.png)
.svg){kind=small}
Liverpool v AC Milan
Liverpool kickoff their Champions League campaign at their home fortress of Anfield. These two sides famously met in a thrilling UCL Final in 2005 where Liverpool came back from down 0-3 to win the Cup. The Reds have been blistering hot in league play but are certainly feeling the ill effects of their 3-0 win over Leeds at the weekend that saw them lose creative teenage midfielder Harvey Elliot to a serious ankle injury. Milan has also been hot to start their league campaign in Italy but on the road in the Northwest of England brings a different type of test. The bet here is by no means an indictment on Liverpool, as I expect them to win, but the game will be closer than the moneyline odds indicate.
The Bet: Milan to Cover 1.5 Goals
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Milan
Atletico Madrid v Porto
Atletico play hosts to fellow Iberian Peninsula dwellers Porto to start their Champions League season. The boys under Diego Simeone are the reigning La Liga champions and they certainly have the potential to go far in this tournament. Porto are perennial participants in this competition as they are among the best clubs in all of Portugal. They have a dynamic winger in Luis Diaz who will surely move on to a big name club next summer. The tactical battle in this one should be interesting as neither team is afraid to play defense and shithouse the other side. It could be a low scoring win for Atleti on matchday one.
The Bet: Under 2.5 Total Goals
Prediction: Atletico 2-0 Porto
Club Brugge v Paris Saint-Germain
It's time. Leo Messi is projected to make his Champions League debut for PSG and the entire football world is on the edge of their seats. This is a dream matchup for the magician as Club Brugge conceded 6 goals to a fellow Belgium club side earlier this season. They have a few strong players, like young attacker Charles De Ketelaere, but overall they are completely out matched by the most expensive starting 11 in the world. It would be a miracle if Brugge managed to only lose by one goal, a result I do not see happening.
The Bet: PSG to Cover 1.5 Goals
Prediction: Club Brugge 1-3 PSG
Inter Milan v Real Madrid
These two squads must be developing a burgeoning rivalry in the Champions League as they also met in last year's group stage. These are two of the most famous football clubs in the world and they both will need their A game if they want to dispatch the other. Inter is in dire financial crisis and has lost a lot of their squad, including their manager and top striker, this summer due to sell offs. Real on the other hand went with the conservative transfer policy and brought almost no new faces in to preserve money to negate financial losses from Covid and build up an arsenal to go after next summer's biggest names. Both clubs are still strong but both are in rebuilding phases meaning we could see some shaky defense and some relatively easy goal scoring opportunities.
The Bet: Over 2.5 Total Goals
Prediction: Inter Milan 1-2 Real Madrid
Manchester City v RB Leipzig
This matchup looks like a great one on paper but it is a mismatch in reality. Despite their famed failures in the UCL, Manchester City is still arguably the top football club in the world. They have a world class starting 11 and an elite backup 11 allowing them to fully rotate their squad and not miss a beat. Oh, and they have the best manager in world football, Pep Guardiola. Leipzig has lost significant talent over the summer transfer window, including their manager, and are unlikely to follow up last season's 2nd place finish in the German Bundesliga. American manager Jesse Marsch is a prodigy but he will have his hands full in this one on the road in England.
The Bet: Manchester City to Cover 1.5 Goals
Prediction: Man City 3-1 Leipzig
Sporting CP v Ajax
These are two of the most exciting and underrated squads in this competition. Sporting boast some serious young talent in their squad including Pedro Goncalves who is considered to be the next Bruno Fernandes. Ajax are a famed club in world football known for developing youth talents and then selling them to larger clubs for great profit. Their team this year is older than normal but the mix of veteran presence with youthful energy presents a squad that could possibly make it to the Round of 16. I believe Ajax is the better team but on the road in Portugal I see a sharing of the points to start each teams respective UCL campaign.
The Bet: Draw
Prediction: Sporting 1-1 Ajax
