THE irrepressible Jack Wright (@JackWright_BSB ) is on-hand to preview Tuesday nights's MD2 matches from the Champions League action.
Viktoria Plzen v Inter| Tuesday 13th September 2021, 17:45
Viktoria Plzen had their incredible club-record 34-game unbeaten run ended on MD1 by Barcelona. However, did bounce back by edging a five-goal thriller at Sigma Olomouc last weekend.
The Nerazzurri left it late to snatch all three points against Torino at the San Siro on Saturday. Snapping a two-game losing sequence which included a home defeat to Bayern in their opening game of Group C.
Inter have lost two of their three road trips in Serie A and certainly don’t look at their best. They have failed to score before half-time in nine of their last ten UCL matches and Plzen may make life difficult for the Italian side again here.
Best Bet: Half-Time result – Draw at 31/20 with Unibet
Sporting v Tottenham| Tuesday 13th September 2022, 17:45
Sporting have bounced back from successive defeats in the best style, registering three wins scoring nine goals whilst not conceding once. Two league wins sandwiching a 3-0 success at Eintracht Frankfurt on MD1.
Spurs are unbeaten across seven games in all competitions this season and stretching back to last term that run now totals an impressive 13 fixtures without defeat. The postponement of their weekend trip to Manchester City means they also travel to Portugal fresh.
Following an opening day evenly shared six goal thriller, only one side has scored in Sporting’s ensuing six fixtures. We can also expect Antonio Conte to have his side perfectly prepared for this away day and for those favouring a Tottenham win it is interesting to note the home side have lost their last three games to nil when hosting English opposition in this competition.
Best Bet: BTTS = No at 5/4 with Bet Victor.
Bayer Leverkusen v Atlético Madrid | Tuesday 13th November 2022, 20:00
Gerardo Seoane has seen his side’s season get off to a woeful start. One win and just four points from their opening six Bundesliga fixtures leaves them just one place off the foot of the table. A terrible start compounded by a 1-0 loss to Club Brugge on MD1.
Atleti were involved in the craziest of UCL ties on the opening match day. An 81st minute red card for visitors Porto setting up a barnstorming conclusion to a game that entered injury time locked at 0-0. Antoine Griezmann headed home the third goal of 11 added minutes after Mateus Uribe looked to have sealed a dramatic point from the spot five minutes earlier. A much more routine 4-1 defeat of Celta Vigo followed at the weekend for Diego Simeone’s side.
Best Bet: Atlético Madrid to win at 20/11 with SBK.
Bayern Munich v Barcelona | Tuesday 13th September 2022, 20:00
Bayern have made a stuttering start to their domestic campaign drawing their last three fixtures. They did however run out comfortable 2-0 winners over Inter to open their UCL campaign in the best fashion.
Following an opening day goalless stalemate at home to Rayo Vallecano Barcelona have looked like the force of old. Xavi’s side recording five straight wins, scoring 20 goals and conceding just twice.
The big story here of course being the return of Robert Lewandowski following his summer sale to the Catalans. It is fair to say he has settled in pretty well. After that opening day blank, the Polish international has fired in nine goals in five outings including one in a 30-minute cameo off the bench at the weekend and a hat-trick on MD1.
Best Bet: Robert Lewandowski 2+ Shots on Target at 11/8 with SkyBet.
Porto v Club Brugge | Tuesday 13th September 2022, 20:00
Porto put their Metropolitano Stadium heartbreak behind them with a 3-0 Primeira Liga victory over Chaves at the weekend. Defeat in Spain however was a third successive loss in this competition although the Dragões have never lost to a Belgian side on home soil so will take to the field here with confidence.
Talking of confidence, it’s six wins in a row for Carl Hoefkens’ side in all competitions. The Belgian champions were a joy to watch in last season’s UCL– especially in the early stages as they went toe-to-toe in a group containing Manchester City, PSG and RB Leipzig.
Following Charles De Ketelaere’s departure to AC Milan, the spotlight falls on Ferran Jutgla. The 23-year-old signed from Barcelona in the summer and has scored five times in 10 appearances for his new club. Having fired 15 shots on target from nine starts he has only failed to register at least one in just one outing.
Best Bet: Ferran Jutgla over 0.5 Shots on Target at 7/4 with bet365.
Liverpool v Ajax | Tuesday 13th September 2022, 20:00
Liverpool look unrecognisable from the side that has swept most before them over the last few seasons. Totally outclassed by a rampant Napoli on MD1 Jurgen Klopp would have been grateful for some much-needed time on the training ground having admitted his side needed to improve “pretty much everything”.
In contrast Ajax thrashed Rangers 4-0 at the Johan Cruyff Arena on the same night. Displaying an electric brand of high energy, quick movement and passing football, Alfred Schreuder’s team are undoubtedly not the opponent the Reds would want to be facing at Anfield. Especially after de Godenzonen warmed up for this with a 5-0 hammering of Heerenveen at the weekend.
Best Bet: Double Chance – Ajax or Draw at 31/20 with Unibet
Marseille v Eintracht Frankfurt | Tuesday 13th September 2022, 20:00
Igor Tudor cited the red card in the opening minutes of the second half as the reason for his side’s 2-0 defeat at Spurs on MD1. Les Olympiens have since recorded a come from behind victory over Lille at the weekend a win which keeps them in second place in Ligue 1 only behind PSG on goal difference.
The Eagles also lost on MD1 falling to a disappointing 3-0 home reverse at the hands of Sporting. Unlike their hosts here though, Oliver Glasner’s men failed to bounce back with a victory, instead losing 1-0 at Deutsche Bank Park to Wolfsburg providing their visitors’ first victory of the Bundesliga season.
I was surprised to see odds of 13/14 available on the day of the game for a Marseille win given they have started their domestic campaign at home with four straight wins.
Best Bet: Marseille to win at 13/14 with SBK
