Europe UEFA Competitions 2025/26 - Champions League, Europa & Conference League

[Betting Forum]

All of the discussions for the Champions League, Europa & Conference League season goes here from now on.

 

[spkutano]

Inter vs Liverpool Preview (Tuesday) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Inter:
Sommer; Akanji, Bisseck, Bastoni; Augusto, Zielinski, Barella, Calhanoglu, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez

Liverpool:
Alisson; Bradley, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Chiesa; Ekitike

Inter have 12 points after the first five rounds. They started with a 2:0 win against Ajax in Amsterdam and then secured three more. The Nerazzurri outplayed Slavia Prague (3:0) and Royale Union (4:0), while Kairat Almaty were narrowly beaten 2:1. The perfect series came to its end in the fifth round when Inter lost 2:1 to Atletico Madrid. Julian Alvarez had given the home side a lead after 9 minutes. It was his 10th goal in 14 Champions League appearances since signing from Manchester City. The Italians drew level through Piotr Zielinski's goal in the 54th minute. It looked like the points will be shared, but Jose Maria Gimenez scored a last-gasp winner. The defeat leaves Inter in fourth place - level on 12 points with Paris St-Germain, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Coach Cristian Chivu could be satisfied with the actual record, though there is no space for any relaxation. The Romanian tactician has some injury issues as Matteo Darmian, Tomas Palacios and backup goalkeeper Raffaele Di Gennaro are out injured, while Denzel Dumfries is rated as doubtful.

Liverpool have 9 points, but they are in very specific situation. The Reds are in big crisis, maybe the biggest one in the last 50 years. During the weekend Liverpool visited Leeds United and collect one point, playing a 3:3 draw. In fact Slot and his men dropped two points as they had a 2:0 lead thanks to Hugo Ekitike's brace early in the second half. Nevertheless, everything went wrong way after Ibrahima Konate made a stupid penalty that was converted by Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the 73rd minute. Just two minutes later Anton Stach equalized the result. Dominik Szoboszlai restored the Reds' lead, but Ao Tanaka rescued point for Leeds in the stoppage time. It means Liverpool are now unbeaten in the last three Premier League matches, but collect just 5 from the possible 9 points. To be worse, Mohamed Salah was benched and he addressed his frustrations to Arne Slot. The Egypt winger said that he feels as though he has been "thrown under the bus" by Liverpool and that his relationship with head coach Slot has broken down. It remains to be seen if his relationship with the Dutchman and the club can be repaired.

Inter vs Liverpool Prediction:

Inter have 12 points and victory here will probably guarantee Top-8 finish. Liverpool, meanwhile. have 9 points and they will probably go through playoff's. However, Liverpool need a positive result in this match more than anything. But big question is how. How the team that conceded three goals from Leeds United or Nottingham could escape the defeat at Meazza? The results in Europe are slightly better, but the Reds conceded four goals from PSV at Anfield in the last round. The defense looks like "Swiss cheese". It will be a miracle to keep a clean sheet at Meazza. At the same time Slott has fantastic players up front. With or without Salah, Liverpool are able to score against every European team.

Inter vs Liverpool Pick: Both teams to score -Yes @ 1.57 with Bet365

 

[BlueMoonTips]

Not gonna lie, Thursday can not come quick enough. Real Madrid vs City is always chaos in a suit.

Matchup wise it’s the usual story. Madrid are happy to suffer a bit, then they hit you fast when you get sloppy. City have to be patient but also not fall asleep on the one moment they pick the lock and lose it in midfield. If we give away cheap transitions, you are basically donating goals.

Bet angle for me is simple. City +0.25 Asian handicap. If it’s a draw you still get paid half, and I can see this being level for long spells even if it goes end to end late. That’s a bet I’d take all day in these big away nights.

Prediction: 2-2. Both teams score, both teams have spells, nobody gets to relax.

 

[spkutano]

Real Madrid vs Manchester City Preview (Wednesday) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Real Madrid:
Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Carreras; Tchouameni, Camavinga; Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr; Mbappe

Manchester City:
Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly; Gonzalez; Cherki, Reijnders, Foden, Doku; Haaland

Real Madrid are in big crisis at the moment. The culmination was the match against Celta Vigo on Sunday. Los Blancos were clear favorites, but suffered a painful defeat. To be worse, the defeat came at Santiago Bernabeu. Coach Xabi Alonso came under huge pressure, as well as the players. Nevertheless, a victory here will improve the atmosphere in the club and increase the players confidence. Real have four wins and one defeat after five rounds and a victory here will be a step towards the knock out phase. However, it won't be easy. Alonso has big injury issues ahead of this match, particularly in defense. Eder Militao is the latest victim after he suffered a first-half hamstring injury against Celta. He is ruled out of Wednesday's fixture, together with the fellow defenders Dani Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ferland Mendy, while Dean Huijsen and David Alaba are both rated as doubtful.

Manchester City have 10 points at the moment and sit on the 9th place. They managed to beat Napoli, Villarreal and Borussia Dortmund, shared the points with Monaco and lost to Bayer Leverkusen at Etihad in the last round. The defeat complicate the situation and the Citizens now need a positive result from Bernabeu. Perhaps Pep Guardiola went too far by making 10 changes for that fixture. The key players, including the top scorer Haaland, started from the bench. When Pep realized he can't win with the "reserves", he made five changes. Haaland, Cherki, Doku, Foden and O'Reilly came in during the second half, but failed to make any impact. I am sure Pep will start at Bernabeu with the best 11in order to escape the defeat. However, Guardiola has some injury issues. Mateo Kovacic and Rodri are definitely sidelined for the trip to the Spanish capital, while John Stones is rated as doubtful.

Real Madrid vs Manchester City Prediction:

Xabi Alonso made 79 appearances under Guardiola, and he certainly knows the way how Pep is thinking. It is not a surprise Alonso already won the title in Germany with Leverkusen. He is one of Guardiola's best students and I am sure this will be a very interesting clash. Both Real and City are in "Must Win"situation. They both want a Top-8 finish to avoid playoffs and three points from this match could be crucial. That is why I am expecting an open and efficient match here. Real have Mbappe who love to play in the competition. The Frenchman has scored nine goals in five games in the Champions League this season. Haaland is also in good form and it will be very hard for Real defenders to stop the Norwegian, particularly knowing the injury situation - Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ferland Mendy are out, while Dean Huijsen and David Alaba are rated as doubtful. I expect at least four goals to be scored in Madrid.

