THE irrepressible Jack Wright (@JackWright_BSB ) is on-hand to preview Wednesday nights's MD1 matches from the Champions League action not involving English clubs.
Real Madrid vs Shakhtar Donetsk | Wednesday 21st October 2020, 17:55 | BT Sport
Real Madrid’s unbeaten start to the season was brought to a shuddering halt as newly promoted Cadiz pulled off a shock 1-0 victory in the Bernabeu – possibly even more remarkable being that the hosts could only muster two shots on target.
This also ended a run of eight successive home wins, six of which were accompanied by clean sheets, for Zinedine Zidane’s men who will be looking to bounce back to form here especially with Barcelona the visitors on Saturday.
Los Blancos have been more efficient than prolific with four of that eight game streak being goalless at half time and with the visitors last five Champions League fixtures also being level after the first 45 minutes they may have to grind out another win here.
Real Madrid to win after being level at half time is available at 17/5 with Bet Victor and looks an interesting play as does the 6/5 from Sky Bet for them to win to nil as both of their last two victories have been.
Salzburg vs Lokomotiv Moscow | Wednesday 21st October 2020, 17:55 | BT Sport
Starts don’t come much better than the one made by Salzburg this season – winning all eight competitive games while smashing in 35 goals in the process with Zambian forward Patson Daka contributing seven of them from seven appearances including a brace in the final UCL qualification fixture.
The 22-year-old was linked with Tottenham over the summer and to demonstrate why, added another brace in his next game, a 7-1 league thrashing of Hartberg. I’m willing to see if he can continue that form in to the UCL and take odds of 9/2 with Betfair.
There doesn’t come much better opposition to attempt that against than Lokomotiv who have lost more UCL group stage games in the last two years than any other side in being defeated 10 times (W2, L10), conceding at least twice in eight of those fixtures.
I am expecting the entertaining Austrians to attempt to blow away their Russian opponents and having scored in both halves of seven of those victorious eight games so far this season I make them better than an even money shot to do that against Marko Nikolic’s side – but that’s the price on offer with Bet365 so I am happy to take it.
Bayern Munich vs Atletico Madrid | Wednesday 21st October 2020, 20:00 | BT Sport
Enter the champions!
Bayern Munich’s first game in defence of their crown looks a tough one on paper as they welcome an Atletico Madrid side who have kept three clean sheets in their opening four games.
Most sides would really feel the absence of Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane but although they will be missed Hans Flick’s team are a fearsome machine who still have the formidable Robert Lewandowski leading the line.
After scoring an incredible 34 league goals in 31 appearances and a stunning 15 UCL goals in 10 games last season the Polish hitman is already at his lethal best this term as a return of seven goals from four league games demonstrates.
That kind of return has contributed heavily to his side going into this clash with an incredible average winning margin of 3.18 across their last 11 successive wins in this competition and despite their reputation Diego Simeone’s side have actually lost five of their last seven European matches when playing in their opponents own stadium. Furthermore, all five of those defeats have seen Los Rojiblancos trailing at the half time.
I have a feeling Bayern will want to lay down a marker here and take full advantage of their visitors missing key midfield players in the shape of the departed Thomas Partey and injured Saul Niguez. My plays are Bayern/Bayern in the Half Time/Full Time market at a best priced 7/5 with Bet Victor and for Bayern to score Over 2.5 Goals at 7/4 with Sky Bet.
Inter Milan vs Borussia Monchengladbach | Wednesday 21st October 2020, 20:00 | BT Sport
These two teams come in to this clash in a sticky run of form – Inter drew with Lazio before a painful 2-1 reverse to city rivals AC Milan while Gladbach have only won one of their opening four Bundesliga games.
One commodity both sides are bringing to the party however, is GOALS!! Antonio Conte’s men have seen an astonishing average of 4.75 goals per game from their opening four Serie A fixtures which is even better than the average of 3.17 goals per game they produced from last seasons failed UCL group stage matches.
With the German side’s last four away league games crossing Over 2.5 Goals this should be the tie to keep an eye on for goal mouth action.
Using the Asian goal line provided by Unibet we can play Over 3 Goals at 6/5 meaning we have an odds against alternative to the skinny Over 2.5 Goals option and hope we see the net bulge at least four times – safe in the knowledge at least three strikes will be enough to secure a refund of our stake.
