The UEFA Champions League and Europa League group stages get underway next week, with a number of British clubs in action. The likes of Celtic, Chelsea and Manchester United play on Tuesday, while Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City face tough matches on Wednesday.
We’ll be focussing on all six of those games, as well as Tuesday’s blockbuster encounter between Barcelona and Juventus at the Camp Nou.
Everton and Arsenal get their Europa League journey up and running on Thursday. The Toffees are in Italy to take on Atalanta, whilst the Gunners host German outfit Cologne at the Emirates Stadium.
- Barcelona v Juventus – 1-1 Draw (7/1 at BetVictor)
- Celtic v Paris Saint-Germain – Paris Saint-Germain to Win to Nil (11/10 at Ladbrokes)
- Chelsea v Qarabag – Chelsea to Win 2-0 (5/1 at Betfred)
- Manchester United v Basel – Manchester United to Win -2 (9/5 at Betfair)
- Liverpool v Sevilla – Draw and Both Teams to Score (23/10 at Coral)
- Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund – Both Teams to Score (8/15 at BetVictor)
- Feyenoord v Manchester City – Manchester City to Win 2-0 (7/1 at Betfred)
- Atalanta v Everton – Draw (23/10 at Bet365)
- Arsenal v Cologne – Arsenal to Win 3-0 (8/1 at BetVictor)
Champions League
We were treated to an exceptional Champions League campaign last year, with Real Madrid lifting the trophy in Cardiff in June. Upsetting the odds yet again, Leicester City went the furthest out of the English clubs, with the Foxes eventually falling at the quarter-final hurdle against Atletico Madrid. This year, Chelsea and Manchester United make a return to Europe’s elite competition. Celtic, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are the other British representatives. Who will go the furthest this time around and can any of them actually go all the way? The journey begins here and all of Britain’s representatives will be looking for a fast start.
Barcelona v Juventus – 12th September
Arguably, the standout fixture of the round comes from the Camp Nou, as Ernesto Valverde’s Barcelona welcome Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus to Catalonia.
These two European heavyweights went head-to-head at the quarter-final stage last term, with the Old Lady prevailing with a 3-0 aggregate win. Shutting Lionel Messi and co out not once but twice was a hugely impressive feat as Juve went on to make the final. However, Blaugrana ran out 3-1 winners over the Black and Whites in the 2015 Champions League final in Berlin.
With these two giants pretty evenly matched, we can see the pair cancelling each other out in the Camp Nou, with BetVictor’s 7/1 for the 1-1 draw standing out.
1-1 Draw – 7/1 at BetVictor
Celtic v Paris Saint-Germain – 12th September
Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic host Unai Emery’s Paris Saint-Germain at Celtic Park in Glasgow on Tuesday. PSG head to Scotland as the clear favourites to return to France with all three points. The home crowd will be excited but perhaps a little fearful of mixing it with Neymar and his colleagues.
Celtic will be looking to avoid a heavy defeat in their opening Champions League match this term having lost 7-0 to Barcelona this time last year. Meanwhile, Paris will be out for revenge after being embarrassed by Barca in the last 16 last season.
The Parisians have won all four of their Ligue 1 fixtures so far, keeping three clean sheets along the way. We’re backing Emery’s troops to win this one to nil, which you can get at 11/10 with Ladbrokes.
Paris Saint-Germain to Win to Nil – 11/10 at Ladbrokes
Chelsea v Qarabag – 12th September
Chelsea kick off their Champions League campaign with a winnable home match against Azerbaijan Premier League outfit Qarabag. The English champions will certainly be targeting three points at Stamford Bridge from this one.
Antonio Conte’s Blues have had an indifferent start to their season. After losing the FA Community Shield to Arsenal, Chelsea were then beaten 3-2 by Burnley in their Premier League opener. However, they have turned things around since with vital league victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Everton respectively.
After having a year out of the Champions League, Chelsea and their fans will be relishing the prospect of going up against Europe’s elite again this term. We fancy them to open up with an easy win, so check out Betfred’s 5/1 for a 2-0 home triumph.
Chelsea to Win 2-0 – 5/1 at Betfred
Manchester United v Basel – 12th September
Also on Tuesday, Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United entertain Raphael Wicky’s Basel at Old Trafford. Having won all three of their opening Premier League matches, United will be looking for a perfect start in Europe, too.