Real Madrid vs Manchester City Pick: Over 3.5 goals @ 2.23 with Pinnacle

 

[spkutano]

Utrecht vs Nottingham Forest Preview (Thursday) Europa League:

Possible starting lineups:

Utrecht:
Barkas; Horemans, Van de Hoorn, Viergever, El Karouani; Bozdogan, Ongena, De Wit; Rodriguez, Min, Cathline

Nottingham Forest:
Victor; Abbott, Milenkovic, Morato, Williams; Dominguez, Sangare; Ndoye, McAtee, Hudson-Odoi; Kalimuendo

Utrecht have just one point after the first five rounds and it is clear they need a "small miracle" to qualify for the knock-out phase of the competition. The Dutch outfit lost four matches, from Lyon, Brann, Freiburg and Betis, while drew with Porto at Dragao. Playing in Europe is always good for the financial stability, however, sometime the priority list need a revision and this is exactly the situation. Utrecht are 7th in Eredivisie with 22 points, just four adrift of fourth-placed Ajax Amsterdam. On Sunday they will travel to relegation candidates NAC Breda and I think that will be a priority for coach Ron Jans. In addition, some players are unavailable due to various reasons. Midfielder Davy van den Berg is out injured, while Victor Jensen, Noah Ohio, Emirhan Demircan and Kolbeinn Finnsson are all ineligible as they were omitted from the club’s Europa League squad. On the positive note, Barkas Vasileios and Souffian El Karouani returned from injury.

Nottingham Forest have eight points from the first five rounds and few more will guarantee the knock-out phase. But similar to their opponents, the Tricky Trees need to define their priorities. Forest are just outside the drop zone and their situation is very complicated. Just three days later Nottingham will host Tottenham in the Premier League and I think the points from that match are more important. Many pundits are confused how basically the same team that were fighting for a Champions League spot last season have now been transformed into the relegation candidates. The answer is not a secret and has a name - owner Evangelos Marinakis. He already sacked two managers (Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou) and now Sean Dyche is in charge. He has long injury list for this match that also includes two key players - defender Murillo and striker Chris Wood. In addition, Ola Aina, Douglas Luiz, Taiwo Awoniyi, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Dilane Bakwa, Angus Gunn and Ryan Yates are all out injured. Omari Hutchinson and Jair Cunha are ineligible to play in Europa League.

Utrecht vs Nottingham Forest Prediction:

I will give some advantage to Utrecht. They have just a theoretical chance to secure the knock-out phase, but I think they will not give up without a fight. Nottingham have two key players out injured - defender Murillo and striker Chris Wood. In addition, Ola Aina, Douglas Luiz, Taiwo Awoniyi, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Dilane Bakwa, Angus Gunn and Ryan Yates are all injured. Omari Hutchinson and Jair Cunha are ineligible to play in Europa League. On top of that, some players will be rested for Sunday's clash with Tottenham. I will remind You about the previous away fixture, against Sturm Graz on 6 November. Dyche then made seven changes from the side that started three days ago with Manchester United in the Premier League. I expect something similar here.

Utrecht vs Nottingham Forest Pick: Utrecht +0.5 AH @ 2.07 with Pinnacle

 

[spkutano]

Inter vs Arsenal Preview (Tuesday, 20.01.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Inter:
Sommer; Acerbi, Akanji, Bastoni; Henrique, Barella, Mkhitaryan, Zielinski, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez

Arsenal:
Raya; White, Saliba, Mosquera, Lewis-Skelly; Eze, Zubimendi, Merino; Madueke, Jesus, Martinelli

Last month Inter suffered a narrow 1:0 defeat to Liverpool at Meazza. Some 40 days later, once again Inter host English opposition, this time the Premier League leaders Arsenal are the opponents. The Nerazzurri started the Champions League in excellent way, with four victories in the opening four rounds. They managed to beat Ajax, Slavia Prague, Royale Union and Kairat Almaty. And just when everything looked perfect, Inter suffered two defeats. First they lost 2:1 to Atletico Madrid and then lost 1:0 to Liverpool. Both defeats were unlucky - Inter conceded in stoppage time in Madrid, while a soft penalty decided the match with Liverpool. Coach Chivu and his players now feel big pressure and that could be a problem. In addition, Chivu is without two vital players as Hakan Calhanoglu and Denzel Dumfries remain sidelined with calf and ankle injury respectively. Backup goalkeeper Josep Martinez, Raffaele Di Gennaro and Tomas Palacios are also absent for the hosts.

Arsenal are fantastic this season, they are first in the Premier League and they are first in the Champions League overall table. Mikel Arteta is doing an excellent job and the fans are pleased. After years of frustrations, this is something they were waiting for. The Gunners are the only side with maximal record after six rounds in European most prestigious club competition. The series started against Athletic Bilbao, continued with Olympiakos, Atletico Madrid, Slavia Prague and Bayern Munich, while the last victims were Club Brugge. With 18 points already secured, a draw in this match guarantees Top-8 finish, meaning bypassing the playoffs. The problem is attack, Arsenal failed to score a single goal on the last two matches. The goalless draw, first with Liverpool and then with Nottingham Forest, surely impacted the attackers' confidence in the most critical period. Arteta has almost all key players available, only Max Dowman, Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori remain out injured.

Inter vs Arsenal Prediction:

A "friendly" draw is possible here. One point guarantees Top-8 finish for Arsenal and I am sure Mikel Arteta will be happy with draw. Playing two matches less is something very good for the club still playing in four competitions. Now the second side of the coin - is Chivu equally satisfied with one point? Well, I think so. The reason is simple, Arsenal are the best European team at the moment. It is hard to imagine Arsenal to lose at Meazza. That's all about the "conspiracy". Now about the sports aspect of the story. Inter are without two key players as Hakan Calhanoglu and Denzel Dumfries are out injured. This is a huge handicap for Chivu. The player who could make a difference is Lautaro Martinez. He has scored four goals in five Champions League appearances. But Arsenal have lot of players able to make difference. Chivu should be satisfied with one point here.

