Our predictions for Champions League matchday 2
| Matches | Prediction | Odds | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSV vs Sporting | Sporting Win | 2.72 | 38.5% |
| Aston Villa vs Bayern | Bayern Win | 1.75 | 57.1% |
| Leverkusen vs AC Milan | Leverkusen Win | 1.73 | 58.8% |
| Lille vs Real Madrid | Real Madrid Win | 1.58 | 65.4% |
| Liverpool vs Bologna | Liverpool Win | 1.22 | 83.3% |
Odds courtesy of 1xBet. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Swedish forward the key: PSV vs Sporting
- Date: 01/10/2024
- Kick-off: 21:00
- Sporting to narrowly win in the Netherlands against PSV @2.72 1xBet correct as of 30/09/24.
Sporting began their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 victory against Lille, while PSV were brushed aside against Juventus 3-1. Forward Viktor Gyokeres is on a remarkable scoring streak, with 10 domestic goals from just six matches.
The Portuguese side have won their last seven matches and have kept five clean sheets in a row. The visitors are flying at the moment, and their current price is too good to ignore.
Back the visitors to prevail: Aston Villa vs Bayern
- Date: 02/10/2024
- Kick-off: 21:00
- Bayern to make a statement victory against Aston Villa @1.75 1xBet correct as of 30/09/24.
Although Aston Villa won their opening Champions League match 3-0 against Young Boys, Bayern Munich are streets ahead of the Swiss side.
Vincent Kompany’s side hammered Dinamo Zagreb 9-2, before backing it up with a 5-0 romp over Werder Bremen. Including the 6-1 victory over Kiel, they have now scored 20 goals in their last three matches.
Aston Villa have only kept one clean sheet this campaign at the time of writing, and keeping Bayern out will be near impossible.
Formidable Germans at home: Leverkusen vs AC Milan
- Date: 01/10/2024
- Kick-off: 21:00
- Europa League finalists Leverkusen to beat AC Milan at home @1.73 1xBet correct as of 30/09/24
Leverkusen have resumed their good form from last campaign and opened their Champions League campaign with a 4-0 win against Feyenoord. A dramatic 4-3 win against Wolfsburg last weekend showed how resilient Xabi Alonso’s side is.
AC Milan won their derby against Inter, but were previously humbled by Liverpool 3-1. Leverkusen don’t lose often, while Milan’s start to the season has been rather mixed.
Champions to prove too strong: Lille vs Real Madrid
- Date: 02/10/2024
- Kick-off: 21:00
- Champions Real Madrid can beat Lille @ 1.58 1xBet correct as of 30/09/24
Carlo Ancelotti’s side have won their last five matches, impressively scoring 14 goals in the process, which included a 3-1 victory against Stuttgart in their Champions League opener.
Their new marquee signing Kylian Mbappe has scored four games in a row, and Lille will do extremely well to stop him from adding to his tally.
The French club have already lost four games this season, and their defensive issues will likely hold them back from progress in this competition.
Italians to struggle at Anfield: Liverpool vs Bologna
- Date: 02/10/2024
- Kick-off: 21:00
- Arne Slot’s Liverpool can beat their Italian opponents @ 1.22 1xBet correct as of 30/09/24
Liverpool fought back bravely to pick off AC Milan at the San Siro last time out, and back at Anfield they are heavy favourites to collect another three points.
Already in four matches this campaign, Liverpool have scored at least three goals, with seven different goalscorers across their last five games. Under their new head coach, Slot has his team playing free-flowing football in the final third.
Bologna were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw against Shaktar, and in five Serie A matches, they’ve only picked up one victory. At Anfield, this should be a routine win for the hosts who are genuine contenders to win the whole tournament.
Conclusion
With bookmakers finding their feet with the new Champions League format, there’s plenty of value, especially with certain away teams in round two. Sporting seem to be a great price considering the form of striker Viktor Gyokeres, while Bayern near 2.0 is always worth considering.
Routine victories for Real Madrid, Liverpool and Leverkusen appear to be on the cards, in what should be another exciting round of action.
Good luck to those who follow and do remember to bet on the Champions League responsibly.