Champions League Matchday Five Tips
Champions League Matchday 5 Tips
There are just two rounds of Champions League group-stage fixtures left to play as Europe’s premier competition heads to matchday five this week.
Newcastle and Manchester United have work to do if they are to make it through to the knockout stages of the competition, while Celtic’s hopes of progression look to have faded.
Arsenal are in a very strong position and can confirm their place in the next round on Wednesday, while Manchester City are one of six teams already assured of qualification, although there is still plenty to play for across the continent.
Tip 1 - Porto to beat Barcelona @ 6/1
Barcelona were awful when losing 1-0 to Shakhtar Donetsk on matchday four and the Spanish giants look far too short when they host Porto on Tuesday.
Shakhtar could have easily won the Hamburg contest by three or four goals and it was a woeful effort from a Barca side that were 2/9 shots to win that game.
Barca were held to a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano at the weekend, and a lack of goals is a major concern for manager Xavi, as well as punters, looking to take a short price about the Spanish side winning at their temporary home at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium.
There have been just eight goals in seven matches for Barcelona and that could be an issue against a Porto side that hit three strikes against Shakhtar and notched six times in a pair of fixtures against Antwep
Barcelona did win the return reverse fixture 1-0 at the Estadio do Dragao, but there was little between the sides on that occasion, and at 6/1, Porto look a huge price to turn the tables.
Tip 2 Lazio & over 2.5 goals @ 11/10
Celtic’s chances of qualification for the knockout stages are all but over and the Bhoys were hammered 6-0 by Atletico in Madrid on matchday four.
Daizen Maeda was shown a first-half red card in that contest, and will be suspended for the trip to the Italian capital to face Lazio, and this is a Celtic side also missing the influential Reo Hatate and Liel Abada.
Brendan Rodgers’ side failed to beat Motherwell at the weekend and the Hoops cut a side on the downgrade. However, Kyogo Furuhashi will pose a big threat to a Lazio defence that has conceded in three of their four Champions League matches this season.
Lazio should prove too strong and backing the Italians to win and over 2.5 goals in the game looks a nice bet.
Tip 3 - Galatasaray to beat Manchester United @ 8/5
Manchester United head to Galatsaray with their qualification hopes, already hanging by a thread, may be ended by the Turkish outfit.
The Red Devils have been in disarray and were beaten 4-3 in Copenhagen on matchday four, while manager Erik ten Hag will be without the suspended Marcus Rashford in Istanbul.
Gala have won nine of their 11 home matches this season, with Bayern Munich the only side to win at RAMS Park this term, and they can extend that excellent record against a poor United side.