PSV vs Union Saint Gilloise
Over 2.5 Match Goals
Reason for tip
Lots of goals are expected when PSV Eindhoven welcome Union Saint-Gilloise for Tuesday’s early clash, and betting on over 2.5 goals could be a smart move. The Dutch heavyweights scored an impressive 146 times across all competitions last season and have continued their attacking style into the new campaign, producing high-scoring results such as 6-1, 4-2, and 5-3 in their opening five league outings. Union, meanwhile, have also shown their scoring ability with 15 goals in seven Belgian Pro League games, and it will back itself to find the net against a PSV defence that has shipped at least two goals in recent matches with Groningen, Telstar, and NEC Nijmegen.
Benfica To Win To Nil
vs FK Qarabag
Reason for tip
Benfica head into their match with Qarabag as clear favourites, and they are expected to begin their campaign in routine fashion, with a win-to-nil offering solid value near even money. The Eagles, who recently claimed an impressive 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich at the FIFA Club World Cup, opened the season with seven consecutive clean sheets—six of those coming in winning performances. While they have conceded in their last 2 outings, circumstances provide some leeway, and on Tuesday, they are likely to be fully focused. Qarabag, meanwhile, arrive with just one victory from their last 4 fixtures, and this encounter represents a significant step up in opposition.
Juventus and Both Teams To Score
vs Borussia Dortmund
Reason for tip
Juventus continued their perfect start to the season with a 4-3 victory over rivals Inter Milan on Saturday. Their Champions League fixtures appear favourable, starting with a winnable home match against Borussia Dortmund. While Niko Kovac’s side has won their last two, question marks remain about their ability to match teams at the highest level. The visitors’ first trip of the season saw them draw 3-3 at St Pauli, so backing Juventus to win and concede appeals.
Real Madrid To Win To Nil
vs Marseille
Reason for tip
Real Madrid have made an excellent start to their La Liga campaign, and they can quickly get up and running with a win-to-nil against Marseille. Los Blancos have won all four league matches this term, and they have won all four match-ups with Marseille, scoring at least twice on each occasion. On the other hand, Marseille have lost both away matches in this campaign, failing to score along the way, and they could come away from the Spanish capital empty-handed. It was 3-0 to Real Madrid when Marseille last visited the Bernabeu, and a similar outcome looks likely this week.
Inter Milan to Win
at Ajax
Reason for tip
Inter have lost two in a row in Serie A, but they should still prove too strong for Ajax in their opening Champions League game on Wednesday. The home side are unbeaten in five matches in the Eredivisie, but none of the teams they have faced are higher than ninth in the table, and this fixture represents a major step up in class from the opponents they have been playing. Inter won six of their eight league-phase games last season, conceding only one goal, and went on to reach the final, while Ajax made only the last 16 of the Europa League.
Sporting Lisbon to Win and Under 3.5 Match Goals
vs Kairat Almaty
Kairat Almaty produced a huge shock in getting the better of Celtic to qualify for the Champions League, the first time a team from Kazakhstan has ever managed the feat. However they did so on the back of being very solid defensively and they could keep things respectable when they visit Sporting in their first ever game. None of Kairat’s last 14 European games have gone over 3.5 goal,s and expect them to sit very deep against these Portuguese opponents. Sporting could take a bit of time to get up to full speed too, so side with the hosts to win and under 3.5 goals at odds-against.