Man Utd have looked the real deal domestically thus far, beating West Ham United, Swansea City and Leicester City to sit pretty at the summit of the Premier League table. Meanwhile, Basel, last season’s Swiss Super League champions, have won three, drawn two and lost one of their six league games so far.
With the Red Devils in such fine fettle, we can’t see them slipping up in this one. In fact, we’re predicting a comfortable night for Jose’s boys. Take a look at Betfair’s 9/5 for the hosts to win -2 on Tuesday.
Manchester United to Win -2 – 9/5 at Betfair
Liverpool v Sevilla – 12th September
On Wednesday, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool host Eduardo Berizzo’s Sevilla at Anfield. These two last met in the Europa League final in 2016, which the Spanish side went on to win 3-1.
The Reds navigated past tricky opponents in the Champions League play-off round to get to Group E, beating Hoffenheim 6-3 on aggregate. Sevilla, meanwhile, narrowly saw off Turkish outfit Istanbul Basaksehir 4-3.
Both teams finished their respective league campaigns in fourth place last term, and the pair look evenly matched on paper. A draw would not be a bad result for either, and we like the look of Coral’s 23/10 for the draw and both teams to score at Anfield.
Draw and Both Teams to Score – 23/10 at Coral
Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund – 13th September
Tottenham Hotspur and Borussia Dortmund square off in a mouth-watering Group H game at Wembley on Wednesday. Spurs were poor in the Champions League in the national stadium last year, will they fare better this time around?
Peter Bosz’s Dortmund will no doubt be a tough nut to crack, but this will be a good test for Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham. Being at home, the Lilywhites will be looking to kick-start their campaign with a positive result.
In truth, though, this is a fixture that could go either way. Therefore, it may be worth just having a punt on both teams to score at Wembley, which is available at 8/15 (BetVictor).
Both Teams to Score – 8/15 at BetVictor
Feyenoord v Manchester City – 13th September
Our last Champions League preview features Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who make the trip to De Kuip in Group F to play Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Feyenoord. This is a fixture City should be looking to win but they will face confident opponents.
After finishing third and winning no trophies last year, Man City will be expecting to have a better season this time around. Guardiola was brought to the Etihad Stadium to win the Champions League; how far can they go this season?
Despite being away from home in their opening European encounter on Wednesday, the Citizens should have enough in them to get the job done. Have a punt on Betfred’s 7/1 for the visitors to win 2-0 in Rotterdam.
Manchester City to Win 2-0 – 7/1 at Betfred
Europa League
Manchester United booked their place in this year’s Champions League by beating Ajax in the Europa League final in Stockholm. With the winners earning a direct route through to the Champions League, this competition is now being taken very seriously by the bigger clubs, especially as things progress. This year, Arsenal and Everton are flying the English flag in the Europa League, with both getting their campaigns underway on Thursday night.
Atalanta v Everton – 14th September
Ronald Koeman’s Everton beat the likes of Ruzomberok and Hajduk Split in the Europa League qualifying rounds. This Thursday, they get the real stuff underway, as the Toffees travel to Italy to face Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta.
This looks a tough group, with Everton, Atalanta, Lyon and Apollon Limassol all vying for the top two places. Before a ball has been kicked in this year’s Europa League, Koeman’s troops are the bookies’ favourites to win Group E.
First and foremost, the Premier League side won’t want to lose their opening match. Therefore, a draw will be a decent result for the Merseyside outfit. Bet365 have the stalemate priced at 23/10 and we don’t expect this one to be an open game at all, with 0-0 a possibility for sure.
Draw – 23/10 at Bet365
Arsenal v Cologne – 14th September
Arsenal kick off their Europa League journey with a home match with German side Cologne. The Gunners are second favourites behind big spenders AC Milan to lift the trophy this season, so they will be hoping to get off to a winning start on Thursday.
After finishing outside the Premier League’s top four for the first time in 20 years last term, Arsene Wenger’s men find themselves in the Europa League. As for Cologne, they finished in a very respectable fifth place in the German Bundesliga.
Arsenal head into this one as the strong favourites with the bookies and, despite having a shaky start in the Premier League, they should win with ease on Thursday. The standout bet is the home team to win 3-0, which you can get at 8/1 (BetVictor). Arsenal’s superior experience at this level can tell and we fancy them to get the job done in style.
Arsenal to Win 3-0 – 8/1 at BetVictor