Inter vs Arsenal Pick: Draw @ 3.40 with Everygame

 

[spkutano]

Galatasaray vs Atletico Madrid Preview:

Possible starting lineups:

Galatasaray:
Cakir; Elmali, Sanchez, Bardakci, Sallai; Torreira, Lemina; Sane, Akgun, Yilmaz; Osimhen

Atletico Madrid:
Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Barrios, Koke, Baena; Sorloth, Alvarez

Galatasaray will welcome Atletico Madrid to Rams Park in Istanbul on Wednesday evening in UEFA Champions League's seventh round. The Turkish Giants have three wins and three defeats after the first six rounds and sit 18th on the table with nine points. Galata managed to beat Liverpool and Bodo/Glimt at home, as well as Ajax in Amsterdam. Nevertheless, the away form wasn't at desired level, they lost to Eintracht Frankfurt and Monaco. The most painful defeat was the one against Royale Union in Istanbul. I think exactly that defeat will cost them Top-8 finish. Of course, Galata are mathematically still capable of securing an automatic spot in the knockout round, but it will be difficult. They must do something they never did - to beat Atletico Madrid. So far these two teams have played four games in which Atletico won three times, while the remaining fixture ended with draw. Coach Okan Buruk has three injury worries. Gabriel Sara and Arda Unyay are definitely out, while Wilfried Singo is rated as doubtful due to a hamstring issue. Finally, Metehan Baltaci will miss the match due to suspension.

Atletico Madrid are 8th with 12 points. They didn't start the new campaign according to the expectations. In the first three rounds they lost twice. Both defeats came from English opposition, 3:2 to Liverpool at Anfield and 4:0 to Arsenal at Emirates. The defeats were painful, but it isn't a catastrophe. According to the expectations, coach Diego Simeone gave "a lesson" to his players and the results in the next period were better. The Rojiblancos recorded three victories, beating Royale Union, Inter and PSV. Previously they beat Frankfurt, so they are looking for Top-8 finish. Atletico will finish their league stage at home to Bodo/Glimt on January 28. The players confidence is high and I believe Diego Simeone and his players will try to upset Galatasaray in Istanbul. It is not impossible, they are unbeaten in six games against the Turkish opposition in all competitions. The domestic form is solid, they will enter the match off the back of a 1:0 win over Alaves in La Liga. Simeone has almost all players available, only Clement Lenget and Nico Gonzalez are out injured.

Galatasaray vs Atletico Madrid Prediction:

I expect Galatasaray to attack from the first whistle. The Turkish outfit will play against Manchester City in the last round on January 28. It is clear Guardiola's men are huge favorites in that match and defeat could potentially complicate the matters for Galatasaray. Because of that, the match with Atletico is extremely important. And I think Galatasaray will not lose. There are three reasons for my pick. First of all, the home advantage. The full Rams Park in Istanbul will be Galata's 12th players. The fans are magnificent and they are loud the whole 90 minutes. Second, Victor Osimhen is back from Africa Cup of Nations. He is the club best striker and his presence is very important. He is a player able to make a difference. And finally, the third reason is connect with Atletico Madrid. The Rojiblancos are not consistent as guests. They suffered 1:0 defeat in Bilbao and 3:1 defeat at Barcelona. Atletico also lost 2:1 to Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup. The match took place in Saudi Arabia, but 80% of the spectators were Real fans. As You could see, Simeone's side lost three away games against three Spanish teams that compete in the Champions League. I will give some advantage to Galatasaray.

Galatasaray vs Atletico Madrid Pick: Galatasaray or Draw @ 1.82 with 1xBet

 

[spkutano]

Liverpool vs Qarabag Preview (Wednesday, 28.01.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Liverpool:
Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Endo; Gakpo, Mac Allister, Ngumoha; Ekitike

Qarabag:
Kochalski; Silva, Mustafazada, Medina, Cafarquliyev; Jankovic, Bicalho; Andrade, Montiel, Zoubir; Duran

Liverpool will welcome Qarabag to Anfield on Wednesday night in the last round of the league phase of UEFA Champions League. The Reds are looking to finish inside the Top-8 to avoid playoffs. In the previous round Liverpool beat 3:0 Marseille and many believed the crisis is over. But Saturday's match with Bournemouth showed something disturbing - at the moment Liverpool are mediocre side. The atmosphere in the squad is poor, while the players confidence is low. Arne Slot looks unable to change something and he is under huge pressure. The Reds are still searching for their first Premier League victory in 2026. The fans are disappointed, nobody was expecting such collapse. In addition, Slot has big injury issues at the moment. Giovanni Leoni, Alexander Isak and Conor Bradley remain sidelined, while Federico Chiesa is rated as doubtful. The Italian striker missed out against Bournemouth with a knock. Joe Gomez is the latest injury victim after the defender collided with goalkeeper Alisson Becker just before Evanilson scored the first goal. Slot hopes Ibrahima Konate will be available following the death of his father.

Qarabag suffered a surprise 2:0 home defeat to Kapaz in the Azerbaijan top flight, with the visitors scoring a goal in either half. The defeat is very painful in terms of the title race. Leaders Sabah Baku, who beat FK Karvan Evlakh with 4:1 during the weekend, now have four points advantage. Considering the actual situation, I think Qarabag have only theoretical chance for the title. However, the result isn't quite unexpected as Qarabag coach Gurban Gurbanov made 11 changes. He played with reserves in order to save his main players for the match against Liverpool. The domestic form is poor, that was the second defeat in the last three rounds. Nevertheless, the full focus is on the Champions League. Qarabag have beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3:2 in stoppage time last week. They have 10 points and should qualify for the knock-out phase anyway, but a positive result from Anfield guarantee the progress. Gurbanov has almost all players available, only defender Badavi Guseynov and Brazilian playmaker Kady Borges are out injured, while striker Ramil Sheydayev is ineligible.

Liverpool vs Qarabag Prediction:

Liverpool are clear favorites against the Azerbaijani champions. The home advantage and the quality is on their side, but sometime that's not enough. So far Qarabag have upset Benfica in Lisbon, FC Copenhagen and Eintracht Frankfurt, while shared the points with Chelsea. The whole pressure is on Liverpool. Another defeat will be a catastrophe, it's a big question if Arne Slot will survive. His counterpart Gurbanov is in more relaxed position, he has nothing to lose in this match. He will revert to the lineup that started against Frankfurt, with Colombian striker Camilo Duran leading the line. He scored a brace against the German outfit and many things depend on his inspiration. Liverpool defense is like a "Swiss cheese" and I think Qarabag won't lose high.

