Recap (Full Card at End)
After a fantastic day 1 of games, we have 2 of the biggest clubs in the world facing off when Barcelona hosts PSG at Camp Nou. Not to be outdone UCL title contenders Arsenal and Manchester City take on Olympiacos and Monaco respectively. With so many games on today I’ll break down the biggest matchups and provide detailed insight into the best bets and player props for today’s matches.
PSG @ Barcelona
Undoubtedly the biggest matcchup of the day, last year’s UCL Champions and Ballon D’or winner Ousmane Dembele will travel to Camp Nou for a fixture against the Spanish giants Barcelona. Barcelona have been unbeatable as of late winning 5 out of their last 6 games including a UCL win away at Newcastle 2-1 in matchweek 1. The Spanish side has been impregnable at Camp Nou going unbeaten in their last 7 UCL home matches. PSG have been on equally hot form to begin their season winning 5 out of 6 as well with a 4-0 romping of Atalanta in their UCL opener. In all 13 of PSG’s most recent Champions League games they have not suffered a deficit at halftime. Head to head the two squads have split the series with PSG winnning 3 out of 6 matches and Barcelona winning 2 with a draw. Ousman Dembele the reigning Ballon D’or winner will miss this contest with a hamstring injury and even though PSG has quality players to replace him that will be a big blow for the visitors. I like Barcelona to protect their home field advantage against a PSG team that is not 100% healthy. I’ll also take the over in this contest as both sides are averaging well over 2 goals scored per fixture.
Best Bet: Barcelona ML (-140), Over 3.5 Goals (-110)
Juventus @ Villareal
Juventus will travel to Spain on the back of 3 straight draws including a 4-4 shootout with Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. Villareal lost their UCL opener agiainst Tottenham 1-0, but have bounce back well domestically winning 3 straight La Liga contests prior to today’s fixture. Home matches have been good for Villareal as they have won all 4 of their home matches so far this year allowing just 1 goal in that span. The last time these two squads met was back in the 2022 season with Villareal winning that encounter 3-0 over Jiuventus. After this match both sides will face major rivals in their next game with Villareal facing Real Madrid and Juventus hosting Milan. This is a spot for a look ahead game it just comes down to which side is going to lose focus and not enter this game with the proper urgency. I like the home team in this affair to slow down a high flying Juventus attack and get their first win of the young UCL season.
Best Bet: Villareal ML (+110)
Sporting Lisbon @ Napoli
Naploli will host the Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon at the Stadio Maradona, named after the club legend, in their 2nd game of their UCL campaign. Napoli lost to Milan in the Serie A in their last game 2-1 and were also defeated in their UCL opener by Manchester City 2-0. Sporting Lisbon on the other hand have been in fine form winning 5 out of their last 6 including a leisurely matchweek 1 against Kairat Almaty with their lone loss coming against rivals Porto back in August. In 2 home matches Napoli won both, while Sporting have been unbeaten in their last 6 away matches with 4 wins in that time frame. I like the Portuguese side to at least earn a draw based on their hot away form against a quality Napoli team in an exciting encounter.
Best Bet: Sporting Lisbon +0.5 (-150)
Athletic Bilbao @ Borussia Dortmund
The German club Borussia Dortmund will host Athletic Bilbao in a matchweek 2 UCL clash with both teams eager to earn their first Champions League win of the season. In their last 6 matches Dortmund have not lost winning 4 and drawing 2 including a 4-4 matchup with Juventus in their first UCL game of the season. Atletic Bilbao have been in poor form losing 4 out of their last 6 and not winning a game in all competitions since August. In 8 games played so far this season Bilbao has conceded 10 goals and scored only 7 themselves. Dortmund are undefeated in 7 of their last 8 Champions League games and I like them to defeat a struggling Bilbao side in this fixture.
Best Bet: Dortmund ML (-130)
Manchester City @ Monaco
The Ligue 1 side Monaco will host Pep Guardiola and Manchester City at the Stade Louis in matchweek 2 of their UCL campaign. Monaco will enter this fixture on mixed form winning 3 and losing 3 in their last 6 matches across all competitions. In the Champions League Monaco are in an unfortunate period, winning just 1 out of their last 7 matches in the Champions League. Their defense has been the source of their weakness conceding a mind numbing 4 goals per game in those UCL matches. Man City on the other hand are in their usual run of form winning 4 out of their last 5 with a lone draw against EPL title challengers Arsenal. Both sides are scoring goals so far this year with each averaging over 2 goals scored per game, but City’s defense has been much more solid allowing just 6 goals compared to Monaco’s 14 in one less game played. I like City to get all 3 points in France with a decisive victory in this affair I also like the total to go over 3.5 goals scored as Monaco’s leaky defense strikes again.
Best Bet: Man City -1.5 (+100), Over 3.5 (-120)
Full Card
- Barcelona ML (-140)
- BARvsPSG Over 3.5 Goals (-110)
- Villareal ML (+110)
- Sporting +0.5 (-150)
- Dortmund ML (-130)
- Man City -1.5 (+100)
- MANCvsMON Over 3.5 (-120)
The Bookie of Eli 
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