4th & 5th

[StevieDay1983]

Here are the odds for the next round of Champions League group stage games coming up in a couple of weeks. It's never too early to start the chat so give us any predictions or bets you have lined up for these games. 

[malabgd]

Bayern München vs Viktoria Plzen

2022-10-04T18:45+02:00

 

Bayern München

Doubtful: Coman (3/1 f, probably out)

Out (injuries/other): Müller (8/2 f), Kimmich (8/2 m)(both Covid-19), Hernández (4/0 d), Sarr (0/0 d)

Suspended:

 

Viktoria Plzen

Doubtful: Staněk (8/0 first goalkeeper, probably out)

Out (injuries/other): Sýkora (8/1 m), Kliment (3/2 f, 2nd top scorer)

Suspended: Bucha (9/1 m)

 

Daily updated injuries and suspensions information from more than 100 football leagues and competitions worldwide at: www.injuriesandsuspensions.com

 

 

Liverpool vs Rangers FC

2022-10-04T21:00+02:00

 

Liverpool

Doubtful: Konate (0/0 d), Ramsay (0/0 d)

Out (injuries/other): Robertson (6/0 d), Oxlade-Chamberlain (0/0 m), Jones (0/0 m), Keita (0/0 m)

Suspended:

 

Rangers FC

Doubtful:

Out (injuries/other): Lawrence (5/2 m), Souttar (1/0 d), Helander (0/0 d), Hagi (0/0 m)

Suspended: Sands (6/0 m)

[StefanBB]

Ajax vs Napoli

Ajax enters this game following a 1-1 Eredivisie tied result vs Go Ahead Eagles. Two winless rounds in Eredivisie saw them slipping to 2nd place, being one point behind AZ Alkmaar. They kicked off the Champions League campaign with a convincing 4-0 win over Rangers before losing to Liverpool 2-1 in the previous round. Three or more goals per game have been seen in 5 of the last six meetings where Ajax has participated. Their opponents scored 5 of them in this period while Ajax totted up 16. Dušan Tadić has been the main player of Ajax for years, he extended his contract, and the fans adore this guy. Mohamed Ihattaren (Fitness), Jorge Sánchez (Knee Problems), and Ahmetcan Kaplan (Partial damage to the cruciate ligament) are not available for Ajax boss Alfred Schreuder.

Napoli will come into the meeting after a 3-1 Serie A win with the downing of Torino in their most recent match. That triumph kept the visitors on the top of Serie A, while they also booked two wins in the Champions League group stage. A succession of outstanding showings from the SSC Napoli defenders has seen the number of goals they’ve conceded standing at four from their previous six fixtures combined. Over that same period, their forwards have scored 15. Due to a mostly available squad, there’s just a single fitness issue for the Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti to be concerned with. Victor Osimhen (Biceps femoris muscle injury) won’t be in action.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            

Ajax has been pretty confident on the home ground, but in-form Napoli is coming to town. It is going to be a tight clash, but we don’t think the visitors will lose this match.

Goals Market Prediction

Both teams have been very efficient this season, and they should keep up in the same fashion. Therefore, we won't see either side keeping a clean sheet on Tuesday evening. 

Napoli AH +0.5 @ 1.70

BTTS Yes @ 1.50

Correct score 1:1 @ 7.50

[StefanBB]

Inter vs Barcelona

Inter will want a better result here following a 1-2 Serie A defeat in their last game at the hands of Roma. It was their second straight loss and fourth in the previous six games in all competitions. Simone Inzaghi's Inter has hit the target seven times over their past six outings. Conversely, the number of goals that have been scored against them in those games amounts to 10. Nevertheless, Inter is still in the game for the top-two finish, but they need to improve their game as soon as possible. Alex Cordaz (Medial Collateral Ligament Injury), Dalbert (Cruciate Ligament Injury), Gabriel Brazão (Cruciate Ligament Rupture), Romelu Lukaku (Muscular problems), and Marcelo Brozovic (Hamstring Injury) won't be playing for Inter coach Simone Inzaghi.

Barcelona goes into this clash after a 1-0 La Liga win with the defeat of Mallorca in their most recent match. It was their second straight victory that saw them climb to the top of La Liga, having one game more than Real Madrid. A succession of outstanding displays from the Barcelona defensive players has seen their' goals against' tally amounting to 3 from their past six clashes combined. In that period of time, the number of goals that they have scored themselves amounts to 16. Barcelona manager Xavi Hernández has to choose from a squad that has some fitness concerns. Memphis Depay (Thigh Problems), Héctor Bellerín (Muscular problems), and Frenkie de Jong (Muscular problems) will not be playing here.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            

Barcelona is in a much better momentum than their rivals, and they should take advantage of that. Therefore, we believe the away side will return home with all three points from this clash.