Liverpool vs Qarabag Pick: Qarabag +2.5 AH @ 1.95 with 1xBet

 

[spkutano]

Napoli vs Chelsea Preview (Wednesday, 28.01.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Napoli:
Meret; Di Lorenzo, Jesus, Buongiorno; Spinazzola, Lobotka, McTominay, Gutierrez; Vergara, Elmas; Hojlund

Chelsea:
Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Badiashile, Cucurella; James, Caicedo; Pedro Neto, Fernandez, Garnacho; Joao Pedro

Napoli will welcome the Premier League side Chelsea to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Wednesday night. The Vesuvians have the home advantage and their fans are well known for creating huge pressure to the visitor's players. At the same time they are Napoli's 12th player. But something else is a problem - the current form. Napoli lost 3:0 to Juventus during the weekend and the players confidence is low. The reigning Italian champions have just one win on the last six matches across all competitions. The injury situation is another problem for Antonio Conte. Kevin De Bruyne and Frank Anguissa are most notable absentees, but there's more - Billy Gilmour, Matteo Politano, David Neres and Amir Rrahmani are also out injured. January signing Giovane, who came from Hellas Verona, is ineligible. Goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic is rated as doubtful with a muscle injury, but that's not a handicap as Alex Meret is equally good. Romelu Lukaku played 15 minutes against Juventus at the weekend, but failed to impress, so he is not expected to start here.

Chelsea are currently on the 8th place and they will try to secure Top-8 finish. However, there are eight other clubs looking for the same spot. Chelsea could drop if they fail to win here, and any one of Barcelona, Sporting, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta or Inter pick up a victory and either Borussia Dortmund or Juventus win by two or more goals. Even a victory doesn't guarantee the 8th place as other teams could win higher. Another problem is the away form - Chelsea have yet to win on road in the Champions League. New manager Liam Rosenior, who replaced Enzo Maresca, bring some consistency. The Blues are in series of three victories and the players confidence is higher. They managed to beat Brentford and Crystal Palace in the Premier League, as well as Pafos in the Champions League. Rosenior started very good and Chelsea could record four wins in a row for first time since October last year. However, the French coach will be missing Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo and Dario Essugo due to injury. Key player Cole Palmer, who missed the win against Crystal Palace with a thigh problem, is rated as doubtful.

Napoli vs Chelsea Prediction:

Both teams are in "must win" situation, Napoli to secure knock-out phase, while Chelsea to avoid playoffs. Both teams will go for victory, but Napoli are slim favorites, mainly due to home advantage. Of course, there's more, Chelsea have a poor record in visits to Italy in European competition. The Blues have won just two of 13 such matches, losing eight in the process, including December’s 2:1 defeat to Atalanta in Bergamo. It is hard to predict the winners, but I think there will be goals on both sides. Simply, both teams need victory and there is no space for any calculations. Chelsea's last 55 matches in European competitions have not ended in a goalless draw. Chelsea and Napoli have met only twice before. In 2012, Chelsea overturned a 3:1 first-leg defeat in Italy with a 4:1 victory at Stamford Bridge. I hope we'll enjoy another efficient clash.

Napoli vs Chelsea Pick: Both teams to score - Yes @ 1.67 with Bet365

 

[spkutano]

Benfica vs Real Madrid Preview (Tuesday, 17.02.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Benfica:
Trubin; Dedic, Araujo, Otamendi, Dahl; Barreiro, Barrenechea; Prestianni, Sudakov, Schjelderup; Pavlidis

Real Madrid:
Courtois; Carreras, Huijsen, Rudiger, Alexander-Arnold; Camavinga, Tchouameni, Valverde; Vinicius, Mbappe, Guler

Benfica and Real Madrid face each other this Tuesday in Lisbon in the UEFA Champions League playoff's first leg. Interesting, exactly these two teams played the most eventful match in the last round of the group stage. Benfica had a 3:2 lead and looked set to go out in painful fashion, on goals scored, despite winning the game. However, a free-kick deep into the stoppage time gave them one last chance. Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin was sent up and the Ukrainian timed his run to perfection to meet the cross with a header past Courtois. The fourth goal saw the Eagles finishing 24th in the standings, securing the next stage on goal difference. The victory sparked wild celebrations in Lisbon as not many fans were expecting such scenario after Benfica lost their first four games in the league phase. Jose Mourinho did a miracle with his first-ever victory against Real Madrid.

Just three weeks later, Benfica will welcome Real Madrid once again. They will try to replicate the result, but will be satisfy with any victory ahead of the second-leg match at Bernabeu. However, it is easier to say. Benfica are in solid form at the moment, winning the last two matches in domestic Primeira. The Eagles beat Alverca at home and Santa Clara away. The atmosphere in the squad is good, while the players confidence is higher. In the Champions League, Benfica have conceded 12 goals on 8 matches during the league phase, number that highlight their defensive weaknesses. I expect more defensive approach from Mourinho in this game. Most of the players are ready, but Fredrik Aursnes is out injured, while Samuel Soares, Joao Veloso and Richard Rios are rated as doubtful. This match come too soon for Alexander Bah, who returned to training after a long spell out with a cruciate ligament injury.

Real Madrid are the most successful club in the competition. They are always between the favorites for the trophy, including the current season. The group stage results were not at highest level, they lost three matches - Liverpool, Manchester City and already mentioned defeat to Benfica. I assume the mentioned defeats were between the reasons for Xabi Alonso's departure. New coach Alvaro Arbeloa is a temporary solution, but his results are very good. Los Blancos have five victories in La Liga under Arbeloa. They managed to beat Levante, Villarreal, Rayo Vallecano, Valencia and Real Sociedad. The players confidence is higher and much of the credit go for Arbeloa. Obviously he know how to keep the things calm. But Arbeloa has four unavailable players for this match. Raul Asencio and Rodrygo will miss out due to suspension as both were sent-off in the finish of the previous clash. The latter will also miss out the second match. In terms of injuries, Jude Bellingham and Eder Militao remain sidelined.

Benfica vs Real Madrid Prediction:

I expect an open and efficient match here. Real are attacking-oriented team, they can't play other way. Arbeloa is doing an excellent job and the fans love him. He know how to communicate with his superstars. The atmosphere in the squad is much better now, while the players confidence is very high. Arbeloa decided to rest his key player Kylian Mbappe on Saturday, but still won 4:1 against Real Sociedad. Benfica, meanwhile, will try to play the same way like they did three weeks ago, hunting opponent's defensive vulnerabilities. It was a match that produced six goals. At least three should be scored now.

