With just two games of the Group stages to play, Matchday 5 of the Champions League for many sides is crunch time.
Beginning in Group D, just three points still separate Tottenham, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Marseille and Eintracht Frankfurt. Sitting top of the standings, Spurs welcome Sporting with only a point and +1 GD in hand. The Lilywhites have had a difficult week with back-to-back league defeats but will be expected to take a decisive win here and cement their spot in the knockouts.
The visitors, however, will be no pushovers and putting three past this season’s surprise package in Primera Liga, Casa Pia, on Saturday, warmed up in style. Spurs continue to look shaky but we would be brave to back against 1/2 odds, so instead a 9/4 shot for a home win and BTTS with BoyleSports looks like the smarter option. A side play, Paulinho netted during MD2’s reverse fixture in Lisbon and on the scoresheet at the weekend also can be backed to score anytime for odds of 9/2 with Bet365.
Switching to Group E, the picture is similar for Chelsea. Also sitting top of their ladder, just three points is the gap from top to bottom, however, unlike Spurs, the Blues face a difficult away test in Salzburg. The Austrian side is unbeaten all season – aside from a 4-3 friendly loss to Al-Ittihad – and held Chelsea back in September at Stamford Bridge. With these factors considered, a draw will likely be enough for Chelsea to progress with Dinamo Zagreb to come at home next week and at a price of 29/10 with SBK, spoils shared will bring punters their own rewards.
Over in Lisbon, Benfica entertain Juventus with their place in the knockouts all but secured. Fresh from beating fierce rivals FC Porto for the first time since 2019, Roger Schmidt’s are undefeated this term and moreover, PSG are the only side to have taken points off Benfica at Estadio Da Luz. Juventus, meanwhile, are battling to make even the Europa League last 32 and the hosts must win to keep pace with PSG. To do so, better-than-evens odds of 24/23 with SBK will double your money.
With Manchester City’s progress assured in Group G, the Citizens travel to Germany to face Borussia Dortmund as Erling Haaland returns to face his former club. The sixth meeting between the two, City have won the last three by a scoreline of 2-1. To begin, the same result looks intriguing at 15/2 with William Hill and whilst a Haaland brace at 7/2 with SkyBet looks short value, instead, we are turning to the blossoming Jude Bellingham. Prolific so far this season, the Englishman has scored in every Champions League game this term and netting at the Etihad when these two met in MD2 – also grabbing a brace at the weekend – Bellingham is 8/1 with William Hill to score anytime. Enticing.
Barcelona versus Bayern Munich is surely MD5’s marquee clash. For La Blaugrana, the equation is simple: win or bust. Snatching a late draw against Inter in MD4’s six-goal thriller here at Camp Nou, they now face Group C’s runaway leaders. Realistically, only three points will keep Barca’s last 16 hopes alive but Bayern have lost just one game this term. Though that was on the road in Augsburg, Die Roten netted four in Plzen and two in Milan in their other two Champions League away days this term. With that said, Robert Lewandowski will be keen to give his former employers a reminder of his prowess. The Pole’s header against the Nerazzurri last time out was a wonder and to repeat that here, a Lewandowski headed goal is 6/1 with SkyBet.
Finally, examining Group A, Napoli have progressed with Liverpool all-but certain to also. Goals have been a narrative of this Group and as the Partenopei welcome Rangers and The Reds travel to Ajax, the story should be familiar. Over 3.5 goals is the target here. In Naples at 14/11 with VBet; in Amsterdam for odds of 13/10 with UniBet. Combined? A two-way acca fetches around 4/1.
