Champions League betting tips: Matchweek five preview

Slovan Bratislava vs AC Milan betting tips

Matchweek five gets underway with what should prove to be a very entertaining match. Both Slovan Bratislava and Milan have seen at least four goals in three of their four Champions League matches this season.

More pertinently, the Slovakian side have lost 4-0 (to Manchester City) and 4-1 (Dinamo Zagreb) when playing at home. Their last league game on their own patch ended 3-1 too.

Milan recently won 3-1 at Real Madrid in the stand-out result of matchweek four, before drawing 3-3 at Cagliari. Expect goals and lots of them. 

Scoreline prediction

Slovan Bratislava 1-3 Milan (11/1 with Matchbook)

FIRST’s top tip:

Over 3.5 goals (23/20 with Unibet)

Bayern Munich vs Paris Saint-Germain betting tips

Bayern Munich have won four of their last five matches against Paris Saint-Germain without conceding a goal. That the exception ended in a 3-2 away win for the Ligue 1 side in 2021 shows what can happen when the Parisiens are at their sharpest.

But they simply haven’t been in Europe this season. PSG drew a blank at Arsenal, having only amassed 0.4 expected goals in that match. Their other three games have been at home, yet they only scored once each time. 

Bayern have won their last four home games by an aggregate score of 11-0. Backing them to shut out PSG is risky, but their form, long and short points to that outcome.

Scoreline prediction

Bayern Munich 2-0 Paris Saint-Germain (11/1 with William Hill)

FIRST’s top tip:

Bayern Munich win to nil (243/100 with MrPlay)

Manchester City vs Feyenoord betting tips

Manchester City have been disappointing in Europe this season, with their seven points looking a poor return when three of their four games have been against sides from the bottom two pots. A home clash with Feyenoord will complete that set for them.

The Dutch side have had an unusual campaign too, with two home losses and a pair of away wins. With barely over one expected goal per game from fixtures far easier than facing City at the Etihad Stadium, even if Pep Guardiola’s side are in poor form it is hard to see Feyenoord overly troubling them.

Scoreline prediction

Manchester City 2-0 Feyenoord (13/2 with Bet365)

FIRST’s top tip:

Manchester City to win to nil (9/8 with Matchbook)

Sporting CP vs Arsenal betting tips

Sporting welcome Arsenal to Lisbon while holding a three-point advantage over the Gunners in the table. However, Mikel Arteta’s men have had the harder games, having already played all four fixtures against their opponents from pots one and two. 

The visitors haven’t won an away game against a team above Championship standard since September. Their priority here will be to keep the game tight, with Viktor Gyokeres clearly the man to fear. 

No away team has scored in an Arsenal Champions League game this season – that should change here, even if there won’t be many goals. 

Scoreline prediction

Sporting CP 1-1 Arsenal (33/5 with Matchbook)

FIRST’s top tip:

Under 2.5 goals (21/20 with 888Sport)

Young Boys vs Atalanta betting tips

The last meeting of these teams ended 3-3 in 2021. While there should be several goals once again, it’s likely to end in an away win rather than a draw.

Atalanta are one of six teams who enter matchweek five unbeaten in the Champions League. They visit Young Boys, one of five teams yet to earn so much as a point. That the Serie A side should win goes without saying. 

As they have recorded 3-0 victories at both Shakhtar Donetsk and Napoli (plus a 2-0 at Stuttgart) in their last five away matches, a minimum of three goals looks inevitable.

Scoreline prediction

Young Boys 1-3 Atalanta (42/5 with MrPlay)

FIRST’s top tip:

Atalanta win and over 2.5 goals (10/11 with Skybet)

Red Star Belgrade vs Stuttgart betting tips

This fixture thrusts together two clubs from opposite ends of the goal scale in the 2024/25 Champions League. Red Star Belgrade’s matches have averaged five goals each, over twice as many have been seen in Stuttgart’s fixtures (2.25). 

