We take a look at all nine UCL League Phase matches taking place on Wednesday when the likes of Man United and Real Madrid are in action and the headline game is Bayern Munich vs Arsenal.
Como vs Man United
Assane Diao gave Como the lead at Feyenoord on Matchday 2 but the Dutch side hit back with 3 goals o their own before a late goal from Douvikas saw the game finish in a 3-2 defeat. Como had impressed first time out with a 4-1 home win over RB Leipzig. They found the net twice in each half through four different scorers in what was their UCL debut.
Man United marked their return to the UCL with a 4-0 home win over minnows Sabah Baku, leading 3-0 at half time in what was a one sided contest. They took on Atletico in Madrid last week and conceded in the first minute. It stayed that way until the 79th when Atletico made it 2-0 shortly after Yoro had picked up a red card.
Both sides have 3 points in the UCL whilst domestically Como are going better in Srrie A than United are in the EPL. There are some key players missing on both sides though and given United have drawn their last 3 EPL matches (all 1-1), I think the value here rests with a straight forward draw bet.
Bet: Match result draw at 11/4 with Sportingbet
Lille vs Galatasaray
Lille are still looking for their first points after a 3-0 defeat away to Arsenal last week. Lille lost their first round match at home to Betis 3-2. Ayase Ueda and Alexsandro had them 2-1 up by half time but Betis hit back to go 3-2 up and a red card for Ethan Mbappe on 56 minutes made the task even harder.
Galatasaray took a 5th minute lead away to Sporting in the opening round but it was level by half time and the Lisbon side went on to win 3-1. They also took the lead at home to Barcelona in Round 2 through Batrakov but it was 1-1 by half time and Barca went on to win 4-1.
Lille have shipped 6 goals to Gala’s 7 in this competition already and neither have a point to show for their efforts so far. I’m leaving this one alone. No bet.
Aston Villa vs Viking
Villa opened up with a 3-2 win away to Club Brugge thanks to first half goals from John McGinn, Emi Buendia and Nicolas Jackson. They followed up with a 6-0 hiding of Fenerbahce with Jackson scoring twice and Ross Barkley also bagging a brace.
Viking faced German opposition in the first 2 rounds and last week they threatened an almighty surprise, taking a 2-0 lead at home to Bayern who then turned it around to lead 3-2 only for Viking’s Haugen to score in the 90th minute and force a 3-3 draw. On Matchday 1 they lost 3-1 away to Stuttgart with Zlatko Tripic scoring a first half equalizer that proved to be in vain.
Some heroics from Viking last week but Villa are trading at around 1 / 4 to win the game and I’m with Jackson to open the scoring at a boosted price.
Bet: 1st Goalscorer Nicolas Jackson at 36/10 (from 100/30) with Sportingbet
Bayern Munich vs Arsenal
Bayern dodged a bullet in Round 2 but still dropped points in a 3-3 draw away to Viking. They were 2-0 at half time but goals from Kane (2) and Diaz put them 3-2 up. Olise then picked up a red card and Viking equalized in the 90th minute. Matchday 1 was plain sailing for Bayern who put Bodo/Glimt away 5-0 in Munich with Olise grabbing 2 of their goals.
Last season’s runners up Arsenal made a winning start to their UCL campaign. They came away from Napoli with a 1-0 win thanks to a 75th minute goal from Odegaard although it could and should have been more. The Gunners followed up with a 3-0 home win over Lille thanks to second half goals from Timber, Eze and Saka.
Olise is suspended for Bayern which is a significant absence in my book but there is plenty of talent on view and Arsenal will have to be right on their game. I’ll go with Luis Diaz any time at another boosted price.
Bet: Any time goalscorer Luis Diaz at 27/10 (from 5/2) with Sportingbet
Betis vs Feyenoord
Two goals from Marc Bartra and a third for Troy Parrott helped Betis to a 3-2 win away to Lille in their opening match and they followed up with aa 3-2 home win over Porto, coming from 2-1 with Abde Ezzalzouli and Cucho Hernandez on target and Isco got the winner from the penalty spot.
