Champions League group stages kick off on Tuesday with the first round of fixtures and even if it is still early into the season, there seem to be several bets offering very good value. While Juventus, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona are hot favourites to win their respective matches, we have outlined quite a few exciting bets that may be worth a shot.
Match: Galatasaray v Anderlecht
Pick: Home win
Odds: 3/4 @ bet365
Galatasaray are a seasoned Champions League side that boast plenty of experience within the ranks as well as world-class players such as Wesley Sneijder, Selcuk Inan and Burak Yilmaz, while the addition of Dzemaili and Pandev from Napoli should make them even stronger this term. Cesare Prandelli has taken over the reigns this summer, and with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus already losing at Turk Telekom Arena, the quality of the side as well as the atmosphere in the stands should prove too much for average Anderlecht team that could only pick up one point from six group games last term. The visitors will also be without first choice keeper Silvio Proto.
Match: Olympiakos v Atletico Madrid
Pick: Away win
Odds: 19/20 @ bet365
While signing several decent players this summer, Olympiakos will need time to compensate for some major departures, with Holebas, Samaris, Manolas, Campbell, Saviola and few other important players no longer in the side. Meanwhile, Atletico have signed excellent replacements for key players who had left the club during close season and two wins and a draw in three matches against mighty Real Madrid are a perfect proof of their quality. Having won four of six away matches in the Champions League last term, Diego Simeone’s charges look a good bet to see off Olympiakos in Athens.
Match: Ajax v Paris Saint-Germain
Pick: Away win
Odds: 3/4 @ bet365
Ajax surprised everyone with some promising performances in last year’s competition, but the club have since stayed without key players Daley Blind and Siem de Jong, while the lack of a proven goalscorer remains the biggest issue. The team are also going through a rough patch unlike Paris Saint-Germain, who are still unbeaten this season, and are packed with quality options in all areas of the pitch. The Saints won two of three group fixtures on the road last term, scoring ten goals in the process, so they have got to be considered favourites to defeat Ajax as well.
Match: Chelsea v Schalke
Pick: Chelsea/Chelsea
Odds: 8/11 @ bet365
Chelsea have been one of Europe’s in-form sides at the start of the season, mostly because new signings Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas as well as Thibaut Courtois have slotted right in Jose Mourinho’s starting line-up. The Blues have been absolutely brilliant so far, winning all four competitive fixtures and scoring 15 goals, and another comfortable win appears on the cards against a side that have lost three of four games this term. Schalke are all over the place at the moment, and they clearly have little to hope for ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge.
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