Who will fire the goals? We have to take the 10/11 again with Unibet for Romelu Lukaku to continue is hot streak in front of goal, with the Belgian scoring seven goals in his last six games for club and country. Even better than that though is the incredible run he is on in European club football – netting in each of his sides last eight matches in such competitions.
Midtjylland vs Atalanta | Wednesday 21st October 2020, 20:00 | BT Sport
The UCL welcomes Denmark’s Midtjylland for the first time at the group stage of the competition after conceding just one goal in their four qualifying games. Having also only conceded one goal in their opening three Superliga games their defensive resolve is likely to be extensively tested by last season’s darlings of the neutral Atalanta.
An incredible 13 goals in their opening three Serie A games, made even more incredible with two being away from home, saw La Dea pick up where they left off last season and having scored eight goals in their last three UCL fixtures this promises to be another exciting encounter.
Even when Gian Piero Gasperini’s side only found the net once last time out at Napoli – they managed to keep the scoreboard busy by shipping four goals themselves, all of which were in the first half.
Interestingly, all seven of Brian Priske’s side’s goals in UCL qualification came in the second half and so with the expected open nature of this contest I am going to take the 9/10 with Betway that they repeat the trick here.
Argentine attacking midfielder Alejandro Gomez currently tops the Serie A scoring charts with four goals from his first four appearances in the competition.
The 32-year-old has fired four shots off in three of those four games, is on free kicks and loves a pop from distance – if I see “to score outside the box” priced up prior to kick off I will play that – however, as it currently isn’t I will settle for the simple Alejandro Gomez to score bet at odds of 17/10 with Betfair.
Olympiakos vs Marseille | Wednesday 21st October 2020, 20:00 | BT Sport
Olympiacos are yet to taste defeat this campaign with four wins and two draws spanning their domestic league fixtures and the qualification stages of this competition. Traditionally strong opponents at home the Greek champions have only lost once here in the last seven UCL matches (W5, D1, L1) and in winning those five games did so by also keeping a clean sheet each time.
However, Marseille too are in good form with just one defeat, in a game I watched, from their opening seven Ligue 1 fixtures and are a very tough nut to crack on their travels. Their current run of 11 away league games without defeat is evidence of that, a sequence which includes a win at the mighty PSG and a draw at last season’s UCL semi-finalists Lyon.
In a game where it’s tough to split the two teams – why not play the draw – so I will, at a best priced 47/20 with Unibet.
If the visitors are to be tested it is likely Youseff El-Arabi will have a say in it. The Moroccan international has already fired seven goals in total for club and country this season, helping himself to a second half hat-trick after coming off the bench in his last fixture in the Greek Super League and I was a little surprised to see him available at 2/1 to add to his tally here.
Second half goals are something of a theme for the 33-year-old as every single one of his strikes this season have come after the restart – so although I can’t put it forward here, if you fancy an in-play bet, backing El-Arabi to score in the second 45 could be a very interesting option.
Best Bets
Real Madrid vs Shakhtar – Draw/Real Madrid (17/5 Bet Victor
Real Madrid vs Shakhtar – Real Madrid to win to nil (6/5 Sky Bet)
Salzburg vs Lokomotiv Moscow – Salzburg to score in both halves (1/1 Bet 365)
Salzburg vs Lokomotiv Moscow – Patson Daka to score 2+ goals (9/2 Betfair)
Bayern Munich vs Atletico Madrid – Bayern Munich/Bayern Munich (7/5 Bet Victor)
Bayern Munich vs Atletico Madrid – Bayern to score Over 2.5 Goals (7/4 Sky Bet)
Inter Milan vs Borussia Monchengladbach – Over 3 Asian Goals (6/5 Unibet)
Inter Milan vs Borussia Monchengladbach – Romelu Lukaku to score (10/11 Unibet)
Midtjylland vs Atalanta – Midtjylland to score in the 2nd half (9/10 Betway)
Midtjylland vs Atalanta – Alejandro Gomez to score (17/10 Betfair)
Olympiakos vs Marseille – Draw (47/20 Unibet)
Olympiakos vs Marseille – Youssef El-Arabi to score (2/1 Paddy Power)