Feyernoord went down 5-1 away to Barcelona in their opening match. They were 4-0 down by the time Sem Steijn scored a late consolation. They put themselves on the board in the second round of matches, edging an entertaining clash at home to Como 3-2 with Zechiël and Hadj Moussa on target plus a late own goal.
Betis crashed 5-2 at home to Barcelona in La Liga at the weekend but have generally impressed this season and Feyenoord are also in good shape bar their own hiding off Barca in Round 1. Betis are firm favourites and may well oblige but I’m going to take a chances with Feyenoord to score 2-3.
Bet: Feyenoord multi goal 2-3 at 39/20 with Sportingbet
Clubb Brugge vs Lens
A hat trick from Tresoldi and a late goal from Vermant helped Brugge to a surprise 4-3 win over Inter in Milan last week. Club Brugge went down 3-2 at home to Aston Villa on Matchday 1. They trailed 1-0, 2-1 and 3-1 and their goals came from Vetlesen and a Tresoldi penalty.
Matchday 1 saw Lens come from 2-1 down to win 3-2 at ten man Slavia Prague with two injury time goals. They couldn’t follow up in Round 2 though, slipping a 2-0 home defeat to Sporting.
That was a terrific win over Inter for Brugge who will fancy their chances of following up against a Lens side who have some talented players but don’t always deliver. I prefer the goals markets and 4 or more in total is my play.
Bet: Total goals over 3.5 at 11/10 with Sportingbet
Inter vs Shakhtar Donetsk
After 2 rounds of matches Inter are still looking for their first point. They went down 4-3 at home to Club Brugge last week, Martinez (twice) and Bonny (in injury time) were the Inter scorers. Inter were 2-0 down in 23 minutes of their opening match away to Real Madrid. They pulled a goal back on 77 minutes through Carlos Augusto and had a number of chances throughout the game but they eventually came up short.
Shakhtar drew 1-1 away to PSV in the opening round of matches with their goal coming from Gleiker Mendoza. They followed up with a 3-1 win over AEK in a home game played in London with Pedrinho equalizing from the penalty spot before late goals from Vinicius Tobias and Gleiker Mendoza.
Inter are some pressure after the home defeat in Round 2 and can ill afford another slip. I’m thinking the hosts will force the Shakhtar keeper to make 5 or more saves.
Bet: Shakhtar goalkeeper saves 5+ at 21/20 with Sportingbet
Real Madrid vs RB Leipzig
Real have 2 wins from 2 after twice getting the better of Italian opposition. First half goals from Mbappé and Valverde put Real on course for victory at home to Inter on Matchday 1 and although Inter pulled a goal back late on it finished 2-1. Last week Real made a stunning comeback from 3-1 down to win 4-3 at Roma with 3 goals from the 83rd minute onwards, Mbappe, Espi, Endrick and Rudiger were the scorers.
RB Leipzig went down 4-1 away to Como on Matchday 1. They were 3-0 down by the time Andrija Maksimovic scored what proved to be a consolation. They put themselves on the board in Round 2 with a 1-0 home win over PSV with Gruda scoring the decisive goal on 75 minutes. Real are 1 / 4 shots and although I’ve looked at as many markets as time allowed I can’t find anything that stands out. No bet.
Sporting vs LASK
After conceding a fifth minute own goal in the opening round, Sporting hit back to see off Galatasaray 3-1 in Lisbon with goals from Geny Catamo, Luis Suarez (penalty) and Rodrigo Zalazar. They followed up with a 2-0 win at Lens with goals in the first half from Suarez and Doumbia.
LASK have lost both their matches so far. They were beaten 6-3 by Liverpool in a home game in Round 2. They were 3-0 down at half time but “drew” the second half 3-3 with Ljubičić and a brace from Flecker, all set up by Dibango the scorers. LASK went down 1-0 away to AEK in their opening match.
LASK may have put 3 past Liverpool in a crazy period of the game but they offered little threat away to AEK and I like the chance of a Sporting win with a clean sheet. However at the risk of being greedy I’m looking for 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0 rather than an absolute landslide.
Bet: Multi correct score Sporting win 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0 at 9/4 with Sportingbet
Note, prices are subject to change