Champions League Picks, Predictions for Matchday 2: Matchups, Odds, Best Bets
The best teams in European soccer are back to fight for the title of ultimate champion in the UEFA Champions League, and we have our best bets for Matchday 2.
The mighty Premier League sides of Liverpool and Chelsea suffered losses last week, while Real Madrid looked in peak form to run back their 2022 UCL title following a 3-0 win over Celtic on Tuesday of Matchday 1.
Here are our best bets for Matchday 2’s Champions League slate (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Champions League Schedule and Odds for Matchday 2
(odds via DraftKings)
- Viktoria Plzen (+650) vs. Inter Milan (-230)
- Sporting CP(+265) vs. Tottenham (+105)
- Bayern Munich (-110) vs. Barcelona (+245)
- Leverkusen (+165) vs. Atletico Madrid (+165)
- Liverpool (-180) vs. Ajax (+425)
- Porto (-235) vs. Club Brugge (+650)
- Marseille (-105) vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (+285)
- AC Milan (-360) vs. Dinamo Zagreb (+1000)
- Shakhtar Donetsk (+220) vs. Celtic (+120)
- Maccabi Haifa (+1400) vs. Paris Saint-Germain (-650)
- Real Madrid (-185) vs. RB Leipzig (+425)
- Manchester City (-525) vs. Borussia Dortmund (+1100)
- Chelsea (-285) vs. Salzburg (+700)
- Rangers (+310) vs. Napoli (-120)
- Juventus (+125) vs. Benfica (+225)
- FC Copenhagen (+260) vs. Sevilla (+110)
Champions League Matchday 2 Best Bets
- Moneyline: Celtic (+120 via DraftKings) ★★★★
- Spread: Dinamo Zagreb +1.25 (+135 via DraftKings) ★★★
- Total: Sporting CP-Tottenham Over 3.5 (+225 via FanDuel) ★★★★
- Upset: Barcelona (+245 via DraftKings Sportsbook) ★★★★
- Prop bet: Olivier Giroud last goalscorer (+280 via DraftKings) ★★★
- Parlay: Dusan Vlahovic to score and Juventus to win (+240 via DraftKings) ★★★
Champions League Matchday 2 Top Picks
Moneyline: Celtic (+120)
The Scottish giants may not have had the best showing to open their Champions League campaign, but going up against the defending champions in Real Madrid was never going to be easy.
Celtic sit on top of the Scottish Premiership table through six matches with six wins with 18 points. They have conceded just one goal in league play this season while scoring 25. Three of the SPFL’s top six scorers are from Celtic, with Liel Abada and Kyogo Furuhashi both notching six goals while Jota has added four.
Shakhtar Donetsk are second in the Ukranian Premier League, but have scored just four goals through four games.
Spread: Dinamo Zagreb +1.25 (+135)
Dinamo Zagreb pulled off a 1-0 win over Chelsea, the last game of Thomas Tuchel’s managing career at Chelsea. Meanwhile, Milan settled for a 1-1 draw against Salzburg last week.
Milan finished last in their Champions League group last year, and while coming off a Serie A title has given them more confidence, they conceded first to Salzburg and needed Alexis Saelemaekers to equalize.
With both teams scoring just one goal in their opening matches in a Group E with talent on every squad, this game is expected to stay close despite Milan being heavily favored to win.
Total: Sporting CP-Tottenham Over 3.5 (+225)
Between these two clubs, five goals were scored on Matchday 1. Tottenham's Richarlison single-handedly took down Marseille with a pair. Sporting’s dominant second half against Frankfurt saw them score three goals in 17 minutes.
The two clubs are arguably the two strongest in Group D, with goal scorers like Harry Kane, Richarlison, Marcus Edwards, and Nuno Santos. All five players have at least two goals between Champions League and club play this season.
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Upset: Barcelona (+255)
Bayern Munich has more than enough scoring power in Leroy Sane, Sadio Mane, and Jamal Musiala, who have all scored at least three goals this season. Sane scored to open a 2-0 win over Inter last week.
But this game means more than just a win in the Champions League group stage. Bayern Munich and Barcelona have a history including blowout games, Bayern’s dominance, and now, Bayern’s former leading Champions League scorer in Robert Lewandowski suiting up for Barcelona.
Lewandowski has been nothing short of spectacular for Barcelona. He has scored six goals through just five games to start the season, becoming the fastest player to achieve the feat in La Liga in the 21st century.
Bayern won their last four meetings against Barca; however, with their top scorer gone and playing directly for their opponent, Barcelona have the edge to get revenge.
Prop bet: Giroud last goalscorer (+280)
The former Arsenal and Chelsea striker has found a second wind at Milan. He scored 11 goals in Serie A last season as Milan lifted the league trophy, and this season has already scored three goals including the game-winner against Sampdoria on Saturday.
When Milan needs someone to break the draw, Giroud has been their go-to striker since his arrival at the club, and he kept the team in the title race last season. A game that is likely to be close, Giroud will be looked upon to be the one to seal the win.
Parlay: Vlahovic to score and Juventus to win (+240)
Dusan Vlahovic's lateral transfer from Fiorentina to Juventus midway through last season hasn't slowed him down. The Serbian striker has tallied 55 Serie A goals in his career, including 11 domestic goals in 20 games for Juventus. He's able to score from a set-piece, counter-attack, or pretty much anywhere.
Juventus had a disappointing loss to French giants PSG to start their Champions League campaign. Juve was unable to stop the prolific Kylian Mbappe who scored two goals in 17 minutes in the first half. However, Juventus gets a chance to bounce back against Benfica.
Benfica beat Halifa 2-0 to start Group H play, but they play Juventus at Juventus Stadium, and Vlahovic already has four goals this season for the Bianconeri. After a less-than-ideal 2-2 draw in their domestic league against Salernitana on Sunday, Juventus need Vlahovic to come up big for them to win on Matchday 2.
Where to Bet on Champions League Picks
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Champions League odds and best bets from 9/12/2022 at 4:19 p.m. ET.
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