Champions League Matchday 3 Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (10/25)
The most competitive football league in the world returned yesterday, and we have another eight matches across the Champions League today. Wednesday's matchday features a few thrillers, including Newcastle hosting Dortmund and PSG taking on AC Milan.
Below, I've narrowed in on my top three bets for Wednesday’s slate in the Champions League.
Soccer Betting Record 2023-2024: 24-19 (+1.33 units)
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Wednesday’s Champions League Best Bets
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
Feyenoord (-105) vs. Lazio (+280), DRAW (+280) | 2.5 (-145/+120)
Wednesday's Champions League play opens up with a pair of matches starting at 12:45 p.m. ET as Feyenoord hosts Lazio, while Barcelona takes on Shakhtar Donetsk. I'll focus on the former, which kicks off from Feyenoord Stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Both of these clubs have been excellent recently, each going 4-0-1 in their last five matches. Rather than play a side, I'll take it to the prop sheet to open up the day, and I'm taking Santiago Gimenez as an anytime goalscorer.
The Rotterdam club has been an offensive juggernaut on the domestic front, leading the Dutch Eredivisie in goals scored with 32. They also have the second-highest goal differential (+26). Gimenez has powered the way offensively, netting 13 goals over the nine domestic matches. The 22-year-old terrorized Lazio last season in the Europa League group stage, scoring three times over the two matches. That includes the lone tally in the 1-0 clash in the Netherlands. I'll take Gimenez to score today.
Bet: Santiago Gimenez Anytime Goalscorer (-105)
Young Boys (+1300) vs. Manchester City (-525), DRAW (+700) | 3.5 (+120/-145)
The largest favorite on the board sees Manchester City as a -525 moneyline favorite against Young Boys. This Group G tie is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET from Wankdorf Stadium in Bern, Switzerland.
The reigning champs are in firm control of Group F, which is the only thing that makes me nervous about laying two goals with them. However, they need a morale-boosting victory, so maybe they'll pour it on against an inferior opponent.
In terms of xGA, Young Boys have a mark of 5.2 through two matches. Their task is taking on a Manchester City club that has posted an xG mark of 6.3, the highest amongst all Champions League clubs through two matches. They've been on a tear in the UCL, winning both contests 3-1. That includes a 3-1 road win over RB Leipzig. Considering Pep Guardiola's squad was able to control 68.2 percent of the possession against Leipzig, I can only imagine what they'll do against a Young Boys side that's just 2-2-1 in their last five matches. I'll lay the two goals with the champs.
Bet: Manchester City -2.0 (-115)
Antwerp (+255) vs. Porto (+110), DRAW (+250) | 2.5 (-120/-105)
Finally, let's head out to Belgium, where we have an intriguing mid-table showdown in Group H as Royal Antwerp gears up to host FC Porto. This contest is slated for 3:00 p.m. ET from Bosuilstadion in Antwerp.
Antwerp hasn't been in great form recently, dropping both UCL matches while also sitting at 4-5-2 in the Belgian Pro League. It's hard to pin the recent woes on anything in particular, but you could argue the offense has failed to show up. They've scored just 19 goals through 11 matches on the domestic front while only tallying two in two Champions League matches.
They'll take on a Porto squad that is 1-0-1 in the UCL and sits at 6-1-1 in the Portuguese Primeira Liga. Their two losses across both competitions have come against fierce competition in a road contest against Benfica (1-0) and, most recently, a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Barcelona. This is a step down in competition for the Portuguese side, so I think there's a solid chance that they take care of business on the road. I'll take a shot on the +110 payout that comes with Porto to capture the three points.
Bet: Porto Moneyline (+110)
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