Atletico and Chelsea to Confound the Bookmakers

There are so many great matches to bet on this week in the Champions League it’s a punter’s paradise! The group stages always throw up plenty of mismatches with big clubs against relative minnows, but in gameweek two we have a number of heavyweight clashes.

Chelsea started their return to the Champions League with a bang by thumping Qarabag 6-0 at Stamford Bridge in their group C opener, but they follow that up with arguably their toughest assignment away at Atletico Madrid. Diego Simeone’s men secured a 0-0 draw at Roma in their first match, and the Italians are good enough to have a say in the final standings of this group. That means home ties are hugely important and anything less than an Atletico win on Wednesday night could leave them vulnerable in the long term. Chelsea may well be happy to return to London with a point, but there are reasons to believe this match won’t be another bore draw.

Dortmund and Real Madrid is one of those fixtures in the Champions League that excites even neutral fans. Two all-out attacking sides with some of Europe’s best players going toe-to-toe is a spectacle to look forward to. They are regular rivals in the UCL after meeting in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016, and Tuesday night’s game should live up to the fireworks of previous ties.

Another clash of the titans happens in Paris, where PSG welcome Bayern Munich for a mouth-watering group B match-up. The Parisians smashed Celtic for five in their first game of this season’s competition, while Bayern ran out 3-0 winners against Anderlecht. The matches these two play against each other will likely decide 1st and 2nd positions in the group, and it may be advantage PSG after Wednesday night’s game.

Atletico Madrid v Chelsea

Huge odds of 2.50Bet €100 to win €2503/2Bet £100 to win £250+150Bet $100 to win $2501.50Bet HK$100 to win HK$2501.50Bet Rp100 to win Rp250-0.6667Bet RM100 to win RM250  with Betfair are on offer about over 2.5 goals here, and that could be the value bet of the night.

Most bettors are well aware of Atletico’s defensive qualities and their ability to keep clean sheets, but they play a different game on home soil to that which they play away. Diego Simeone demands more attacking intent in front of their own fans, and they’ve won both home games in La Liga so far this season. However, of their six Primera Division fixtures, three have gone over 2.5 goals and three under.

Chelsea are also known as capable defenders under Antonio Conte, but four of their last five games have also exceeded the 2.5 goal line. There is every chance that the Blues will sit back and look to hit Atletico on the break – a draw is a much better result for them than it is the home side – but they are very dangerous on the break.

Four of the last five meetings between these two in the Champions League (dating back to 2009) have had at least four goals – the 0-0 draw in April 2014 the anomaly. It may pay to go against the grain again on Wednesday night and take the tasty odds about over 2.5 goals.

Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid

Dortmund featured in record-breaking games last season for goals in the Champions League, and their style dictates that over 3.5 goals is the right bet at 1.96Bet €100 to win €19624/25Bet £100 to win £196-104Bet $100 to win $1960.96Bet HK$100 to win HK$196-1.04Bet Rp100 to win Rp1960.9600Bet RM100 to win RM196  with Marathonbet.

They were beaten 3-1 away at Spurs in the first round of games in group H, but have subsequently recorded 5-0 and 6-1 wins in the Bundesliga. After losing that opener Dortmund will know the importance of getting points on home ground, and nothing about their profile suggests they will do anything other than take the game to Madrid.

Real Madrid are playing catch up in La Liga, already 7 points behind Barcelona after drawing two and losing one of their opening six. Surprisingly each of those poor results came at home, and their away record remains impeccable where they’ve won all three on the road. Both ties in last season’s Champions League ended 2-2, and both teams are more than capable of getting on the scoresheet more than once again.

PSG v Bayern Munich

PSG welcome Bayern in the Champions League for the first time since 2000, and they start as favourites at 2.05Bet €100 to win €20521/20Bet £100 to win £205+105Bet $100 to win $2051.05Bet HK$100 to win HK$2051.05Bet Rp100 to win Rp205-0.9524Bet RM100 to win RM205  with BetVictor  and 188Bet.

PSG rested Neymar for the weekend Ligue 1 game at Montpellier, and Bayern rested Rodriguez for their Bundesliga match with Wolfsburg. Both teams drew and dropped points, but it will be regarded as a means to an end if the two superstars can make fresh legs count on Wednesday night.

Bayern are still reliant on Robben and Ribery to some extent, which is fine in the German league, but one has to wonder how much their influence at the top level is waning. Neymar, Mbappe and Cavani are proving to be a formidable trio in attack, ably supported by Draxler, who has made an immediate impact in Paris since his arrival in december 2016.

PSG have an incredible home record and that might sway this tie, which is a battle of the young pretenders versus the old guard. Which one comes out on top remains to be seen, but we’ll side with PSG having too much verve for the German side.

Tips Summary

Atletico Madrid v Chelsea – Over 2.5 goals
Wednesday 27th September, 19:45 GMT
Odds: 2.50Bet €100 to win €2503/2Bet £100 to win £250+150Bet $100 to win $2501.50Bet HK$100 to win HK$2501.50Bet Rp100 to win Rp250-0.6667Bet RM100 to win RM250

Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid – Over 3.5 goals
Tuesday 26th September, 19:45 GMT
Odds: 1.96Bet €100 to win €19624/25Bet £100 to win £196-104Bet $100 to win $1960.96Bet HK$100 to win HK$196-1.04Bet Rp100 to win Rp1960.9600Bet RM100 to win RM196

PSG to beat Bayern Munich
Wednesday 27th September, 19:45 GMT
Odds: 2.05Bet €100 to win €20521/20Bet £100 to win £205+105Bet $100 to win $2051.05Bet HK$100 to win HK$2051.05Bet Rp100 to win Rp205-0.9524Bet RM100 to win RM205