Champions League Matchday 1 Treble Bet
This week sees the return of the biggest club competition on the planet as the Champions League explodes onto our screens once more – and it's bigger and better than ever!
Now featuring 36 teams (up from 32) and adopting a single league format, we are promised more games with fewer mismatches and dead rubbers. How it all works out remains to be seen, but it’s great to have it back, and Matchday 1 offers a cracking list of fixtures. Here, we pick out our three best bets from the Wednesday games as we attempt to kick off the tournament on a winning note.
Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava – 8pm
Celtic won’t start as favourites in many of their Champions League fixtures, but they do here, as one of the tournament minnows makes the trip to Glasgow. The Hoops are flying in the Scottish Premiership - winning all five games to nil, including a 3-0 hammering of Rangers in their biggest early test.
For Slovan Bratislava, this represents the ninth fixture of their Champions League journey, with the Slovakian outfit having successfully navigated eight games in qualifying. The Sky Blues won only one of four on the road, with their only clean sheet coming against APOEL Nicosia, whilst a recent 5-0 home loss to Zilina suggests they have issues at the back.
Celtic struggled overall in the Champions League last season but did beat Feyenoord and hold Atlético Madrid to a draw at Celtic Park. Functioning well at both ends of the pitch, this looks the ideal fixture to get their Champions League campaign off to a flyer, and we expect them to get the job done.
- Recommended Bet Handicap Betting: Celtic -1 @ 17/20 with William Hill
Manchester City vs Inter Milan – 8pm
The pick of the fixtures comes at the Etihad as Pep Guardiola’s unbeaten Man City take on Simone Inzaghe’s Inter Milan in a rematch of the 2023 Champion’s League Final.
City are a perfect four-from-four in the defence of their Premier League crown, scoring two or more in all four games, with the unplayable Erling Haaland already sitting on a ridiculous nine goals. However, they have been far from watertight at the back – conceding in each of their last three, including against Ipswich and Brentford at home.
Inter ran away with the Serie A title last season but have started slowly this term. A perfect two from two, and yet to concede, at home, they were held to a draw in their two games on the road at Genoa and Monza last weekend.
It’s hard to oppose City in their current form, particularly at home. Failing to keep Monza and Genoa quiet doesn’t bode well for Inter's prospects facing Europe’s most prolific hitman. However, the Italians are dangerous going forward, with the pace and nous of Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez likely to cause problems at some stage. With City having their issues at the back, an entertaining home win looks the best bet here.
- Recommended Bet Manchester City to win and over 3.5 Goals @ 12/5 with William Hill
PSG vs Girona – 8pm
Our final selection comes in this clash between the French Champions, who, as ever, have Champions League glory as their overriding ambition, and a Girona outfit making their debut in the competition.
PSG are showing few signs of a hangover following the departure of Kylian Mbappé – their four Ligue 1 fixtures producing four wins and 16 goals scored. Just one clean sheet suggests they aren’t in peak form at the back, but that attacking output has simply blown Le Havre, Montpellier, Lille, and Brest away.
It has been a mixed bag for Girona so far in La Liga, with the Catalonia club struggling to live with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona but posting solid wins over Osasuna and Sevilla.
Having shipped three goals at the Metropolitano and four at home to Barcelona, Girona look up against it facing PSG in goal-crazy mode. The hosts are a short price to prevail in the win and handicap markets, and better value lies in backing Bradley Barcola to score anytime. The left-sided forward is in electrifying form, having notched four goals in as many appearances this season – averaging an xG of 0.91 per game.
- Recommended Bet Bradley Barcola to score anytime @ 6/5 with William Hill
A £10 treble on the above selections returns £138.38 with William Hill.
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