Benfica vs Real Madrid Pick: Over 2.5 goals @ 1.68 with 1xBet

 

[spkutano]

Qarabag vs Newcastle Preview (Wednesday, 18.02.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Qarabag:
Kochalski; Silva, Mustafazada, Medina, Cafarquliyev; Bicalho, Jankovic; Andrade, Montiel, Zoubir; Duran

Newcastle:
Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Burn, Hall; Ramsey, Tonali; Elanga, Willock, Gordon; Woltemade

Qarabag are definitely the most pleasant surprise in the current season of UEFA Champions League. Not many of their own fans were expecting to see Qarabag in the playoffs. They started from the qualifications, beating Shelbourne with 4:0 aggregate victory. The next opponents were the Macedonian champions Shkendija. Qarabag again won with 6:1 aggregate victory. Finally they secured a group stage of the competition for the first time in the history after eliminated Ferencvaros with 5:4. The group stage started with a shocking 3:2 win against Benfica in Lisbon. Qarabag also beat FC Copenhagen and Eintracht Frankfurt, while drew with Chelsea. A total of 10 points were enough to see them progressing to the knock-put phase. Coach Gurban Gurbanov, who has been in charge since 2008, did a great job and his name will be remembered in Azerbaijani football forever. He has almost all players available for this match, including Kady Borges, who was sent off in domestic match during the weekend. Goalkeeper Shahrudin Mahammadaliyev is long-term absentee.

Newcastle are the only Premier League outfit that failed to secure a direct spot in the knock-out stage. It is clear they have issues when playing in Europe. The reason for that is usually the small roster and Edie Howe's inability to rotate the players. But here is another problem, the injury situation. No less than eight players are struggling at the moment. Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Tino Livramento, Fabian Schar and Emil Krafth are definitely sidelined, while Sven Botman, Lewis Miley and Yoane Wissa are rated as doubtful and will be evaluated on Wednesday. The absence of captain Bruno Guimaraes is a huge handicap, particularly now - Newcastle travel to Etihad to face Manchester City next Saturday. He is the main player in the midfield and key creative. The away form is another problem for Howe. Since thrashing the Belgian side Union Royale 4:0 in second round, the Magpies failed to secure a victory in the remaining three away fixtures. Nevertheless, I think a possible draw is acceptable for Howe considering the fact they will be hosts in the second leg.

Qarabag vs Newcastle Prediction:

I expect at least three goals in Baku. Qarabag are the most pleasant surprise in the Champions League this season. Their fans were not expecting to see them in the group stage, not to mention to qualify for the knock-out phase. However, coach Gurban Gurbanov did a great job and took the best from his men. Camilo Duran and Andrade are the key names, scoring four and three goals respectively this season. Both players are ready and confident. Qarabag have scored at least two goals on each of their Champions League home fixtures. Newcastle, meanwhile, have failed to keep a clean sheet in seven consecutive matches across all competitions. On the other side, they also have players able to score - Anthony Gordon has eight goals to his name (six scored and two assisted). Harvey Barnes has also been clinical this season, netting five and setting up one. There should be three goals overall.

Qarabag vs Newcastle Pick: Over 2.5 goals @ 1.67 with 1xBet

 

[spkutano]

Fenerbahçe vs Nottingham Forest Preview (Thursday, 19.02.2026) UEFA Europe League:

Possible starting lineups:

Fenerbahce:
Ederson; Semedo, Skriniar, Oosterwolde, Muldur; Yuksek, Guendouzi, Kante; Asensio, Talisca, Akturkoglu

Nottingham Forest:
Gunn; Aina, Milenkovic, Morato, Williams; Anderson, Sangare; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus

Fenerbahce will welcome Nottingham Forest to Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in the UEFA Europa League knockout play-off first leg. The Turkish Giants started in the Champions League and they had big ambitions lead by Jose Mourinho, but everything have changed since the elimination from Benfica. Now we have a weird situation as Mourinho left Fenerbahce and took exactly Benfica. However, the Yellow Canaries have a solid campaign and ended with three victories, three draws and two defeats. They are in excellent form in domestic competitions, winning each of their last three SuperLig matches and beating Erzurumspor in the national cup. Fenerbahce have brought three important players in January - ex Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante, ex Arsenal man Matteo Guendouzi and Sidiki Cherif. All three are eligible to play, but fellow new recruits Anthony Musaba and Mert Gunok have not been included, while Archie Brown remains sidelined with a leg injury.

Nottingham are deeply involved into the relegation battle, but managed to secure playoffs in Europe League. Just to remind You, Nottingham were fighting for a Champions League spot last term, but without success. Greek owner Marinakis showed disrespect to manager Nuno Espirito Santo and decided to be replaced with Ange Postecoglou, who was then replaced with Sean Dyche. Finally, Marinakis appointed Portuguese boss Vitor Pereira on an 18-month contract. His main job is to avoid relegation, but a success in Europe will be something fantastic. Pereira could decide to rest some of his key players for the upcoming clash with Liverpool on Sunday. Chris Wood, Nicolo Savona, John Victor, Willy Boly and Matz Sels are out injured, while new signings Stefan Ortega and Luca Netz are ineligible. Goalkeeper Angus Gunn is expected to start his first game for Nottingham since joining on a free transfer last summer in the absence of both Sels and Ortega.

Fenerbahçe vs Nottingham Forest Prediction:

Fenerbahce won the last four domestic fixtures. The Yellow Canaries, managed to beat Genclerbirligi, Trabzonspor and Kocaelispor in SuperLig, as well as Erzurumspor in the cup. It is clear they are in good form at the moment. The players confidence is high and I expect to win in Istanbul. There is another reason for my pick, connect with Forest. First two goalkeepers Sels and Ortega are out, so third-choice keeper Angus Gunn will start. He joined Forest during the summer, after Norwich City officials decided not to offer him a new contract. The 29-year-old will play his first match in Europe and many things depend on his performances. His inexperience on international level could be a big problem. Finally, the home advantage is also a reason for my pick.

Fenerbahçe vs Nottingham Forest Pick: Fenerbahce to win @ 2.30 with 1xBet

 

[spkutano]

Juventus vs Galatasaray Preview (Wednesday, 25.02.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Juventus:
Perin; Gatti, Bremer, Kelly; McKennie, Locatelli, Thuram, Kostic; Conceicao, Yildiz; David

Galatasaray:
Cakir; Sallai, Bardakci, Sanchez, Jakobs; Torreira, Sara; Yilmaz, Akgun, Lang; Osimhen

Juventus will welcome Galatasaray to Alianz Stadium in Turin on Wednesday night. Last week, the Turkish side won 5:2 in Istanbul, so Galatasaray are huge favorites to qualify for the Last 16 for the first time since 2013-14 season. Gabriel Sara scored the opener after 15 minutes, but Juve quickly responded with Teun Koopmeiners' double. The first half ended with a 2:1 lead for the Old Lady and nobody expected such collapse. However, Noa Lang's brace, and goals scored by Davinson Sanchez and Sacha Boey put Galatasaray in command position. At the end I will mention that substitute Juan Cabal was sent off in the 67th minute and left Juventus a man down.