Goals Market Prediction

Both teams have been good in front of the opponent’s net, and we expect them to continue in the same fashion. That’s why we think both sides will score in this encounter.  

Barcelona to Win @ 1.85

BTTS Yes @ 1.60

Correct score 1:2 @ 8.50

[StevieDay1983]

Eintracht Frankfurt vs Tottenham

The Champions League group stage action continues after the international break and it's German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt hosting Premier League club Tottenham in this Group D clash at 8pm BST on Tuesday night from the Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt. Both teams have won 1 and lost 1 in this group so far so the importance of a victory here can not be over-exaggerated.

Eintracht Frankfurt are currently participating in their first Champions League group stage competition and winning the 2021/22 Europa League last year. Head coach Oliver Glasner witnessed his team suffer a sorry start to their campaign with a 3-0 home loss against Sporting CP but they did bounce back with a narrow 1-0 win away to Marseille. The Eagles are enduring an inconsistent campaign on the domestic front with the club in 6th place in the Bundesliga after 8 league games but they have enjoyed back-to-back wins in the league with a 3-1 win away to Stuttgart followed up by a 2-0 victory at home to early pace setters Union Berlin. Those league wins mean it's now 3 victories in a row for Eintracht so they have every reason to feel confident coming into this one.

Tottenham will be a wounded animal heading into this game after the disappointing 3-1 loss away to Arsenal in the North London Derby on the weekend. Antonio Conte will be keen to hit back from that result but he'll also want to see his team react in this game after their 2-0 loss away to Sporting CP in their most recent Champions League encounter. That result nullified the 2-0 win earned at home against Marseille in their opening group stage and leaves Spurs in 2nd place but needing a result here to be avoid being up against it heading into the second half of the group phase. It's now 4 losses from the last 5 games that Tottenham have played in the Champions League and Conte himself has struggled in this competition with just 13 wins from his 38 games played in it so far as a manager.

This is a tough game to call. I really felt this season would be the one where Tottenham would storm it on all fronts. Inconsistency has blighted their Champions League campaign already. League results covered up average performances but that derby day loss has left fans now demanding more from Conte and his players. Going to Eintracht Frankfurt is not the away day you want if you're suffering from a lack of confidence. I think Tottenham could get something here. It won't be easy and it probably won't be pretty but I expect a big reaction from the weekend result. I would've preferred better odds though. 

Tottenham to Win @ 2.20 with SBK

Total Goals Scored Over 2.5 @ 1.83 with SBK

[StevieDay1983]

Liverpool vs Rangers

The second Champions League group stage game I'm going to preview from the Tuesday night matches is the 8pm BST Group A clash between Premier League club Liverpool and Scottish Premiership side Rangers at Anfield. It's a proper Battle of Britain as these two teams look to give their qualification hopes for the last 16 a boost by picking up a win in what is certain to be a highly-charged atmosphere.

Liverpool head into this game needing a win to silence the doomsayers that are already claiming Jurgen Klopp is suffering from his infamous "7th season syndrome" which he previously experienced at Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund. I mean, the Reds are still doing OK with the club in 9th place in the Premier League and sitting 2nd in their Champions League group. However, the team have now only won 2 of their 7 league games this season and have already suffered a humbling 4-1 loss away to Napoli in this competition but it was followed by a pleasing 2-1 win at home to Ajax. Liverpool have also won 13 of their last 15 home matches in this competition. You can also expect this to be an entertaining game because both teams have scored in 7 of their 9 competitive matches played this season. 

Rangers aren't the European giants they once were but Giovanni van Bronckhorst has done a sterling job getting back to the top table of European football. The Gers had to navigate their way past Belgian First Division A club Union Saint-Gilloise and Dutch Eredivisie side PSV in the qualifying rounds. Unfortunately, the Glaswegians have suffered back-to-back losses in this group so far with a 4-0 defeat away to Ajax followed up by a 3-0 defeat at home to Napoli. The team is currently in 2nd place on the domestic front and just 2 points behind league leaders and rivals Celtic. However, Rangers did suffer a 4-0 humiliation away to Celtic back in September. So it's hard to really judge van Bronckhorst's team against the elite sides given that on the few occasions they've played that level of team they've been battered. 

