UEFA Champions League Returns With Matchday 3 This Week

After a little break ostensibly for the international fixtures, the UEFA Champions League is back this week with Matchday 3, the first of a double header of fixtures between two teams in the group who play each other home and away back-to-back.

It is also the midway point of the Champions League, after which you have a much clearer idea of how many of the groups are going to go. For some teams, the thought will be about securing qualification in top spot quickly.

For others it will require a concerted effort over the remaining games on Matchdays 4, 5 and 6 to give themselves any chance of making it through the group at all.

Betting on these games is always hugely popular, so we have decided to preview all 16 games in the context of each group. As always odds are provided by bet365 Sport and were correct at the time of writing, although may change in the meantime.

Remember too, if you are located in one of the increasing number of US States that permits sports betting then BetRivers Sportsbook is an excellent choice for all your soccer betting.

Let’s get cracking with the games taking place Tuesday Night in Groups A to D, followed by Wednesday Nights action in Groups E to H.

Champions League Fixtures – Matchday 3

The tables below are after two games each, with points (goal difference) shown. Kick off times are 8pm unless otherwise stated.

Tuesday 19^th October

Group A

1. Paris St Germain – 4 (+2)
2. Club Brugge – 4 (+1)
3. Manchester City – 3 (+1)
4. Red Bull Leipzig – 0 (-4)

Matchday 3 Fixtures

• Club Brugge v Manchester City (5.45pm)
• Paris St Germain v Red Bull Leipzig

This is the set of fixtures where I think we will see Manchester City and PSG take a firm hold of this group. I can see PSG picking up at least four, if not six points from their two games against Red Bull Leipzig, while I expect Manchester City to pick up the full six from their two games with Club Brugge.

City are 2/7 for the win in Belgium with Paris an equally short 8/15, so there isn’t a huge amount of money to be made backing both for the win, so a better option may be an anytime goalscorer bet with Raheem Sterling at 6/4 being my pick here.

Group B

1. Liverpool – 6 (+5)
2. Atletico Madrid – 4 (+1)
3. FC Porto – 1 (-4)
4. AC Milan – 0 (-2)

Matchday 3 Fixtures

• Atletico Madrid v Liverpool
• FC Porto v AC Milan

Group B always looked like a tough group so Liverpool’s good start is great news for Reds fans, but they do face their toughest test in the group here away at Atletico and I think the Spanish side, who have won three of the last four between the two, may just frustrate the Reds here and pinch a goal to land a 1-0 win.  That correct score bet is 17/2 with bet365.

In the other game in Group B, it is an opportunity for Porto or Milan to.get back in this group with a win and while I think the Italians are just the better team, I think with home advantage, Porto will hang on for the draw, which is a 12/5 shot with bet365.

Group C

1. Ajax Amsterdam – 6 (+5)
2. Borussia Dortmund – 6 (+2)
3. Besiktas – 0 (-3)
4. Sporting Lisbon – 0 (-5)

Matchday 3 Fixtures

• Ajax Amsterdam v Borussia Dortmund
• Besiktas v Sporting Lisbon (5.45pm)

The top two teams in Group C clash in what could be two games that decide the winner of the group. I certainly feel Ajax and Dortmund will be the teams qualifying from this group and I can see a tight game between the two here with the draw an appealing bet at 3/1.

The other game in the group is between the two teams I think will be fighting it out for a spot in the Europa League by finishing third. I think Sporting are the slightly better side but they have not been in top form in Europe this season, so I am going with a Besiktas win here at 11/5.

Group D

1. Sheriff Tiraspol – 6 (+3)
2. Real Madrid – 3 (0)
3. Inter Milan – 1 (-1)
4. Shakhtar Donetsk – 1 (-2)

Matchday 3 Fixtures

• Inter Milan v Sheriff Tiraspol
• Shakhtar Donetsk v Real Madrid

Without doubt, Sheriff’s win at Real Madrid last time out was one of the biggest shocks in Champions League history and it leaves them as the surprise leaders of the group with maximum points. Now they travel to an Inter side who know that they need a win to get back in this group and I think they will get that here as their odds of 1/6 suggest.

Real Madrid have to bounce back from that away to Shakhtar, but that is a tricky game and I think a draw at 3/1 is the bet to make here. For the Inter game, a better value option may be the HT/FT bet of Draw/Inter Milan which is an 11/4 shot.

Wednesday 20^th October

Group E

1. Bayern Munich – 6 (+8)
2. Benfica – 6 (+3)
3. Dynamo Kyiv – 0 (-5)
4. Barcelona – 0 (-6)

Matchday 3 Fixtures

• Benfica v Bayern Munich
• Barcelona v Dynamo Kyiv (5.45pm)

Barcelona’s struggles in this group have been well-documented but I feel they will pick up their first points of the campaign against Dynamo Kyiv at home, even though I still feel they won’t make it into the knockout phase. Take Barcelona to land a 3-1 victory at home at 10/1.

The other two teams have a 100% record in the group so far, but I think Bayern will be the team continuing with that here as they are a much better side than Benfica and I think the Germans will win this game very easily. Take a Bayern win and both teams to score in the game at 13/8 with bet365.

Group F

1. Atalanta – 4 (+1)
2. Young Boys – 3 (0)
3. Manchester United – 3 (0)
4. Villarreal – 1 (-1)

Matchday 3 Fixtures

• Manchester United v Atalanta
• Young Boys v Villarreal

Two very important games in this very tight group occur on Wednesday. United face a young and impressive Atalanta side who have a good away record in this competition. The Italians beat Liverpool at Anfield last year and I fancy them to be good enough to pick up a draw here which is a 3/1 shot.

The other game is equally important with Villarreal badly in need of a win to get back into contention in the group and I feel that they can achieve that away to Young Boys who beat Man Utd, but only when they went down to 10-men. Take Villarreal to win here ay 6/5.

Group G

1. Red Bull Salzburg – 4 (+1)
2. Sevilla – 2 (0)
3. Wolfsburg – 2 (0)
4. Lille – 1 (-1)

Matchday 3 Fixtures

• Red Bull Salzburg v Wolfsburg (5.45pm)
• Lille v Sevilla

Group G always looked likely to be a very close one and so it has proved thus far with just one of the four games played so far having a winner. I think we may see another draw tonight as to me the Lille v Sevilla match looks a nailed on draw which is a 23/10 shot with bet365.

The other game may be different. Wolfsburg have had a slow start to the season in the Bundesliga and have drawn both their games so far in this competition. However, I feel that Red Bull are very strong at home and I fancy them to claim a win and at 21/20, that is a solid bet.

Group H

1. Juventus – 6 (+4)
2. Chelsea – 3 (0)
3. Zenit St Petersburg – 3 (+3)
4. Malmo – 0 (-7)

Matchday 3 Fixtures

• Chelsea v Malmo
• Zenit St Petersburg v Juventus

Juventus have made a strong start in the group but they now face a real test away to a well organised Zenit St Petersburg. I fancy the Russian side to take a point from this game and at 23/10 for the draw, that is a good value bet.

Chelsea should easily beat Malmo who have become the whipping boys of the group and I think it is just a matter of how many goals the home side score. I’ve gone with a 4-0 Chelsea win which is a 6/1 chance with bet365.