Juventus are in very complicate situation. They have "mountain to climb"and need a three-goal victory to stay in the duel. It is a difficult job, but not impossible. You probably remember Liverpool's comeback against Barcelona few years ago. The Bianconeri will find several inspiring stories and I believe they won't give up without a proper fight. The problem is they are out of form. Juve lost Derby d’Italia to Inter Milan and subsequently suffered against Como. Spalletti will be without three full-backs, as Emil Holm is injured, while Cabal and Andrea Cambiaso are suspended. Strikers Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik are long-term absentees.

Galatasaray were fantastic in the first leg and they travel to Italy with big advantage. Okan Buruk's men are also fighting for a fourth straight domestic title. However, Galatasaray showed some weaknesses when play away from home. They started the Champions League campaign with a high 5:1 defeat tin Frankfurt, while also lost to Monaco and Manchester City. The only exception is the victory against Ajax in Amsterdam, but it is fair to say Ajax are awful this season. Coach Buruk will be missing Enes Buyuk and Ahmed Kutucu due to injury, plus the suspended Metehan Baltaci. The best scorer Victor Osimhen is rated as doubtful due to a knee injury.

Juventus vs Galatasaray Prediction:

It was a dream night for the Turkish fans last Tuesday. Most of them have already started commenting forums about the Last-16 clash with either Liverpool or Tottenham. But Juventus are able to upset Galatasaray. They need a three-goal victory only to stay in the duel. It is very difficult, but not impossible. Even more as Galatasaray have already suffered a big defeat. In the first round of the competition, Galata lost 5:1 to Eintracht Frankfurt in September, showing the "ugly" side. The current champions also lost during the weekend. Konyaspor took advantage from their "mental absence" on the pitch. I think Juventus will win, but I also expect a handicap victory. They play at home and they are experienced side with lot of talented players. Plus, Galatasaray have never won away to Italian opposition in 13 attempts.

Juventus vs Galatasaray Pick: Juventus -1.5 AH @ 2.28 with 1xBet

 

[spkutano]

Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Preview (Tuesday, 10.03.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Atletico Madrid:
Oblak; Llorente, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Koke, Cardoso, Gonzalez; Sorloth, Alvarez

Tottenham:
Vicario; Danso, Romero, Van de Ven; Porro, Palhinha, Sarr, Gray; Simons; Tel, Solanke

Atletico Madrid will welcome Tottenham to Metropolitano for Tuesday's Champions League last-16 first leg. The Rojiblancos were not consistent during the league phase and finished 14th on the overall table. Their record wasn't perfect, four victories, one draw and three defeats. What is important to be mentioned, two of these three defeats came against English opposition. Atletico lost 3:2 to Liverpool and 4:0 to Arsenal. It is clear coach Diego Simeone must think about some new ideas ahead of this clash. In the playoffs Atletico have eliminated Club Brugge with 7:4 aggregate victory. The players confidence is surely higher after the last successful period that includes a 4:0 win against Barcelona in Copa del Rey semifinal first leg. On Saturday the beat 3:2 Real Sociedad. Simeone has almost all players available for this encounter, only two are struggling with injury. Rodrigo Mendoza, who came off at half time against Sociedad, is doubtful with an ankle problem, while Pablo Barrios could be ready in time for this match if overcome a hamstring injury.

Tottenham are in very difficult situation. The Spurs are just one point away from the drop zone in the Premier League. They are deeply involved in the relegation battle and the fans are frustrated. The club officials replaced Thomas Frank with Igor Tudor, but the results remain poor. The Croatian coach have lost all three of his matches in charge. Nobody believe him when said the team are moving in the right direction and will survive relegation. The last defeat was very painful as Tottenham lost 3:1 to Crystal Palace. After taking an early lead through Solanke, the visitors scored three goals in just 12 first-half minutes. And there is more, Micky van de Ven made a stupid mistake that resulted with penalty and red card. At halftime, hundreds - if not thousands - left the stadium because they were hopeless. The Spurs remain the only Premier League side without a victory in 2026. Tudor has additional problem as many players remain injured. Wilson Odobert, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Ben Davies, Lucas Bergvall, Mohammed Kudus and Rodrigo Bentancur are still out, while Radu Dragusin, Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie are doubtful.

Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Prediction:

Atletico are favorites in this duel. They play at home and this fact should not be underestimated. Simeone is great motivator, he will push his players during the whole 90 minutes. And not only the players, but also the fans. On Saturday Atletico beat 3:2 Real Sociedad, which was their fourth straight home win. They have scored at least three goals in all of those victories. However, this is a bet against Tottenham. They looked very bad on the last match against Crystal Palace. The defeat could somehow be swallowed, but the atmosphere at the stadium was poor. Most of the fans left at halftime, while those who stayed protested against the club board. The players confidence is zero. Playing the second half was a real torture for them. Worst of all, new manager Igor Tudor looks unable to change something. Atletico Madrid should take advantage from the chaotic situation in Tottenham.

Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Pick: Atletico Madrid -1.5 AH @ 2.39 with 1xBet

 

[spkutano]

Real Madrid vs Manchester City Preview (Wednesday, 11.03.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Real Madrid:
Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asensio, Rudiger, Carreras; Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Guler; G. Garcia, Vinicius Jr

Manchester City:
Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Bernardo, Rodri, O’Reilly; Semenyo, Haaland, Marmoush

Real Madrid will welcome Manchester City to Santiago Bernabeu for Wednesday's Champions League Last-16 first leg. Los Blancos are the most successful club in the Champions League and they are between the favorites, like they are every season. However, Real are inconsistent and that's a big problem. The fans are used to trophies in every competition and the coaches are under enormous pressure. The former coach Xabi Alonso was sacked after few poor results. His successor Alvaro Arbeloa, who will lead the team until June, improved the results, but the next period will be difficult, starting from this one. The home form is solid, Real have won five and lost just one of their six Champions League home games this season. However, that solitary defeat was exactly against Manchester City in December. The hosts are handicapped as key player Kylian Mbappe will probably miss the game due to a knee injury. Jude Bellingham is also out with a hamstring injury, joining Rodrygo, Eder Militao, Dani Ceballos and Alvaro Carreras. Finally, Eduardo Camavinga and David Alaba are both rated as doubtful.

