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After a three-day extravaganza of matches last month to start off this season’s UEFA Champions League competition, the tournament returns on the other side of a lengthy international break to bring action on Tuesday and Wednesday. While many of the top contenders might not appreciably tested by the teams they drew, there’s at least one marquee matchup featuring Manchester City and PSG in what could be at least a semifinal in this current era of continental football.
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Up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets if Your First Bet Doesn't Win*
*Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Add’l terms. 21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET
Best Bets
Bayern Munich, (+145) -3.5 goals vs. Viking
While unbeaten Bayern isn’t currently at the top of the Bundesliga, it does have a recent 7-0 win on the books (against Union Berlin), as well as a 5-0 win over FK Bodø/Glimt to start off Champions League play. Viking just happens to be in the same top-flight division as Bodø/Glimt, with identical records and goal differentials through 22 matches, yet leading the league. Viking, however, is back to Champions League play for the first time in 34 seasons, facing a Bayern team that’s scored four or more goals in five of its last seven UCL matches. A four-goal margin is sizeable, but with Harry Kane, Luis Díaz, Michael Olise, and Ismael Saibiri all likely to be activated, it’s certainly doable.
Kai Havertz, (+105) Over 0.5 goals
With Viktor Gyökeres getting limited runouts this season so far, and with only five players tallying goals for the Gunners in the early stages of the Premier League, Havertz is likely to start up top against Lille and therefore the most likely of the favored hosts to score (and perhaps even score first). There’s an interesting storyline that could figure into the narrative on Tuesday, as one of Lille’s best bets to score is Olivier Giroud, the 40-year-old French striker who spent much of his prime with Arsenal. It’s more likely that goals come from Arsenal over the course of the match — but it would amazing for narrative were the veteran to score against his formal team. (But it’s not a defense, per the underlying numbers at least, prone to giving up many goals.
Galatasaray vs. Barcelona, (-140) BTS/No Draw
What Barcelona’s doing in La Liga this year is absurd. Eight matches in, the squad’s registered a perfect 8-0-0 record with 34 goals scored – by 10 different contributors to date – while only letting in seven. It’s clear that, barring disaster, Barca’s set to win its domestic league going away, and given this year’s UCL debut, a 5-1 win over Feyenoord, they might be a favorite to do the double as well. While the final scoreline should be a comfortable margin for the visitors, they will be visitors at one of Europe’s most notoriously raucous home stadiums, and it wouldn’t at all be surprising if the scoreline included at least one goal to ignite the Cimbomlu.
Manchester City vs. PSG, (+300) Draw
Man City is trying to position itself in the Premier League’s driver’s seat and leave the relative disappointment of last season behind it. PSG, meanwhile, are the two-time defending UCL winners and yet still did some remaking of its squad ahead of this season. That included moving Ferran Torres from Barcelona following his World Cup final heroics; he’s since scored UNFP Player of the Month honors for September and looks a vital pary of the squad. Given the strengths of the team, and that this tournament’s due for a draw of consequence, we’re calling for that.
While Champions League Matchday 2 is full of intriguing matchups and possibilities, Bayern coming through with four goals is the one standing out from these four, given that Bayern put up five on one of the two best teams Norway’s top-flight division delivered, and not Bayern’s playing the other.
Photo Credit: REUTERS
