RB Salzburg vs Lokomotiv Moscow
Red Bull Arena, Wals-Siezenheim
Wednesday, 21-10-2020 @7:55pm
Ref: Serdar Gozobuyuk (HOL)
The Red Bulls are simply tearing apart opponents at the moment, and are having fun at it as well.
They have been scoring goals in plenty, and note that the last season they had amassed a total of 110 goals from their 32 games in the league. Not a single team had even touched the 70-goal mark.
They are included in Group A in the Champions League, along with Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid. Suffice it to say that the Bavarians and Diego Simeone’s men are favorites to make it to the knockouts.
However, Jesse Marsch’s men will not go down without a fight, and they will hope one of these two teams to stumble. Along with that they will try to play their free-flowing, high-scoring football as well.
They are at home this Wednesday, and right away they are the strong favorites – especially considering the struggles of Marko Nikolic’s men on the road.
On top of that, the Steam Locomotives had finished 15 points below champions Zenit, in the Russian Premier League in 2019, and this time around, they have scored a total of just 12 goals from their 11 fixtures.
Only once have these two teams locked horns with each other. It was ten years back, and the game was a friendly. Then, Nikolic’s men had won 0-2 on the road.
Real Madrid vs Shakhtar Donestk
Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Wednesday, 21-10-2020 @7:55pm
Ref: Srdan Jovanovic (SER)
Los Blancos have been trying to replicate their ungodly form ever since Cristiano Ronaldo left them, and so far they have turned up short.
The Champions League was kind of their forte until the Portuguese striker bid goodbye, and Zinedine Zidane needs to get the Spanish club where it belongs – before talks solidify that his success was due to CR7.
They have been included in a tough group along with Inter and Monchengladbach, and frankly, Hirnyky are the only squad against which they could be termed as outright favorites.
If Zidane does not play his cards right, an early upset is a possibility, and that is the last thing he as well as the club wants.
To that regards – it’s important that they begin their European campaign with a win, and that too a confidence-boosting one.
Considering that Luis Castro’s men are from the Ukrainian top flight – a league that is far inferior to that of La Liga (one of the top-two competitions in Europe), it’s expected that Los Blancos will have a big upper hand this match-day.
Moreover, they are also the most successful club in this competition with 13 trophies, and on top of all that, they have a 100% winning record in h2h clashes.
The Spanish champions have won every single match-up so far. They have scored four or more goals in 100% of encounters. At this venue, they are yet to concede a goal.
Real Madrid have a few injury concerns to deal with. Young Norwegian midfielder Martin Odegaard, right-back Dani Carvajal and forward Eden Hazard are all out due to injuries. There remain doubts over the availability of key centre-back Sergio Ramos, right-back Alvaro Odriozola and attacker Mariano Diaz.
Meanwhile, Shakhtar Donetsk have no known injury issues and manager Luis Castro is expected to have a fully-fit squad at his disposal ahead of this Champions League encounter.
Man City vs FC Porto
Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Wednesday, 21-10-2020 @10pm
Ref: Andris Treimanis (LAT)
The new campaign will see Manchester City host Porto FC in the first round, in a group where Citizens shouldn’t have a lot of troubles to secure one of top two spots.
Pep Guardiola and his team were stopped in Champions League quarter-finals by Lyon a couple of months ago, and now their new hunt for most prestigious European football trophy starts again.
The Citizens have been very inconsistent in the Premier League though, which gives hope to Portuguese champions to snatch a point or three from Etihad.
These two teams have locked horns only twice in history. It happened in season 2011/2012 in UEFA Cup playoffs.
Manchester City easily eliminated Porto by beating them in both games with total goal difference of 6-1.
Manchester City have a depleted squad at the moment and will have to account for several injuries at the moment. Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus are currently sidelined and will not play a part in this game.
Pep Guardiola will also have to do without Aymeric Laporte and Benjamin Mendy against FC Porto. Sergio Aguero has returned to the fold and is likely to start against the Portuguese side.
FC Porto also have a few long-term injuries to account for in this fixture and will have to do without star defender Ivan Marcano. Shot-stopper Mouhamed Mbaye will also have to remain on the sidelines for this game.
Ajax Amsterdam vs Liverpool
Johan Cryuff Arena, Amsterdam
Wednesday, 21-10-2020 @10pm
Ref: Felix Brych (GER)
The last couple of weeks have been very turbulent for Liverpool FC.
The reigning Premier League champions have suffered a shocking 2-7 FT defeat to Aston Villa and dropped points during the last weekend against city rivals Everton.
Things are not looking good for Jurgen Klopp’s team before a rough trip to Amsterdam, where they will start brand new UEFA Champions League campaign against Ajax.
The Dutch side also had a couple of slip-ups lately, but we shouldn’t underestimate the experience this team gathered by playing big UCL games in the last few years.
Ajax have no known injury issues, and manager Erik ten Hag is expected to have a fully-fit squad at his disposal.
Meanwhile, Liverpool were dealt a heavy blow in their clash against Everton. Key centre-back Virgil Van Dijk suffered a serious injury which could potentially keep him out of the team for the rest of the season. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker, midfielder Thiago Alcantara and England international Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all out.
It was quite shocking to find that there were no previous head to head meetings between Ajax and Liverpool even though both sides are consistent when it comes to playing on European scene.
