The second matchday of the UEFA Champions League is this week, starting Tuesday with Arsenal-Paris Saint-Germain and Leverkusen-Milan among the marquee matches. On Wednesday, Aston Villa host Bayern Munich, Lille host Real Madrid, Liverpool take on Bologna and Juventus head to RB Leipzig. After the first week featured matches on three different days, we’re back to the more traditional Tuesday and Wednesday schedule.
I’m going to look at some of the matches from a betting perspective and have a fun parlay at the bottom.
All odds from BetFair. Click here to follow Sports betting on The Athletic and get relevant stories in your personalised feed.
Leverkusen-Milan
Leverkusen win: 8/13
Draw: 16/5
Milan win: 4/1
This is a huge match between two of the best offensive sides in Europe to start the year. Leverkusen are coming off of a huge match against Bayern Munich this past weekend with a 1-1 draw, potentially a mentally and physically draining match for them. However, being the home side helps this burden of a mid-week bought against the Rossoneri.
Milan’s start to the year was tumultuous and they nearly saw their manager sacked just four matches in. They surprisingly won the derby against Inter and have rattled off three wins in a row. Their showing at home against Liverpool was uninspiring for large parts, especially their set-piece defense.
Milan has made strides lately, but ultimately the potential selections of Davide Calabria and Strahinja Pavlovic make Milan’s defence more volatile. Milan struggles in transition.
Florian Wirtz to score or assist (11/10) is my favourite prop for this one. He is always making a significant impact for Leverkusen, and odds around even money are too good to pass up.
Leverkusen to win with both teams to score can be a decent parlay to consider (77/50). These are two sides who can easily score, but Milan’s inconsistencies in defence will be too much of a negative today. I think Leverkusen win this one.
Arsenal-PSG
Arsenal win: 3/4
Draw: 16/5
PSG win: 21/5
Arsenal are in a position where they need to get a strong result against PSG at home to get a positive start to their UCL campaign.
Bukayo Saka’s score or assist odds are coming in at even money. Saka is Arsenal’s best player in general, he was very quiet against Atalanta last matchday and is looking to break out against PSG, who will be without Ousmane Dembele for this match. PSG will be lacking some dynamic play which can bode well for someone like Saka in tight spaces. This sort of prop is great for a player who is good, but not great on the scoring side of the match. If he isn’t scoring he is probably assisting and that is a fine number to get it at.
Bradley Barcola is a good player to get a look at when it comes to shots and shots on target. Survey that market because one SOG can come around a solid price.
Inter Milan-Red Star Belgrade
Inter win: 1/6
Draw: 17/2
Red Star win: 18/1
I like Federico Dimarco or Hakan Calhanoglu to get a goal or an assist in this one. There’s some risk being added into this match in that if Inter get a lead that they feel they can protect then Simone Inzaghi will make changes quickly. These are their two best set-piece players for a side that works hard on the wings. Asking them to get goals isn’t a crazy ask, but considering they both come in around even money for a goal or assist, it’s good enough for me to consider.
Betting goal props can be risky for Inter in this fixture. I think looking at a third-choice option like Mehdi Taremi (11/10) can be something that provides value depending upon the lineup selected. There is a strong chance that he sees the bulk of second-half minutes for this to rest Lautaro Martinez or Marcus Thuram who are everything for Inter’s attack. I expect Inter to score two or three goals if they field a strong lineup.
With a pesky Torino side to face over the weekend, I would see Inter killing this game off very early to get their first win in the new UCL format. Even selecting the first half with the most amount of goals is something to find an angle with. But do not be shocked if and when Inzaghi makes early subs in this one, I do not expect a high-scoring second half if Inter is up two goals by the 65th minute.
Slovan Bratislava-Manchester City
Slovan Bratislava win: 55/1
Draw: 17/1
City win: 1/16
Phil Foden eventually has to get hot, right? City, of course, field a strong 11 every single week. However, we are waiting for last season’s Foden to arrive to place a wager on him. Even money for an anytime goal is in the cards.
If Jeremy Doku gets a starting nod for this match I do like his score or assist numbers that come in at 8/11. He’s a very creative winger who has the skills to finish. Slovan Bratislava have conceded in nearly every single match. I am expecting City to pour it on this week.
Barcelona-Young Boys
Barcelona win: 1/11
Draw: 13/1
Young Boys win: 33/1
I like Pedri to score or assist at 33/20. Again, Pedri has had a good start to this season, and coming in at plus-money odds for a match against a side like Young Boys is too good to pass up. He assisted in half of his Champions League matches just last year, so he is familiar with providing opportunities for this side.
Ferran Torres also catches my eye if he is given a good run later in the evening or even from the start. He is 5/4 for an anytime goal.
Parlay for fun
- Jeremy Doku goal or assist
- Marcus Thuram goal
- Over 1.5 Goals in Salzburg-Brest
- Over 2.5 Goals in Milan-Leverkusen
This pays out at more than 5/1. Doku and Thuram are two players that can make an impact for their sides and I took two matches where I anticipated goals happening but took alternate totals with more risk.
(Photo of Bukayo Saka: Adrian Dennis / AFP via Getty Images)
