After a three week break, UEFA Champions League and Europa League football is back. We’ve got a number of mouth-watering fixtures to get stuck into from Europe’s top two competitions.
Leicester City will be looking for yet another European victory when they welcome Danish outfit FC Copenhagen to the King Power Stadium on Tuesday, whilst Tottenham Hotspur make the trip to Germany to face Bayer Leverkusen on the same night.
Wednesday sees Arsenal in action against Ludogorets Razgrad, as well as the huge match everyone has been waiting for between Barcelona and Manchester City. Southampton and Manchester United are also in European action, as they both have tricky looking games in the Europa League on Thursday.
- Bayer Leverkusen v Tottenham Hotspur – Tottenham Hotspur to Win (5/2 at Bet365)
- Leicester City v FC Copenhagen – Draw (13/5 at Betfair)
- Arsenal v Ludogorets Razgrad – Arsenal to Win -2 (11/10 at BetVictor)
- Barcelona v Manchester City – Manchester City to Win (9/2 at Betfair)
- Celtic v Borussia Monchengladbach – Borussia Monchengladbach to Win (5/4 at Bet365)
- Inter Milan v Southampton – Southampton to Win (11/5 at Sky Bet)
- Manchester United v Fenerbahce – Manchester United to Win -2 (6/4 at Ladbrokes)
Champions League
This year’s Champions League is already taking shape. All four English teams have got a decent number of points on the board, and Celtic managed to earn a 3-3 draw with Manchester City last time out to claim their first point of the competition. We’re previewing all five British clubs’ matches this week.
Bayer Leverkusen v Tottenham Hotspur – 18th October
Let’s kick things off with the game at the BayArena, where Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur travel to Bayer Leverkusen. Although it looks a tough game, it’s certainly one Tottenham are capable of winning.
Spurs have been in fine form this term. In fact, their 2-1 loss at Wembley to French outfit Monaco is their only defeat of the season. Before the international break, the Lilywhites became the first team to take anything away from Man City in the league, as an own goal from Aleksandar Kolarov and a Dele Alli strike secured an excellent 2-0 win. Confidence will be high after that result and Spurs will feel they can beat anyone.
After losing to Monaco, Spurs followed that up with a much needed 1-0 win at CSKA Moscow. We fancy Pochettino’s men to make it six points from nine with victory in Germany on Tuesday. Bet365 are offering the very tempting price of 5/2 for the away win and that’s just too big to ignore given Spurs’ morale right now.
Tottenham Hotspur – 5/2 at Bet365
Leicester City v FC Copenhagen – 18th October
Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City have enjoyed every minute of their Champions League journey so far. After opening up their CL campaign with an emphatic 3-0 win at Club Brugge, the Foxes beat the 2004 winners FC Porto 1-0 at the King Power Stadium.
However, this Tuesday, they are coming up against a very astute FC Copenhagen, who have taken four points from their first two Group G matches. The Lions, managed by former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Stale Solbakken, have yet to be beaten in any competition this season.
As a consequence, we believe backing the draw is the way forward in this one. Leicester have drawn twice this term, including last time out against Southampton, whilst Copenhagen have drawn five of their 12 Danish Superliga matches. You can get the decent price of 13/5 with Betfair for this one to end all square.
Draw – 13/5 at Betfair
Arsenal v Ludogorets Razgrad – 19th October
Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal have taken four points from their first two Group A matches. They welcome five-time Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad to the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening.
After their disappointing opening weekend PL defeat to Liverpool, the Gunners have taken an outstanding 16 points from a possible 18. They have also won their last five matches on the spin in all competitions. As for Ludogorets, they have won six, drawn one and lost one of their eight Bulgarian League matches, and have a point to their name in CL Group A.
We can’t see anything other than a comfortable home victory unfolding in north London on Wednesday. The standout bet in this one is BetVictor’s 11/10 for Arsenal to win -2.
Arsenal to Win -2 – 11/10 at BetVictor
Barcelona v Manchester City – 19th October
The most eagerly anticipated game since the draw was announced takes place at the Camp Nou on Wednesday, as Pep Guardiola takes his Manchester City side to his old stomping ground to face former teammate Luis Enrique’s Barcelona.
Unusually, both sides were defeated in their last league games, as Barca fell to a 4-3 reverse at Celta Vigo, and City lost 2-0 at Tottenham. The La Liga outfit sit top of Group C, having beaten Celtic 7-0 and Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1. As for the Citizens, they beat Monchengladbach 4-0, before playing out a 3-3 thriller at Celtic Park.
Barcelona are not at their best at present, and they are certainly there for the taking. Pep knows everything there is to know about Barcelona, and he would love to win at the Camp Nou on Wednesday. We fancy Guardiola’s men to shock the five-time European winners, and Betfair are offering tempting odds of 9/2 for an away win.
Manchester City to Win – 9/2 at Betfair
Celtic v Borussia Monchengladbach – 19th October
The last of our Champions League previews sees Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic welcome German side Borussia Monchengladbach to Celtic Park. The top two places in Group C are probably out of their reach, but the battle for the Europa League spot could be a fascinating one.
The Bhoys became the first side to take anything away from Pep’s City this season, as they earned an outstanding 3-3 draw in their last European game, and they will back themselves to follow that up with a positive result in this one. However, despite being outclassed at the Etihad, Monchengladbach were unlucky to fall to a narrow defeat to Barca last month.
Andre Schubert’s men are a decent outfit these days, and we fancy them to get the job done in Scotland on Wednesday. The best odds you can get on an away win are 5/4 with Bet365, and we think that’s a tempting price.
Borussia Monchengladbach to Win – 5/4 at Bet365
Europa League
The Europa League may play second fiddle to the Champions League, but it does not lack any passion, tension or excitement. We’ve already been treated to some wonderful goals, outstanding performances and one or two shocks. Claude Puel’s Southampton and Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United are both in action on Thursday. The Saints travel to the famous San Siro to face Inter Milan, whilst United welcome Turkish giants Fenerbahce to Old Trafford – both huge games.
Inter Milan v Southampton – 20th October
After taking four points from their first two Europa League Group K matches, Puel’s Southampton travel to the San Siro, looking for a win that will put them in a commanding position in the group.
Inter are not the same side they once were. The three-time European Cup winners are languishing in ninth place in the Serie A table, and they have lost both of their opening Europa League matches.
Despite Nerazzurri being in desperate need of the points, we’re backing the Saints to move one step closer to the knockout stages with a win in Milan. The best odds you can get on an away win are 11/5 (at Sky Bet), and we believe that’s too good a price to turn down.
Southampton to Win – 11/5 at Sky Bet
Manchester United v Fenerbahce – 20th October
After securing a narrow victory over minnows Zorya Luhansk last time out at home in Europe, Manchester United will be looking for a more comfortable victory when they welcome Turkish Super Lig outfit Fenerbahce to Old Trafford on Thursday.
The Red Devils have made hard work of EL Group A, having lost one and won one of their opening two matches. The victory over Zorya was much needed after crashing to a 1-0 defeat in Rotterdam to Giovanni Van Bronckhorst’s Feyenoord in week one. As for Fenerbahce, they have taken four points from six and currently sit top of the pile in Group A. Defeat here for United would leave them struggling but a win would put them in a great position in the group.
Thursday’s showdown at the Theatre of Dreams will not be an easy game for the Red Devils, but it’s a match they really ought to win. Being at home, Jose Mourinho’s men should have too much for the 2013 Europa League semi-finalists. We fancy United to win well in front of their home supporters, and Ladbrokes are offering 6/4 for Man Utd to win -1.
Manchester United to Win -2 – 6/4 at Ladbrokes