Champions League Predictions: Matchday 2 Preview & Odds
Matchday 1 of the new Champions League league phase was played between 8 and 10 September, and it delivered goals in abundance: 69 in 18 matches, an average of 3.83 per game. The competition now pauses for the October international break, and Matchday 2 gets under way on Tuesday 13 October, with the second half of the round on Wednesday 14 October.
League phase table after Matchday 1
Only one round has been played, so every club has played exactly one game. Positions 1-8 (bye to the round of 16) and 9-24 (play-offs) are still very fluid, and ties are separated by goal difference, then goals scored.
| Pos | Team | W-D-L | Goals | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paris Saint-Germain | 1-0-0 | 6-1 | +5 | 3 |
| 2 | Bayern Munich | 1-0-0 | 5-0 | +5 | 3 |
| 3 | Barcelona | 1-0-0 | 5-1 | +4 | 3 |
| 4 | Manchester United | 1-0-0 | 4-0 | +4 | 3 |
| 5 | Como | 1-0-0 | 4-1 | +3 | 3 |
| 6 | Sporting CP | 1-0-0 | 3-1 | +2 | 3 |
| 6 | Stuttgart | 1-0-0 | 3-1 | +2 | 3 |
| 8 | Manchester City | 1-0-0 | 2-0 | +2 | 3 |
| 9 | Aston Villa | 1-0-0 | 3-2 | +1 | 3 |
| 9 | Lens | 1-0-0 | 3-2 | +1 | 3 |
| 9 | Real Betis | 1-0-0 | 3-2 | +1 | 3 |
| 12 | Borussia Dortmund | 1-0-0 | 3-2 | +1 | 3 |
| 13 | Liverpool | 1-0-0 | 2-1 | +1 | 3 |
| 13 | Real Madrid | 1-0-0 | 2-1 | +1 | 3 |
| 15 | Arsenal | 1-0-0 | 1-0 | +1 | 3 |
| 16 | AEK Athens | 1-0-0 | 1-0 | +1 | 3 |
| 17 | Roma | 0-1-0 | 1-1 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 0-1-0 | 1-1 | 0 | 1 |
| 19 | Fenerbahçe | 0-1-0 | 1-1 | 0 | 1 |
| 19 | PSV Eindhoven | 0-1-0 | 1-1 | 0 | 1 |
| 21 | Villarreal | 0-0-1 | 2-3 | -1 | 0 |
| 22 | Club Brugge | 0-0-1 | 2-3 | -1 | 0 |
| 22 | Lille | 0-0-1 | 2-3 | -1 | 0 |
| 22 | Slavia Prague | 0-0-1 | 2-3 | -1 | 0 |
| 25 | Atlético Madrid | 0-0-1 | 1-2 | -1 | 0 |
| 25 | Inter | 0-0-1 | 1-2 | -1 | 0 |
| 27 | LASK | 0-0-1 | 0-1 | -1 | 0 |
| 27 | Napoli | 0-0-1 | 0-1 | -1 | 0 |
| 29 | Galatasaray | 0-0-1 | 1-3 | -2 | 0 |
| 29 | Viking | 0-0-1 | 1-3 | -2 | 0 |
| 31 | Porto | 0-0-1 | 0-2 | -2 | 0 |
| 32 | RB Leipzig | 0-0-1 | 1-4 | -3 | 0 |
| 33 | Feyenoord | 0-0-1 | 1-5 | -4 | 0 |
| 34 | Sabah | 0-0-1 | 0-4 | -4 | 0 |
| 35 | Slovan Bratislava | 0-0-1 | 1-6 | -5 | 0 |
| 36 | Bodø/Glimt | 0-0-1 | 0-5 | -5 | 0 |
Sixteen clubs have 3 points, four (Roma, Shakhtar Donetsk, Fenerbahçe and PSV Eindhoven) have 1 point, and sixteen are still waiting for their first.
Five talking points from Matchday 1
1. The heavyweights hit the ground running
Paris Saint-Germain, the two-time defending champions, thrashed Slovan Bratislava 6-1, with Ferran Torres scoring a hat-trick. Bayern Munich (5-0 against Bodø/Glimt), Barcelona (5-1 against Feyenoord) and Manchester United (4-0 against Sabah) all made emphatic statements too.
2. Demirović and Torres lead the scoring charts
Stuttgart’s Ermedin Demirović and PSG’s Ferran Torres share the top spot with three goals each. Seven players have two apiece: Ousmane Dembélé, Raphinha, Marc Bartra, Serhou Guirassy, Erling Haaland, Michael Olise and Slavia Prague’s Danijel Šturm.