My gut instinct tells me this could be a difficult night for Rangers. For all the problems Liverpool are suffering this season they remain a dangerous side on the global stage and that is especially the case at Anfield. The England versus Scotland sub-plot might put a little bit more effort and passion behind Rangers but they've struggled to compete at this level so far and I can see that continuing here. Six of the last seven matches played at Anfield have seen both teams score but I'm not sure I can even see Rangers doing that.

Liverpool to Win to Nil @ 2.00 with BetVictor

Liverpool -2 @ 2.05 with Betfred

[ALEXXXXXXXX]

Benfica vs PSG

Both sides have good run recently, and show good attack, therefore, I predict a high-scoring clash here.

Over 3.25 @2.08

[StevieDay1983]

Chelsea vs AC Milan

The Champions League action goes on into Wednesday night with the first preview I'm doing covering the game between Premier League side Chelsea and Italian Serie A club AC Milan in an 8pm BST kick-off from Stamford Bridge. These two clubs have enjoyed a lot of success over recent years in this competition but both must dig deep to get out of Group E after inconsistent starts.

Chelsea took another step into the new Graham Potter era with a narrow 2-1 win away to Crystal Palace on the weekend but the team needed a 90th minute winner from Conor Gallagher to seal the 3 points. It was a victory that followed the 1-1 draw at home to RB Salzburg in this competition last week. The Blues currently sit bottom of this group but a win here would shoot them up the table into the top two spots. Defensive frailties still plague Chelsea with the team failing to keep a clean sheets in their last 8 matches. The continued absence of keeper Edouard Mendy isn't helping that situation. One anytime scorer shout is striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The former Arsenal and Barcelona front man started his professional career with AC Milan and after opening his account for his new club Chelsea on the weekend it would be quite poetic for him to score here.

AC Milan remain one of the biggest clubs in world football and their Serie A title win last season showed they are back to their best. Head coach Stefano Pioli has witnessed his team take 4 points from their opening two group games so far with a 1-1 draw away to RB Salzburg followed up by a convincing 3-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb. The team is doing OK on the domestic front too in 5th place in the top division of Italian football having lost just 1 of their opening 8 league games. AC Milan's matches this season have been packed with action and goals with both teams scoring in 8 of their competitive games this season. I Rossoneri have only won 1 of their last 6 away matches in European competition so they will come into this game knowing they need to break that hoodoo. Another cheeky anytime scorer suggestion is also former Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud who will face his former club here.

In years gone by, this game wouldn't have been a surprising semi-final or even final in this competition and even though the teams have had their less successful years to deal with they remain two big teams in this competition. A lot of pressure is on Chelsea here though who could be 5 points adrift of qualification with 3 games to play if they lose. AC Milan know a win will put them on the brink of qualifying for the last 16. I'm still not sure how long it will take for Chelsea to reach their best under Potter. I certainly think AC Milan could be worth backing to get at least a draw here in spite of their away day woes in Europe over recent seasons simply because Chelsea remain a transitional work-in-progress.

AC Milan Double Chance @ 2.25 with Unibet

BTTS @ 1.90 with Betfair

[StevieDay1983]

Manchester City vs FC Copenhagen

The second and final Champions League preview for this round of group stage will see Premier League reigning champions Manchester City aim to move to the brink of qualification for the last 16 against Danish Superliga team FC Copenhagen in an 8pm BST start at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday evening. It is still all to play for in Group G but things could be a lot clearer after this 90 minutes.

Manchester City have picked up two wins from their opening two group stage games in the Champions League so far with a resounding 4-0 win away to Sevilla and then a hard-fought 2-1 win at home to Borussia Dortmund. The stand out player has undoubtedly been Erling Haaland who continues to impress for the Citizens. The Norwegian has now scored 17 goals in all competitions this season for City on the weekend with another hat-trick. His winner against Dortmund last week also saw him reach 26 Champions League goals in a record low 21 Champions League matches. That means he's surpassed the likes of legendary strikers such as Filippo Inzaghi (30 matches), Ruud Van Nistelrooy (30 matches), Mario Gomez (39 matches) and Karim Benzema (41 matches) to reach 25 goals in the competition. Things could still improve though with City keeping clean sheets in just 2 of their 5 home matches across all competitions and they did concede 3 goals in their 6-3 Manchester derby win over Manchester United on the weekend. Maybe I am being picky though!