Manchester City went directly to the knockout phase after finishing inside Top-8. Playing two matches less then the opponents is an excellent situation in this busy period. Pep Guardiola has two players for every position, though the game with Nottingham showed some weaknesses as City dropped two points in the finish of the match. In the last fixture they won 3:1 against Newcastle despite the fact Pep made 10 changes. Nevertheless, they are still in all four competitions and have chance for Quadruple. The Citizens are second in the Premier League, they will face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on 22 March and City will face Liverpool in the FA Cup quarterfinals. However, the Champions League is the most important competition. Guardiola is now gearing up for his 190th Champions League game as a manager, which will see the former Barcelona and Bayern coach draw level with Sir Alex Ferguson. Pep has the majority of his players available for this match, but Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic remain sidelined through injury.

Real Madrid vs Manchester City Prediction:

The clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City will become the first in the Champions League's history to be played in the knockout phase in five consecutive campaigns. Real also hosted City this season in the league stage. Man City won 2:1 in December. I believe Manchester City will win again. Real are without key player Mbappe due to injury. He currently leads the scoring charts in both La Liga (23 goals) and the UEFA Champions League (13 goals) for the 2025-26 campaign. They will also miss Bellingham and that's another handicap for Arbeloa. He has 6 goals and 4 assists this season. That's the first reason for my pick. Second, Real have lost each of their last four UEFA games against English opposition. Third and last reason is connect with the coaching factor. Pep Guardiola is the best European coach, he won multiple trophies with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City. Arbeloa, meanwhile, was the head coach of Real Madrid's reserve team for seven months prior to the appointment. He has no other coaching job in his career and it is clear he is inexperienced.

Real Madrid vs Manchester City Pick: Manchester City to win @ 2.00 with Everygame

 

[spkutano]

Nottingham Forest vs FC Midtjylland Preview (Thursday, 12.03.2026) Europe League:

Possible starting lineups:

Nottingham Forest:
Ortega; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus

FC Midtjylland:
Olafsson; Erlic, Bech Sorensen, Diao; Mbabu, Billing, Castillo, Bak; Simsir; Cho, Brumado

Nottingham Forest will welcome FC Midtjylland from Denmark to the City Ground for the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie. The Tricky Trees are favorites in this European clash, but their situation is very complicate domestically. Forest are outside the drop zone in the Premier League only because they have better goal-difference than West Ham. On Sunday they will play against Fulham and the points from that match are very important. Many pundits are asking how basically the same squad that battled for a Champions League spot last season, are now deeply involved into the relegation battle. Well, the answer is simple - frequent coaching changes. Owner Evangelos Marinakis has sacked three managers this season. He started with Nuno Espirito Santo, continued with Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche, while Vitor Pereyra, the fourth one, is the actual manager. Hopefully he is the last. He will be missing five players - Chris Wood, Nicolo Savona, John Victor and Willy Boly are out injured, while January signing Luca Netz is ineligible. In addition, Stefan Ortega is rated as doubtful due to a calf problem.

FC Midtjylland have collected 19 points from 8 matches during the league stage to finish third in the overall 36-team table. They were the most pleasant surprise and qualify automatically for the Last 16. The Danish outfit suffered just one defeat, a narrow 2:1 loss to Roma at Stadio Olympico. They shared the points with Brann and won the remaining six fixtures. The victims were Sturm Graz, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Celtic, Genk and Dinamo Zagreb, as well as Nottingham Forest at City Ground in October. Coach Mike Tullberg did an excellent job and the fans are satisfied with the results this season. They beat Aarhus 2:1 on aggregate to reach the cup final. FC Midtjylland are also in the battle for the Superliga title. They are currently second, four points adrift of leaders Aarhus. On Sunday they will host Nordsjaeland, while Aarhus travel to Sonderjyske. However, I am sure coach Tullberg will not rotate the players. The problem is that club top scorer Franculino, who has netted 21 goals so far this season, will miss the game due to injury. Mikel Gogorza is also out injured and winger Dario Osorio is suspended due to accumulated yellow cards.

Nottingham Forest vs FC Midtjylland Prediction:

Nottingham Forest are not at last season's level. I already wrote the frequent coaching changes is the key reason, but there is another. The Tricky Trees have a problem when play in Europe. It is simple, Forest have no big roster, like Top-6 clubs. However, Nottingham Forest are club with tradition, club that won the Champions League twice in their history, in 1979 and 1980. under Brian Clough. The actual coach Pereira will try to replicate the success and the players will give the maximum. The home advantage is also important, Forest fans will create a hot atmosphere. Considering the absence of Midtjylland top scorer Franculino, I expect Nottingham Forest to win the first leg. Of course, the second leg in Copenhagen will decide everything.

Nottingham Forest vs FC Midtjylland Pick: Nottingham Forest to win @ 1.61 with 1xBet

 

[KaliHunter]

Good idea to keep all the Champions League, Europa and Conference League discussion in one place. Makes it easier to follow picks and opinions during the season.

 

[spkutano]

Manchester City vs Real Madrid Preview (Tuesday, 17.03.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Manchester City:
Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Bernardo, Rodri, O’Reilly; Semenyo, Haaland, Cherki

Real Madrid:
Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Huijsen, Rudiger, Garcia; Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Diaz, Guler, Vinicius Junior

Manchester City will welcome Real Madrid to the Etihad Stadium in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. Six days ago Real outplayed the Citizens and won 3:0. Federico Valverde was the key name on the match. The Uruguay midfielder completes a first-half hat-trick with some brilliant finishes. Real were without three key players due to injury - Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo. That is why Manchester City were clear favorites before the first leg at Santiago Bernabeu, but the match went completely on other side. The victory could easily be higher, but Donnarumma saved a second-half penalty from Vinicius.

Manchester City are in very complicated situation. Just when it looked like they are closing the gap with leaders Arsenal, something unexpected happened. First they conceded a late equalizer in the home match against relegation candidates Nottingham Forest. Next, they lost 3:0 to Real Madrid in the Champions League. Finally, the Citizens dropped another two points in the match against West Ham during the weekend. Pep Guardiola was disappointed as Arsenal keep winning. Champions League success will be something beautiful, but it won't be easy. Josko Gvardiol and Rico Lewis are out injured, but Mateo Kovacic, has recovered and he was between the substitutes against West Ham.

Real Madrid had some difficult moments this season. The former coach Xabi Alonso paid the prize and he was sacked. The expectations weren't big when Alvaro Arbeloa was appointed as interim coach, though Real started to play better. The culmination happened last Wednesday, when Arbeloa outsmarted the European best manager Guardiola. The players were excellent during the whole 90 minutes and deserved the victory. But job is "half done" and Real players must remain fully focused. Arbeloa remain without Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo, but there is more - David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, Eder Militao and Raul Asensio are struggling with injuries.