Bayern Munich vs Atletico Madrid
Allianz Arena, Munich
Wednesday, 21-10-2020 @10pm
Ref: Michael Oliver (ENG)
The Bavarians are the defending champions, and they have all the intention in the world to repeat their heroics of the last season. Also, their striker Robert Lewandowski looks dead-set on claiming the Golden Boot and the Ballon d’Or, which escaped his clutches through the fingertips.
They have been placed in the slightly complicated Group A, along with giant-killers Los Colchoneros, and the free-scoring Salzburg.
In order to ensure a smooth progression to the knockouts, it’s important that Hans-Dieter Flick’s men do not get cocky and take these opponents slightly. Diego Simeone’s men have a reputation of laying waste on reigning champions – case in point, the debacle in Anfield in the Round of 16 the past season.
These two teams had locked horns in the 1974 European Champions’ Clubs Cup Final. Then, spoils were shared with a 1-1 scorecard. As penalty shootouts were not used, the final was replayed, and then the Germans won the game convincingly with a 4-0 scoreline. Later in 2016, these two were pitted against each other in the semi-finals. Then, the Spaniards won the first leg at home 1-0, while their counterparts won 2-1 at the Allianz Arena. And due to the away-goal rule, the Colchoneros progressed. In 2017, both were included in the same group. Both matches were won by the team that hosted the fixture, with 1-0 scorelines.
Bayern Munich have a few injury concerns ahead of the game. Winger Leroy Sane, the summer’s marquee signing, is out, alongside young centre-back Tanguy Nianzou and defender Chris Richards.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone will be unable to call upon the services of Croatian right-back Sime Vrsaljko, who is out with an injury. There remain doubts over the availability of centre-back Jose Gimenez.
Inter Milan vs Borussia Monchengladbach
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan
Wednesday, 21-10-2020 @10pm
Ref: Borjan Kuipers (HOL)
Both teams have been experiencing a resurgence in their status in their respective leagues lately. Antonio Conte’s men almost put an end to the monopoly of Juventus in the Serie A the last season. They did fall short one point at the very end, but by then they had made their statement.
This time around they have begun on a great note. They did lose in the Milan derby, but still they have done far better than that of the defending champions so far.
Scoring goals in plenty has been their style lately, and for that the club has to thank gaffer Conte. Moreover, the arrival of Romelu Lukaku and the rise of Lautaro Martinez have also helped immensely.
Meanwhile, the Foals had finished fourth in the Bundesliga table in 2019-20. Apart from qualifying for the CL, the far more impressive feat was that they were just four points below that of runners-up Borussia Dortmund.
Both these teams have proved that they have phenomenal fighting spirit, and we can count on them to give their best on the pitch to go after the win.
Moreover, with the presence of Real Madrid in the same group, there is surely an upset on the cards, and each and every point earned will be supremely important towards the end of the Group Stage.
Inter Milan have to deal with a few issues. Veteran full-back Ashley Young, goalkeeper Ionut Radu, midfielders Roberto Gagliardini and Radja Nainggolan, as well as Slovakian centre-back Milan Skriniar all tested positive for coronavirus, and it remains to be seen whether they are available in time for the clash.
Uruguay international Matias Vecino and Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez are likely to miss this game due to injuries.
Meanwhile, Borussia Monchengladbach will be without young forward Julio Villalba, defender Louis Bayer, Austria international Valentino Lazaro, Slovakian midfielder Laszlo Benes and key midfielder Denis Zakaria, who are all out with injury problems.
Barring a single encounter, every single match-up between the two has had goals from both teams. The latest clash had ended in a 2-3 win for the Germans. 100% of meetings at this venue have had five or more goals. The combined scorecard for the past two meetings at this stadium is, 6-5, in favor of the hosts.
Midtjylland vs Atalanta
MCH Arena, Herning
Wednesday, 21-10-2020 @10pm
Ref: Artur Soares Dias (POR)
Champions of Denmark, team Midtjylland have made their historic placement into the group stages and they will play the first UCL match on Wednesday night at home venue against Atalanta.
The team from Bergamo has been playing incredible football in the last sixteen months, even making it to Champions League quarter-finals a couple of months ago. They have been also dominant in Serie A, scoring 98 goals in the previous campaign.
There were no previous head to head meetings between Midtjylland and Atalanta.
Olympiakos vs Olympique Marseille
Stadio Georgis Karaiskaki, Piraeus
Wednesday, 21-10-2020 @10pm
Ref: Daniele Orsato (ITA)
Wednesday’s clash in Greece between Olympiacos and Marseille is surely not going to be in top priority list when it comes to football quality, but there are plenty of solid betting opportunities available.
Greek side has been standard member of UCL group stages for almost a decade now, while Olimpique Marseille had their ups and downs over the course of last few years.
Hosts had to go through the qualifying round as well, but there were no troubles in beating Cypriot champions Omonia Nicosia.
These two teams have met only twice in history so far. Those encounters were in UEFA Champions League group stages season 2011/12. Interestingly, visitors were victorious in both occasions with identical 1-0 score.
Tuesday’s results
-Zenit 1-2 Club Brugge
-Dynamo Kiev 0-2 Juventus
-Lazio 3-1 Borussia Dortmund
-Chelsea 0-0 Sevilla
-Rennes 1-1 Krasnodar
-Barclona 5-1 Ferencvaros
-PSG 1-2 Man United
-RB Leipzig 2-0 Istanbul BB