FC Copenhagen will be coming into this game with 34-year old head coach Jacob Neestrup. The young gaffer replaced the sacked Jess Thorup last month and faces a mountainous task if he wants to pull off one of the biggest shock results in Champions League history here. The Lions are struggling on the domestic front with the team down in 6th place but they have given themselves hope in the Champions League. A disappointing 3-0 loss away to Borussia Dortmund was followed up by a dogged 0-0 draw away to Sevilla. That result means they are not bottom of this group and remain in touch with the qualification places for the last 16 for the time being. It is 3 games in this competition without scoring though and they have failed to win any of their last 5 away games in all competitions. 

It's not hard to see which way this game is likely to go. Manchester City are the overwhelming favourites and rightly so. FC Copenhagen were the underdogs as it was but their recent managerial disruptions may well be for the best in the long term but periods of transition can be ruthlessly picked apart at the top table of European football. I can see a heavy win for City here as Pep Guardiola looks to book their place in the last 16 as soon as possible. FC Copenhagen will simply be looking to keep the score down.

Manchester City to Win to Nil @ 1.50 with Boylesports

Manchester City -3 @ 2.05 with Betfred

[StefanBB]

Sevilla vs Borussia Dortmund

Sevilla will be hoping for a better result following a 0-2 La Liga loss in their previous game against Atlético Madrid. The home side cannot be proud of its game this season since it celebrated just one win in all competitions. Moreover, Sevilla hasn't managed to score in the Champions League yet. Sevilla has really been misfiring in recent times. Their' goals for' figure stands at just four versus opponents over their last six outings. In those meetings, Sevilla has also seen the number of goals against them total 12. There aren't many selection issues, with just the sole fitness concern for the Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui to be concerned about due to a largely intact set of players. Tecatito (Fibula Fracture) is sidelined. Óliver Torres is ineligible for this match because of suspension.

Since a losing effort in their last game against Koln in Bundesliga action, Borussia Dortmund and their traveling fans will hope for a better result here. Despite having a halftime lead in that game, BVB lost the game and missed the chance to take over the Bundesliga top spot. Edin Terzić's Borussia Dortmund have seen their efforts on goal rewarded eight times throughout their most recent six matches. The aggregate of goals they conceded during the equivalent period equals 8. A positive result in this game could see Borussia Dortmund in a good position to secure a top-two finish.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            

Neither team has been consistent this season, and this match can easily go either way. Therefore, we wouldn’t be surprised if these two sides split points on Wednesday evening.

Goals Market Prediction

Although Sevilla struggles in front of the opponent’s net, Dortmund has many defensive issues. Their head-to-head clashes have been pretty entertaining lately, and we should see both teams scoring in this game.  

Draw @ 3.55

BTTS Yes @ 1.70

Correct score 1:1 @ 6.50

[StefanBB]

Chelsea vs Milan

Chelsea fans will want a repeat of their previous result, the 2-1 Premier League success against Crystal Palace. That win saw the Blues advancing to the 5th spot, being one point ahead of Manchester United. It has been seldom in recent games where Chelsea has managed to hold out for a full 90 minutes. The reality is that Chelsea has been scored against in 6 of their previous six matches, giving up seven goals on the way. They need to tighten up their backline to secure a positive result here and get closer to the top two places. The Chelsea boss Graham Potter has zero fitness concerns at all before this match with a completely injury-free squad ready to go.

Milan will come into the meeting following on from a 1-3 Serie A win with the defeat of Empoli in their previous outing. Despite their rivals equalizing in the stoppage time, Rossoneri managed to score a brace and secure all three points. Milan is now 4^th in Serie A, while they lead the standings in the Champions League Group E. Showing their partiality to productive encounters, we’ve had goals 21 times in the last six games in which Milan have sent out their troops, making it an average of 3.5 goals for each meeting. Their opponents have hit 8 of these goals. Another success could make Milan much closer to the knockout stage.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            

Chelsea hasn’t been impressive lately, and the Blues have been struggling in the past few games. On the other hand, Milan hasn’t lost on the road this season, and we think they will extend that run after this match.

Goals Market Prediction

Neither team managed to keep a clean sheet in Milan’s last six matches, while Chelsea has also been involved in many high-scoring games. Therefore, we think both teams will find the back of the opponent’s net on Wednesday evening.

Milan AH +0.5 @ 2.25

BTTS Yes @ 1.85

Correct score 2:2 @ 15.00