CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – GAMEWEEK 3
Aston Vila vs Bologna
Aston Villa's return to the Champions League has been impressive, replicating their famous 1982 European triumph with a win over Bayern Munich. Their 1-0 victory at Villa Park, courtesy of a well-executed assist from Pau Torres to Jhon Duran, secured their second consecutive group-stage win. Villa's defensive discipline, alongside moments of offensive brilliance, has given them a perfect start to their campaign. Unai Emery is aiming for his 25th Champions League win and could lead Villa to become one of the few teams to win their first three games in the competition without conceding. Villa remain strong domestically as well, unbeaten in nine games and sitting in the Premier League's top six. This week, they face Bologna, a team struggling for consistency and sitting mid-table in Serie A. Bologna’s seven draws this season underscore their difficulty in closing out games, a problem that continued in their recent 2-2 draw with Genoa.
We are happy to stick with Villa here and think they will make it 3/3! Check our Aston Vila vs Bologna markets here.
Prediction: Villa -1 @ 2.08
Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid, fresh off a loss to Lille, host Borussia Dortmund at the Bernabéu in a crucial Champions League fixture. Despite Madrid's shaky defence, their dominance at home and Kylian Mbappé's return give them the edge. Dortmund, on the other hand, have been prolific in Europe but struggle away and are missing key forward Karim Adeyemi. Madrid's experience and attacking depth make them favs here, especially with Dortmund’s poor record in Spain.
We can see Real bouncing back to form here in a crucial tie for them. Check our Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund markets here.
Prediction: Real Madrid -1.25 @ 1.92
Barcelona vs Bayern Munich
Barcelona head into a crucial Champions League clash against Bayern Munich, knowing a loss could spell back-to-back group stage eliminations for the first time in club history. Despite their recent struggles, Robert Lewandowski remains a key threat, especially at home where he has scored 52 goals in 53 Champions League appearances. However, Xavi’s side has suffered two consecutive home defeats to German opposition, adding a huge amount of pressure to deliver!
On the other hand, Bayern Munich are riding high. Julian Nagelsmann’s squad has improved away from home recently, winning their last three games by multi-goal margins. Leroy Sané, in excellent form, has already netted five goals this campaign, including one in Bayern’s earlier win over Barcelona in Munich.
We fancy Bayern will get the job done. View our Barcelona vs Bayern Munich markets here.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 1X2 @ 2.66
RB Leipzig vs Liverpool
Liverpool continue to fly high under Arne Slot's leadership, having secured 10 wins from 11 matches this season, including notable victories over Chelsea and AC Milan. Slot's Reds are in fine form heading into their Champions League clash against RB Leipzig, boasting an undefeated record on the road and impressive defensive stats. The absence of key players like Diogo Jota and potentially Trent Alexander-Arnold could challenge Liverpool, but their current momentum remains strong.
RB Leipzig, meanwhile, are struggling in Europe, having lost their first two group-stage matches to Atletico Madrid and Juventus. Despite recent domestic victories, their inconsistency on the European stage, combined with injuries to key players such as Lois Openda, puts them in a difficult position ahead of facing an in-form Liverpool side. View our RB Leipzig vs Liverpool markets here.
Prediction: Liverpool 1X2 @ 1.81