3. Big names stumbled
Inter lost 2-1 at Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid went down 2-1 at Liverpool, leaving both in 25th place, just outside the play-off spots, with zero points. Napoli also lost, 1-0 at home to Arsenal.
4. The debutants were a mixed bag
Como, in their first ever European campaign, made a superb start with a 4-1 win over RB Leipzig. LASK, Sabah and Viking all lost, and Norway’s two representatives had a night to forget: Bodø/Glimt were beaten 5-0 and Viking went down 3-1.
5. Goals, goals, goals
Eleven of the 18 matches produced four or more goals, and Aston Villa’s 3-2 win at Club Brugge, Dortmund’s 3-2 win over Villarreal, Real Betis’s 3-2 win at Lille and Lens’s 3-2 win at Slavia Prague all went down to the wire.
Matchday 2: all 18 fixtures
Kick-off times are in Central European Summer Time (CEST). Clubs in the UK play one hour earlier local time.
| Date | Kick-off (CEST) | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 13 Oct | 18:45 | Lens | Sporting CP |
| Tue 13 Oct | 18:45 | Sabah | Slavia Prague |
| Tue 13 Oct | 21:00 | Arsenal | Lille |
| Tue 13 Oct | 21:00 | Atlético Madrid | Manchester United |
| Tue 13 Oct | 21:00 | Inter | Club Brugge |
| Tue 13 Oct | 21:00 | Galatasaray | Barcelona |
| Tue 13 Oct | 21:00 | RB Leipzig | PSV Eindhoven |
| Tue 13 Oct | 21:00 | Viking | Bayern Munich |
| Tue 13 Oct | 21:00 | Villarreal | Napoli |
| Wed 14 Oct | 18:45 | Feyenoord | Como |
| Wed 14 Oct | 18:45 | LASK | Liverpool |
| Wed 14 Oct | 21:00 | Roma | Real Madrid |
| Wed 14 Oct | 21:00 | Aston Villa | Fenerbahçe |
| Wed 14 Oct | 21:00 | Shakhtar Donetsk | AEK Athens |
| Wed 14 Oct | 21:00 | Bodø/Glimt | Borussia Dortmund |
| Wed 14 Oct | 21:00 | Manchester City | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Wed 14 Oct | 21:00 | Real Betis | Porto |
| Wed 14 Oct | 21:00 | Slovan Bratislava | Stuttgart |
Matchday 2: the ties to watch
- Manchester City v Paris Saint-Germain (Wednesday 14 October, 8:00 PM local time, Etihad Stadium, Manchester; 9:00 PM CEST). Two sides with perfect starts, and the pick of the round.
- Atlético Madrid v Manchester United (Tuesday 13 October, 9:00 PM local time, Metropolitano, Madrid; 9:00 PM CEST). Atlético need points after losing at Liverpool, while United arrive after a 4-0 win.
- Galatasaray v Barcelona (Tuesday 13 October, 10:00 PM local time, Istanbul; 9:00 PM CEST). Galatasaray lost 3-1 to Sporting on Matchday 1 and now face a Barcelona side that scored five.
- Roma v Real Madrid (Wednesday 14 October, 9:00 PM local time, Stadio Olimpico, Rome; 9:00 PM CEST). Roma drew at Fenerbahçe, while Real Madrid beat Inter.
- Inter v Club Brugge (Tuesday 13 October, 9:00 PM local time, San Siro, Milan; 9:00 PM CEST). Both sides lost on Matchday 1, so someone will be under real pressure.
- Arsenal v Lille (Tuesday 13 October, 8:00 PM local time, Emirates Stadium, London; 9:00 PM CEST). Arsenal beat Napoli 1-0 on Matchday 1, while Lille lost 3-2 to Real Betis.
How many rounds are left?
After Matchday 1, seven rounds remain, including Matchday 2. Each club can still collect up to 21 points, and 24 points are available in total across the eight matches.
| Matchday | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8-10 September | Played |
| 2 | 13-14 October | Next |
| 3 | 20-21 October | Upcoming |
| 4 | 3-4 November | Upcoming |
| 5 | 24-25 November | Upcoming |
| 6 | 8-9 December | Upcoming |
| 7 | 19-20 January 2027 | Upcoming |
| 8 | 27 January 2027 | Upcoming |
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