Manchester City vs Real Madrid Prediction:

Real Madrid are the most successful side in the Champions League history. They lifted the trophy 15 times. No other club are nowhere near. Los Blacos were outstanding at Santiago Bernabeu and won 3:0. But Manchester City will not give up without a fight. There are several teams that managed to overturn a 3:0 first leg defeat (in general, a three-goal loss) in the knock-out stages of the UEFA Champions League. You probably remember the cult match between Liverpool and Barcelona in 2019. Previously Barcelona have eliminated PSG in 2017, so Guardiola and his players should find inspiration there. Manchester City probably lost the chance to win the title, but this is something different. Arbeloa has some issues as many defenders are injured and I think City should take advantage. I expect Man City to win the match with at least two goals.

Manchester City vs Real Madrid Pick: Manchester City -1.5 AH @ 2.25 with Everygame

 

[spkutano]

Sporting Lisbon vs Bodo/Glimt Preview (Tuesday, 17.03.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Sporting Lisbon:
Silva; Fresneda, Diomande, Inacio, Araujo; Hjulmand, Morita; Catamo, Trincao, Goncalves; Suarez

Bodo/Glimt:
Haikin; Sjovold, Bjortuft, Gundersen, Bjorkan; Evjen, Berg, Fet; Blomberg, Hogh, Hauge

Sporting Lisbon will welcome Bodo/Glimt to Jose Alvalade Stadium in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. The first match ended 3:0 for Bodo, a result that make them favorites for the quarter-finals. Sondre Fet opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when converted a penalty. Following a video assistant referee (VAR) review, Fet picked himself up to coolly send Rui Silva the wrong way from the spot. Ole Blomberg strike put them 2:0 up before half-time, while Kasper Hogh slams third goal in the 71st minute. The winners will face Arsenal or Bayer Leverkusen in the quarter-finals.

I believe Sporting fans were happy when they found out Bodo/Glimt are their opponents. However a high defeat was like a shock. There are some reasons for the defeat. First of all, they underestimated the Norwegian outfit. Second, two key players - Maximiliano Araujo and Pedro Goncalves - were suspended. Furthermore, the match was played at artificial grass and Bodo players are used to that surface. Now the situation is completely different. The Portuguese players will enter the match knowing they were outplayed six days ago. Maximiliano Araujo and Pedro Goncalves served the suspensions and they will start from the first minute. Finally, the full Jose Alvalade Stadium will be the 12th player.

Bodo/Glimt started the Champions League in modest way. They failed to win any of their opening six Champions League games, losing three of them. Knowing the last two opponents were Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, the elimination was on paper. And just when nobody expects, the miracle happened. Bodo/Glimt won both games and finished 23rd in the league phase. They were outsiders in the play-off against last season's finalists Inter Milan, but managed to win twice and progressed. Finally, they won 3:0 against Sporting. Five victories in a row, even the coach Kjetil Knutsen didn't expect such scenario.

Sporting Lisbon vs Bodo/Glimt Prediction:

Sporting lost 3:0 in Norway, a defeat that nobody expects. The defender Ivan Fresneda apologized to the 200 traveling fans who ventured to the Arctic Circle, as well as those back home. I already wrote some reasons for the high defeat - suspensions, artificial grass, underestimation etc., but still there is no excuse for high defeat. Now I expect a completely different game. Maximiliano Araujo and Pedro Goncalves served the suspensions and they will play here. Sporting fans will create a hot atmosphere even before the first whistle. They will put Bodo players under heavy pressure, even the referee Sandro Scharer will not be skipped. The players are obligated to give the maximum, they will fight like lions. Bodo were fantastic, but the question is how far they could go. Well, they can't reach the final, it is simply too much. I think Sporting will win, but that means nothing in terms of promotion.

Sporting Lisbon vs Bodo/Glimt Pick: Sporting Lisbon to win @ 1.59 with BookMaker

 

[spkutano]

Liverpool vs Galatasaray Preview (Wednesday, 18.03.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Liverpool:
Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike

Galatasaray:
Cakir; Sallai, Singo, Bardakci, Jakobs; Torreira, Lemina; Yilmaz, Sara, Lang; Osimhen

Liverpool will welcome Galatasaraj to Anfield in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. The first match ended 1:0 for the Turkish champions. Mario Lemina was Galatasaray hero after scored the winning goal in the 7th minute. It was the 10th goal the Reds have conceded from corners this season. Once again Liverpool fans were disappointed and frustrated. It was Lemina's first goal of the season. Galata scored another goal through Osimhen, but it was disallowed by VAR due to offside. Liverpool were close to equalize in the 70th minute, but Ekitike's shot was denied by goalkeeper Cakir.

Liverpool are in big crisis in the most critical period of the season. The narrow defeat in Istanbul wasn't a catastrophe because the Reds will play the second-leg at Anfield. But Sunday's clash with Tottenham showed something different. Liverpool fans are disappointed and some of them left Anfield before the final whistle. The Reds had 1:0 until the last minute, but the fans "knew" what follows. Like a pattern, Slot's men were confused and conceded another late goal. Dropping two more points continue the misery and the defenders confidence is zero. The opponents are patient as they know Liverpool will serve them an opportunity.

Galatasaray are the best side in Turkish SuperLig. They are dominating domestically, but the fans want more. They want successful Champions League campaign. However, the away form isn't at desired level. Galata have been beaten in 19 of their last 23 games on the road in the Champions League. In addition, they have just one win in their last 12 away trips in England, against Manchester United in the 2023-24 season. What is important for my pick, Galatasaray have only kept three clean sheets in their last 33 games in UEFA competition. Coach Buruk will be without key defender Davinson Sanchez due to suspension, while few more are injured.

Liverpool vs Galatasaray Prediction:

I expect both teams to score. First about Liverpool. They play at home and they will attack from the first minute. Galatasaray have conceded on 30 of their last 33 games in UEFA competition. On top of that, key defender Davinson Sanchez is out due to suspension. Liverpool should take advantage from previously mentioned facts. Now about Galatasaray, are they able to score? Well I think they are. Galatasaray have excellent attackers, Osimhen on the first place. He is top scorer this season with 19 goals in all competitions. Furthermore, Liverpool defense is sloppy and the confidence is lost. The Reds failed to secure clean sheet on the last five matches across all competitions. Galatasaray are good team with excellent strikers and I expect to score at Anfield.

Liverpool vs Galatasaray Pick: Both teams to score - Yes @ 1.67 with Bet365poor.