Another week, another slate of Champions League games to look forward to! With the WC just around the corner, the Champions League schedule is in overdrive at the moment, and MD5 boasts some fantastic matchups to sink our teeth into.
Check out our previews for the key games as well as betting picks for every game below.
Champions League Matchday 5 Betting Tips
RB Salzburg vs Chelsea
Wednesday 3.45am (AEDT)
Through the first four matchdays in the Champions League, the vast majority of the groups have already been decided. One of the major battles that is still well and truly up for grabs, however, is that of Group E. Austrian side RB Salzburg will square off against Chelsea on Wednesday morning with the English side currently holding a one-point advantage with the two teams on 7 and 6 respectively.
Closely following both of them is the two remaining teams in the group, AC Milan and Dinamo Zagreb on four points apiece, either of whom could jump to first place by the end of the week if results go their way. The Blues have been in solid form in the EPL since acquiring their new star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, going undefeated in their last eight games in all competitions.
It’ll be a tough trip to Austria for Chelsea, but they do have a great performance to draw inspiration from in their only previous trip to RB Salzburg. Back in 2019, they blasted the Austrian team off the pitch in a 5-3 club friendly, and I like the odds for them to record another win on the road.
Barcelona vs Bayern Munich
Thursday 6.00am (AEDT)
The game of the week sees Spanish side Barcelona hosting the German giant that is Bayern Munich on Thursday morning. Barcelona are in a precarious position in Group C, currently fighting for 2nd place in the group with Inter Milan. Bayern Munich are way out in front on 12 points and have already secured a spot in the knockout phase.
Barcelona currently sit three points behind Inter-Milan in the standings, so they’ll likely need to win both of their remaining games and pray that Inter lose at least one of their two remaining games against Plzen and Bayern. Barca have been solid in the La Liga this season, currently maintaining a 9-1-1 record through 11 games. They have scored 28 goals and allowed just 4, the best mark in the La Liga in both categories.
They’ve no doubt been one of the more dominant teams in Europe, but the issue here is that their opponent is arguably the dominant team in Europe at the moment. Bayern sit in 2nd place in the Bundesliga but have been pretty untouchable in the Champions League, racking up a 4-0-0 record in the UCL with a 13:2 goal difference. I think there’s a slight chance they take their foot off the pedal slightly during this road-trip to Barcelona though. They don’t have a lot to play for having already secured their ticket to the knockouts. Back Barcelona at home.
Atletico Madrid vs Bayer Leverkusen
Thursday 6.00am (AEDT)
Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen sit in 3rd and 4th place in Group B of the Champions League but both are still well and truly in the hunt for a place in the knockout stage. Club Brugge sit clear with 10 points but the next three teams are separated by just three points, which should make for an interesting finish to the group stage.
Atletico Madrid haven’t been a force in the La Liga this season that we have become accustomed to in years gone by. Granted, they still sit in third place behind the big two, but their 7-2-2 record definitely suggests that they are vulnerable even to some of the lower ranked teams throughout Europe.
Leverkusen have been awful in the Bundesliga so far, so their hopes of competing for a trophy this season rest on their Champions League performance. They have a 2-3-6 record through 11 games in Germany, currently sitting in 15th place on the table. Given the forms of the two teams at the moment, the Spanish side look the smart play at home.
Atletico Madrid to win
$1.80
Sevilla vs FC Copenhagen - Sevilla H2H ($1.50 at Ladbrokes)
Benfica vs Juventus - Juventus Double Chance ($1.80 at Ladbrokes)
Celtic vs Shakhtar - Draw ($3.80 at Ladbrokes)
Ajaz vs Liverpool - Liverpool H2H ($1.83 at Ladbrokes)
Dinamo Zagreb vs AC Milan - AC Milan H2H ($1.80 at Ladbrokes)
Dortmund vs Manchester City - Manchester City -1 ($2.05 at Ladbrokes)
PSG vs M. Haifa - No Bet
RB Leipzig vs Real Madrid - Real Madrid H2H ($2.30 at Ladbrokes)
Frankfurt vs Marseille - Draw ($3.50 at Ladbrokes)
Napoli vs Rangers - No Bet
Tottenham vs Sporting - Under 2.5 Goals ($2.20 at Ladbrokes)