It’s similar in domestic football for the Serbian side too, with their last five home games seeing at least three goals, with both teams scoring in four of them. 

While Stuttgart’s recent away matches have been low scoring (with a 1-0 win at Juventus and goalless draw with Bayer Leverkusen in the previous two), their last six include a 1-3, 3-1, 2-2 and 4-0. A game against Red Star Belgrade should guarantee goals. 

Scoreline prediction

Red Star Belgrade 1-2 Stuttgart (42/5 with Matchbook)

FIRST’s top tip:

Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals (20/21 with BoyleSports)

Aston Villa vs Juventus betting tips

It’s a good job Aston Villa already have nine points in the Champions League as they are one of the most out-of-form sides in the competition. Their 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday ended a run of four consecutive defeats, but they are winless in six. 

Having beaten Bayern Munich at Villa Park, they won’t fear Juventus. The Serie A side have been very good on the road this season, though. They even managed to come from behind with 10 men to win at RB Leipzig in matchweek two. 

Juve’s recent 0-0 draw at Milan means they have conceded just once across their last four games. This match should be close. 

Scoreline prediction

Aston Villa 1-1 Juventus (24/5 with MrPlay)

FIRST’s top tip:

Under 2.5 goals (4/5 with William Hill)

Bologna vs Lille betting tips

It’s hard to recall advocating an under 1.5 goals bet before but this is the match-up which comes closest to deserving it. 

None of Bologna’s previous seven home games in all competitions have seen more than two goals, with four of them seeing one at most. While Lille’s away games have generally been more entertaining, only one of their Champions League matches has paid out on over 2.5 goals. 

In fairness, that was an impressive 3-1 victory at Atletico Madrid, so maybe they will run riot in Italy too. But nothing from Bologna’s season suggests that is likely at all. 

Scoreline prediction

Bologna 1-0 Lille (15/2 with Boylesports)

FIRST’s top tip:

Both teams to score: no (50/49 with Matchbook)

Celtic vs Club Brugge betting tips

This a massive opportunity for Celtic, as a win here will give them a great chance of finishing in the play-off spots. Having won more points than Club Brugge and from harder fixtures, Brendan Rodgers’ side should feel confident of getting a victory on home turf.

Celtic will be aided by Brugge’s weak attack. While they beat Aston Villa 1-0 last time out, that was thanks to a bizarre handball penalty. Only four teams in the competition have generated fewer non-penalty expected goals than the Belgians, so expect a rocking Celtic Park to help the Bhoys overpower them.

Scoreline prediction

Celtic 2-1 Club Brugge (69/10 with MrPlay)

FIRST’s top tip:

Celtic to win (Evens with Bet365)

Liverpool vs Real Madrid betting tips

Real Madrid are Liverpool’s Champions League kryptonite. They have ended the Reds’ interest in the competition in the last three seasons in which they have been in it, winning 5-2 at Anfield in 2023.

That won’t be the case here, even if they get the three points. That outcome doesn’t feel that likely either, as Liverpool have been flawless in Europe whereas Real have already lost twice. 

Three of their Champions League matches have seen at least four goals, as have two of the Reds’ games. This should be the match of the week. 

Scoreline prediction

Liverpool 2-2 Real Madrid (12/1 with William Hill)

FIRST’s top tip:

Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals (5/4 with Matchbook)

Quick scoreline predictions:

Sparta Prague 0-2 Atlético Madrid (7/1 with William Hill)

Inter 2-0 RB Leipzig (127/20 with MrPlay)

Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 Red Bull Salzburg (11/1 with Matchbook)

Barcelona 3-1 Brest (11/1 with William Hill)

Sturm Graz 0-2 Girona (35/4 with MrPlay)

Dinamo Zagreb 1-2 Borussia Dortmund (15/2 with Bet365)

Monaco 2-1 Benfica (9/1 with Matchbook)

PSV Eindhoven 2-0 Shakhtar Donetsk (57/10 with MrPlay)

Odds correct at the time of writing.