Last season, none of the teams with fewer than four points after four games qualified for the play-offs. Tough decisions may have to be made now.
| Champions League struggler tips | Odds |
|---|---|
| Benfica to beat Ajax | 1.89 |
| Slavia Prague vs Athletic Club - BTTS | 1.77 |
| Copenhagen to beat Kairat to nil | 2.34 |
Odds courtesy of Betway. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Hope remains for Europe’s struggling sides
Although the play-offs now seem out of reach for many, hope remains. Paris Saint-Germain only had four points after four games last season. They ended up winning the tournament. However, a defeat for teams below 24th in the table would likely end their European ambitions.
Over in Amsterdam, Ajax play host to Benfica, as the UCL’s bottom two teams clash. Meanwhile, Copenhagen welcome Kairat as 33rd takes on 34th place. Elsewhere, Athletic Club travel to Slavia Prague to keep their European campaign alive. Defeat for any of them would dash any hopes of reaching the play-offs.
Of the six teams, only Athletic have claimed a UCL win so far. Ajax and Benfica are yet to pick up a point. The Dutch and Portuguese giants need to get going quickly if they’re to even stand a chance.
Could de Godenzonen choose to prioritise their struggles in the Eredivisie? Will the financial rewards of Champions League victories prove too tempting? With £1.8m on offer per victory at this stage, chasing all three points is quite an incentive.
Looking at market values via Transfermarkt, Ajax (€196m) and Benfica (€357m) are both underperforming. Nine other clubs have a lower value, while Kairat (€16m) are bottom of the list — technically overperforming. Athletic (€370m) are valued higher than 20 other clubs, yet 26 are above them in the table.
How to bet on these UCL strugglers
First up is Ajax vs Benfica. Both teams are struggling in Europe, but domestically, only one is genuinely in trouble. Benfica may be third in the Primeira Liga, but they’re still unbeaten and in the title race. Ajax, meanwhile, are 6th and 14 points off leaders PSV. They're even eight points off second place.
Even though the Dutch side have home advantage on Matchday 5, it’s still worth backing the visitors. Excelsior won at the Johan Cruyff Arena over the weekend, so As Águias will certainly fancy their chances.
Next is Athletic’s trip to Prague. The Spaniards started their season well back in August. However, they have won only two games across all competitions since the start of September. They’ve also lost four of their last five and haven’t won away in almost three months. The Czechs will sense an opportunity here.
However, with so much on the line, the visitors may raise their game. On paper, they should be able to beat Slavia. However, the Fortuna Arena is no easy venue. We’d rather back goals than the result in this one.
Finally, FC Copenhagen play host to Kazakhstan’s Kairat in Denmark. The Danes have had a very mixed season. They find themselves fourth in the Superliga and already six points off the league leaders, AGF. Their European record is similar to Kairat’s, with only goal difference separating them.
Things have been better at home. Copenhagen have lost just twice all season — once to Borussia Dortmund. Løverne have also kept six clean sheets along the way, while the visitors rarely score freely. Kairat lead their domestic league, but with only two UCL goals so far, the hosts should maintain a clean sheet.