Looking At The Betting Scene – Champions League Week 3 Preview

After a three week hiatus, Europe’s premier club tournament is back and better than ever. This week of the champions league features an array of stellar matchups as Manchester United battles Juventus at Old Trafford, and PSG and Napoli fight to get out of the group of death.

But today, I’ll be looking at more than just the big-name matchups, previewing and predicting all 16 games and giving you my favorite picks of the week. Without wasting any more time, let’s get started!

Money Matchups

Ajax vs Benfica

 

Preview

Ajax looked surprisingly strong in their last Champions League match against Bayern, holding the Germans to a 1-1 draw in Munich. They were solid on defense, and while they certainly held a minority of the possession, Ajax was able to create chances and develop in the final third.

While Benfica fell to Bayern, the Portuguese club was able to rebound last week against AEK Athens, pulling out a close 3-2 win away in Greece. While they’ll be without Ruben Dias for this one, they haven’t seemed to struggle, and they’re still top of the league in Portugal.

This is a bit of a strange match. Both teams aren’t from the typical European powerhouse leagues, but they’re certainly threats to make it out of the group. Ajax has been the more impressive side as of late, and their fast-paced attack has been hard to stop, but I think Benfica’s more experienced lineup could get the better of the Dutch.

With great odds for Benfica, the Portuguese side is a great option for this week’s betting.

Prediction: Ajax 1-2 Benfica

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Manchester United vs Juventus

 

Preview

Simply put, United has been dreadful to start off the season. After nine games in the Premier League, the Red Devils are tenth in England, and they’ve yet to show any true signs of encouragement, hugely struggling against Valencia in their last Champions League encounter.

Juventus, as usual, has been dominant in the Serie A. They might have dropped two points against Genoa in their last fixture, but the Bianconeri have been their usual selves, and star striker Cristiano Ronaldo is only just starting to find his form.

While United has the crowd on their side, Juventus is simply the better team. We saw an Italy vs England blockbuster last week between Liverpool and Napoli, but this one should be a little bit more clear cut. Juventus has a stellar defense manned by Italy’s finest, and unless United can figure out how to solve their woes, La Vecchia Signora will take this one quite comfortably.

Prediction: Manchester United 0-2 Juventus

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Barcelona vs Inter

 

Preview

Barcelona are once again at the top of La Liga, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down, defeating some quality opponents in PSV and Tottenham to start off their Champions League campaign. They won their last fixture against Sevilla, but it came at a cost as Lionel Messi was forced off the pitch with a fracture in his right arm.

Inter are fresh off a win in the Derby della Madonnina thanks to a late Icardi header. The Nerazzurri have gotten back on track after a shaky start, and they always seem to perform under the spotlight, becoming known for their late winners and climactic finishes.

Barcelona are still the favorites for this game, but it’ll be interesting to see how the Blaugranes adjust to the loss of Leo. Inter are not an easy opponent, and if Barca slip up just a little bit, the Nerazzurri will be ready to punish them. With odds promising over a six to one return for an Inter win, I think the Italian side could present some interesting upside.

Prediction: Barcelona 1-1 Inter

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Paris Saint-Germain vs Napoli

 

Preview

PSG dropped their first Champions League match against Liverpool, but ever since, the Parisians have been perfect, winning all 10 of their matches in the Ligue 1. As always, their attack is lethal, headed by the youngster Mbappe, and there doesn’t seem to be an answer to stop them.

Napoli have quietly had a great start to their campaign. They lost a shocker to Sampdoria, and their only other loss came to Juventus. Their attacking trio is among the best in the world, and Koulibaly mans the defense for the Partenopei.

Personally, I think the odds are a bit insulting to a team of Napoli’s caliber. While PSG is certainly a great team, and they’ll be tough to beat in Paris, Napoli are no slackers themselves, and they have all the weapons to pull off the upset. With such great odds, this is a no-brainer, and it’s my favorite bet of the week.

Prediction: PSG 1-2 Napoli

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Rapid-Fire Round

If you didn’t see the matchup you’re interested in above, I’ve listed the remaining matchups below along with my personal picks. There are certainly some good opportunities here as well, so if you do some research, you’ll be able to find value.

 

AEK Athens vs Bayern Munich

 

 

Club Brugge vs Monaco

 

 

Young Boys vs Valencia

 

 

Hoffenheim vs Lyon

 

 

Real Madrid vs Viktoria Plzen

 

 

Roma vs CSKA Moscow

 

 

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Manchester City

 

 

PSV Eindhoven vs Tottenham

 

 

Borussia Dortmund vs Atletico Madrid

 

 

Galatasaray vs Schalke 04

 

 

Liverpool vs Red Star Belgrade

 

 

Lokomotiv Moscow vs Porto

 

 

Extras – Other Opportunities Around The Tournament

Red Star Struggles – How Bad Will It Be This Time?

• Odds – Liverpool -3 (2.2)
• Liverpool -4 (3.75)

Red Star Belgrade suffered a humiliating loss at the hands of PSG last week, and their schedule gets no easier this week as they face off against England’s premier team, Liverpool. The Reds aren’t especially known for beating down on weaker opponents, and they prefer to rely on closer wins to get by, but after a poor result against Napoli, they’ll be looking to score as much as they can.

The two teams are by no means of the same caliber, and there’s no doubt that this is the most lopsided matchup of the week. If Salah, Mane, and Sturridge can get going, this one could get ugly very quickly. Look for Liverpool to get off to a fast start and hand Red Star Belgrade another embarrassing defeat.

Deadly Dzeko – Can Roma’s Star Strike Again?

• Odds – 1 Goal (1.92)
• 2 Goals (3.8)
• Hat-Trick (10)

Dzeko has been lethal so far in the Champions League, and in 180 minutes of play, the Bosnian has already scored three goals, a hat-trick against Viktoria Plzen. The Giallorossi face a slightly stronger defense against CSKA Moscow, but Dzeko has proven himself time and time again, and the veteran is quite experienced in the higher tiers of European football.

Dzeko may never have the 37 goal season he had in 2015-2016, but he is still a formidable striker, and his accuracy and calm head in front of goal make him Roma’s deadliest weapon. Roma’s midfield is starting to come together, and if they can get the ball to Dzeko, he’ll surely make the most of his chances.

Juventus and United – A Battle of Defense

• Odds (O/U) – Under 2.5 Goals (1.7)
• Under 1.5 Goals (3.25)

While United vs Juventus is set to be one of the more high-powered matchups of the week, it might also be a low-scoring affair. As of yet, neither side has conceded a goal in the Champions League, and while that is almost certain to change this week, we could see a more defensive-oriented mindset when the two teams face off.

Lindelof and Smalling have become quite the pairing, an imposing force commanding the defense, and Juventus’ legendary Italian backline is still dominating, inviting any unfortunate challengers to try and get past them. I think we’ll certainly see some goals between the two sides, but the game might be a test of patience at the end.