Champions League 2023-24: Predictions and free football betting tips for Groups E-H

Best bets

Feyenoord to qualify from Group E
1pt 13-8 Betfair, Paddy Power

Milan to win Group F
2pts 5-1 general

Porto to win Group H
1pt 100-30 Coral, Ladbrokes

Champions League predictions Group E

Group betting: 4-6 Atletico Madrid, 10-3 Lazio, 15-2 Feyenoord, 11-1 Celtic

Group E has the makings of an open section with favourites Atletico Madrid having underwhelmed on the European stage in recent years.

Celtic are expected to be the whipping boys and it is easy to see why given the Bhoys have not got out of a Champions League group since 2013.

Brendan Rodgers is in the dugout again but his last European voyage with Celtic ended with a last-32 exit in the Europa League and goals have been hard to come by in the opening weeks of the Scottish Premiership season.

As for Atleti, they have made it beyond the last 16 only twice in the last six seasons, having been knocked out in the group stage last term.

The La Liga giants finished bottom of a section made up of Porto, Bayer Leverkusen and Club Brugge, having lost all three of their away contests.Cases could be made for the other two sides in the group but Feyenoord look the best bet after storming to the Eredivisie title last term. 

They also progressed to the quarter-finals of the Europa League, finishing above Lazio in their group en route.Lazio were therefore sent into the Europa Conference League but crashed out in the last 16 and, after losing star man Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this summer, they have made a questionable start in Serie A, losing their opening fixtures to Lecce and Genoa.

Verdict by Liam Flin

Champions League predictions Group F

Group betting: 6-5 Paris Saint-Germain, 11-4 Newcastle, 5-1 Milan, 11-2 Borussia Dortmund

There is usually a ‘Group of Death’ in the Champions League but Group F has taken that to another level this season with Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund, Milan and Newcastle set to battle it out.

PSG are favourites to top the section but have been poor in their last two Champions League campaigns, crashing out in the last 16 each time, and it’s not beyond the realms of possibility they could exit in the group phase.

Kylian Mbappe has stayed put for now but still has a strained relationship with the club, while Luis Enrique must get a new-look group of players to gel quickly.

Newcastle embark on their first Champions League campaign since 2002-03 and the defensive resolve of Eddie Howe’s side should stand them in good stead. However, the burden of repeating last season’s top-four finish could hinder the Magpies and squad depth may limit them, even if St James’ Park makes for a tough venue to visit.

Dortmund look like group outsiders after Jude Bellingham left over the summer and so Milan look the best bet to win the group. Not only were the Rossoneri semi-finalists in the competition last season but they have made a positive start in Serie A, despite losing 5-1 to Inter on Saturday. Their summer transfer business has also looked spot-on with Christian Pulisic, Noah Okafor, Luka Jovic and Samuel Chukwueze adding spice to their attack.

Verdict by Liam Flin

Champions League predictions Group G

Group betting: 1-9 Manchester City, 13-2 RB Leipzig, 66-1 Red Star Belgrade, 66-1 Young Boys

Those who regard the group stage of the Champions League as a tedious prelude to the serious business of the knockout rounds are unlikely to be converted by this season’s Group G line-up.

Manchester City demolished Bayern Munich and Real Madrid en route to European glory last season so it would be a colossal shock if they slipped up against Young Boys of Switzerland or Red Star Belgrade.

Even the second-favourites for the group, RB Leipzig, were thrashed 7-0 by City in the second leg of their last-16 tie in 2022-23, having lost 6-3 at the Etihad Stadium in the group stage the previous season.

Leipzig have won 2-1 and drawn 1-1 in their two home Champions League meetings with Pep Guardiola’s side and there should be a significant gulf between them and the two group outsiders.

They lost their first two group games last term but won their next four, beating Real Madrid 3-2, and they have scored 16 times in their first five games this term, including a 3-0 German Super Cup victory over Bayern. 

Red Star have won the competition as many times as City, although their success came in the 1990-91 European Cup, and they finished bottom of their Europa League group last season.

Young Boys won the Swiss title by 16 points last term but midfield starlet Fabian Rieder has joined Rennes and their six summer signings cost a combined €3.9m.Leipzig appeal at 66-1 in the outright betting and it is hard to see them or City failing to qualify from this straightforward section.

Verdict by James Milton

Champions League predictions Group H

Group betting: g4-11 Barcelona, 100-30 Porto, 20-1 Shakhtar Donetsk, 25-1 Royal Antwerp

For the second season in a row, Barcelona tumbled out of the Champions League in the group stage last term and, although they should have better luck in Group H this time, they are no certainty to finish top.

Barca finished below Bayern Munich and Inter last season, nudging them into the Europa League in which they lost to Manchester United in the knockout round playoffs.

Xavi’s men at least won La Liga last term but have found it tough juggling multiple competitions and losing Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Ousmane Dembele and Franck Kessie among others this summer has not done their squad depth any favours.

Fortunately for the Catalan giants they are in a pretty soft section and should finish above debutants Antwerp and a Shakhtar Donetsk side who have been dumped out in the group stage in each of the last three seasons.But Porto could be worth a small bet to pip Barca to top spot.

After losing their opening pair of matches, Porto eased to four wins on the spin to top their group last year, finishing above Club Brugge, Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico Madrid, and were edged only 1-0 over two legs by finalists Inter in the last 16.

Spearheaded by Mehdi Taremi, who bagged five goals in the competition last season, Porto also won both the Taca de Portugal and Taca da Liga last season and look capable of causing an upset.

Verdict by Liam Flin

Click for more free bets and betting offers from the Racing Post

Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing and sports betting.