There were 40 goals scored across the nine matches, with an average of 4.44 per game. Several minnows suffered hammerings at the hands of their vastly superior rivals, and this trend could continue in the remaining fixtures in the league phase.
The bigger teams typically secure their place in the round of 16 by the sixth game of the Champions League. However, the new format has left some sides fighting for a place in the top eight. With some one-sided matches in the next round of fixtures, we should see some emphatic victories once again.
Market | Odds |
|---|---|
Atletico Madrid vs Slovan Bratislava - Atletico Madrid -2 Handicap | |
Shakhtar vs Bayern Munich - Bayern Munich -2 Handicap | |
Red Bull Salzburg vs PSG - PSG -1 Handicap |
Odds courtesy of 1xBet. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Champions League Hopefuls Have the Chance to Flex Their Muscles
Atletico Madrid vs Slovan Bratislava
Atletico Madrid climbed to 15th in the league phase after thrashing Sparta Prague 6-0 in their last Champions League game. They racked up an xG of 3.11 and were clinical in front of goal. Another comprehensive victory could see them break into the top eight.
Diego Simeone’s side had a slow-ish start to the season, but a tremendous run of wins has seen them claw their way into contention in La Liga. They are also a dangerous outfit in the Champions League, having lost just one of their last 12 home games in this competition.
It promises to be a long evening for Slovan Bratislava. They have already been put to the sword by Celtic and Manchester City in this year’s competition. The Slovakian side have no points after five matches, and they have been conceding an average of 3.6 goals per game, more than any other side.
Shakhtar vs Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich were hoping for an automatic place in the top eight at the start of the league phase, but they will need to put together a run of victories to achieve that goal. The Bavarians have already lost to Barcelona and Aston Villa, but wins over PSG and Benfica have enabled them to move within one point of 8th place.
Vincent Kompany’s side have been dangerous going forward this season. They are the top scorers in the Bundesliga, averaging over three goals per game. Bayern also beat Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 in the Champions League.
Shakhtar have one win in five Champions League matches. They have already lost 3-0 at this ground when they faced Atalanta. The Italian side created five big chances in that match, so the signs are ominous ahead of Bayern’s visit. Shakhtar lost 7-0 the last time they faced Bayern.
Red Bull Salzburg vs PSG
PSG are fighting to make it beyond the league phase. They made it to the last four in this competition last season, but now find themselves in 25th place ahead of their clash with Red Bull Salzburg.
Luis Enrique’s side may have stumbled in Europe, but they have proven how deadly they can be in their domestic matches. They have scored more than 2.8 goals per game on average.
Red Bull Salzburg have lost four of their five games in the Champions League thus far. Three of those defeats have come by a margin of three goals or more. The most concerning result was the 2-0 home defeat against Dinamo Zagreb. With Salzburg faltering on home turf, PSG will be confident of securing a comprehensive win, particularly after the Austrian side were beaten 5-0 in their last European game.
With several minnows taking on giant clubs with everything on the line, expect to see some one-sided games when the Champions League resumes on Tuesday night.