Champions League Group F predictions and odds: Atalanta have upset potential

Team-by-team guide, betting predictions, best bets and analysis for Champions League Group F.

Manchester United

Manager
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been oft-criticised since taking the Manchester United job in 2018. He is yet to win a trophy, losing four semi-finals in a row before his side suffered defeat in last year’s Europa League final to the reopposing Villareal.

Transfer activity
The summer signings of Raphale Varane and Jadon Sancho have added class to an already strong squad, and they were topped off with the long-awaited return of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Key man
For a team that so often seems to rely on the performances of individuals, the addition of Ronaldo may be key.

Prospects

Since being beaten in the 2010-11 final, Manchester United haven’t progressed beyond the quarter-final stage in the Champions League. The Red Devils did win the 2016-17 Europa League but have suffered a few near misses in that competition since.

The summer additions to their squad certainly make them a side to fear and they should progress from this group. However, winning the section is no given with Atalanta and Villarreal two competitive sides.

Recent history also suggests that Manchester United’s record in one off matches is difficult to trust. Solskjaer is yet to prove his place at the top table and could be their undoing in the latter stages of the competition.

Inside info

Best 11
(4-2-3-1) De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Varane, Shaw; Pogba, Fred; Rashford, Fernandes, Sancho; Ronaldo

Penalty taker Cristiano Ronaldo

Set-piece aerial threat Harry Maguire

Card magnet Harry Maguire

Star rating out of five Four

Villarreal

Manager
After his difficult spell at Arsenal, Unai Emery has rebuilt his reputation at Villarreal somewhat by beating Manchester United in the Europa League final last season. His side also broke the club record for games unbeaten last season with 18.

Transfer activity
Arnaut Danjuma was one of the standout players in the Championship last season and joined this summer. Juan Foyth has also signed permanently after a loan spell from Spurs, along with striker Boulaye Dia. Long time servants Carlos Bacca and Jaume Costa both departed on free transfers.

Key man
Gerard Moreno endured a frustrating Euro 2020 but netted 30 times in 46 games in all competitions last season.

Prospects

Typically a Europa League mainstay, this is Villarreal’s first appearance in the Champions League group stage since 2011-12. However, they showed in their run through the former competition last season how dangerous they can be in knockout football.

Their summer additions look shrewd, moving on some of the elder statesmen of the squad and picking up exciting young talent such as Arnaut Danjuma.

The Yellow Submarine should give a good account of themselves in this group, but may find they ultimately miss out on progression and drop into the competition they won last season.

Inside info

Best 11
(4-4-2) Rulli; Foyth, Torres, Albiol, Moreno; Chukwueze, Trigueros, Capoue, Danjuma; Moreno, Dia

Penalty taker Gerard Moreno

Set-piece aerial threat Gerard Moreno

Card magnet Etienne Capoue

Star rating out of five Three

Atalanta

Manager
Gian Gasperini was appointed in 2016 and is now considered a legend at Atalanta, leading his side from relegation trouble to European football for the first time in 26 years. Since then he has consistently kept the club punching above its weight both domestically and in European football.

Transfer activity
The Black and Blues lost Christian Romero and Pierluigi Gollini to Tottenham, Musa Barrow, Roger Ibanez and Andreas Cornelius also departed.

Goalkeeper Juan Musso joined, along with Davide Zappacosta from Chelsea. Teun Koopmeiners was signed from AZ Alkmaar and Matteo Lovato and Merih Demiral both came in at centre back.

Key man
Robin Gosens was one of the stars of Euro 2020 and scored 11 times while registering six assists in the league last season from wing back.

Prospects

As evidenced at the summer’s European Championships, this Atalanta side is full of star quality. Robin Gosens, Joachim Maehle, Ruslan Malinovsky and Remo Freuler all enhanced their reputations at the Euros and are the core of this team.

The Italian side have been beaten in the knockout stages of the last two Champions Leagues by Real Madrid and PSG respectively and progress to the latter stages looks on the cards once more.

Gasperini’s side have finished second to English clubs in successive group stages but finished just two points behind Liverpool last year and will be aiming for one better this time around.

Inside info

Best 11
(3-4-1-2) Musso; Djimsiti, Demiral, Toloi; Maehle, De Roon, Freuler, Gosens; Malinovskyi; Zapata, Muriel

Penalty taker Luis Muriel/Duvan Zapata

Set-piece aerial threat Berat Djimsiti

Card magnet Rafael Toloi

Star rating out of five Four

Young Boys

Manager
Former Huddersfield manager David Wagner took over this summer after Gerardo Seoane’s success led to him being poached by Bayer Leverkusen. Wagner successfully navigated two qualifying rounds and a playoff to make it to the group stages.

Transfer activity
American stiker Jordan Siebatcheu was on loan last season and completed a permanent move this summer. Felix Mambimbi also arrived on a free to bolster their forward line. The only departure of note was midfielder Gianluca Gaudino.

Key man
Striker Jean-Pierre Nsame is currently absent with a torn Achilles, but should be available to play some role in the campaign. He has scored 78 times in 118 league games for the Swiss side since joining in 2017.

Prospects

Young Boys have dominated Swiss football in recent times, winning the Super League four years on the bounce. They also acquitted themselves well in the Europa League last season, beating Bayer Leverkusen in the last 32 before Ajax knocked them out in the round of 16.

That is still a long way off what will be required to stay afloat in this group though and it may be a long six games for Wagner’s side. Resisting the wooden spoon and transferring to the Europa League through a third-placed finish is probably the best that they can hope for.

Inside info

Best 11
(4-4-2) von Ballmoos; Hefti, Camara, Zesiger, Garcia; Fassnacht, Martins, Aebischer, Ngamaleu; Siebatcheu, Nsame

Penalty taker Jordan Siebatcheu/Jean-Pierre Nsame

Set-piece aerial threat Christian Fassnacht

Card magnet Mohamed Ali Camara

Star rating out of five One

Best bet

Atalanta to win Group F
2pts 10-3 bet365, Hills

Group preview

After their summer spending spree, Manchester United are short-priced favourites to win Group F. But their early performances in the Premier League have indicated that many of the issues they suffered last season remain.

The lack of a definable style of play and fluency in the Red Devils’ attack, coupled with doubts over their best midfield pairing means they often rely on moments of individual brilliance rather than a team performance.

To add to that, in their last four Champions League campaigns, Manchester United have topped their section just once and could be worth taking on at such a skinny price.

Villarreal were impressive in their Europa League victory last season but haven’t shown much in the early going in La Liga. Young Boys have done well to qualify but look likely to struggle here.

Atalanta have been one of the most progressive teams in Europe since Gian Gasperini’s appointment in 2016 and they look too big a price to win Group F.

The Serie A side have finished runners up to Manchester City and Liverpool respectively in the last two group stages, but they beat the Reds at Anfield last year and look ready to kick on.

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