Champions League Groups A-D outright predictions and free betting tips

Free Champions League tips, best bets and analysis for Groups A-D.

Group A

Most Champions League groups have a strong favourite that makes the qualification market more appealing, starting with Group A where the majority of the action should revolve around which team comes through alongside Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp's side were runners-up last season and should have enough quality for top spot despite a few midfield injuries and a slower than expected start to the season. They won all six matches in last term's Champions League group stage and topped their group in each of the last three campaigns.

Of the Reds' rivals Napoli, unbeaten in Serie A this season and dominant in a 2-1 win at Lazio on Saturday look strongest.

Napoli could have found a gem in young Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, while they managed to retain the services of Victor Osimhen despite links with a mega-money move to the Premier League.

Kalidou Koulibaly (to Chelsea) and Fabian Ruiz (Paris St-Germain) are significant departures, but nothing like those faced by principle qualification rivals Ajax.

Manager Erik ten Hag headed to Manchester United, taking Antony and Lisandro Martinez with him. Ryan Gravenberch went to Bayern Munich and Sebastien Haller was sold to Borussia Dortmund, leaving new boss Alfred Schreuder to rebuild a new team.

Steven Bergwijn was the biggest name to arrive and Lucas Ocampos is a clever pick-up from Sevilla, while they also raided Rangers for centre-back Calvin Bassey, who appears to be sorely missed judging by their 4-0 thumping at Celtic.

Knocking PSV out was a top result for Rangers but Napoli and Liverpool may be a step too far.

Best bet

Napoli to qualify from Group A
2pts 11-10 general

Group B

Atletico Madrid went out of last season's Champions League in chaotic scenes as they lost their heads against Manchester City and it would be nice to see the Spaniards try to play more football rather than worry about the nasty side of the game.

However, Diego Simeone won't be changing and Atletico can grind themselves to the top of an intriguing but weak Group B also featuring Porto, Bayer Leverkusen and Club Brugge.

No key players have left Atletico over the summer and it could be argued they are even stronger up front, where Alvaro Morata returns from a loan spell at Juventus.

Morata, Joao Felix and Antoine Griezmann, who has been reduced to a super-sub role, should be able to get the job done.

Porto brought in good money for the sales of young midfielders Vitinha and Fabio Vieira and tried to strengthen defensively through the signing of David Carmo from Braga.

Manager Sergio Conceicao, much like Simeone, is able to drag every last bit of energy from his team and they could edge Bayer Leverksen for second spot.

Leverkusen have lost four of their five Bundesliga matches this term and were also dumped out of the German Cup by lower-league SV Elversberg.

Club Brugge sold crown jewel Charles De Ketelaere to Serie A champions Milan and the Belgians have failed to progress past the group stage in their nine previous attempts.

Best bet

Atletico Madrid to win Group B
1pt 10-11 general

Group C

One of Europe's big guns will have to go out in the group stage with Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Inter drawn in the same section. Viktoria Plzen are getting a great tour of football stadia and cities but should just be making up the numbers in such hot company.

Bayern are ultra-consistent when it comes to making the knockout stages, going past the group phase 14 years running, but last season's exit to Villarreal jarred.

They allowed Robert Lewandowski to join Group C rivals Barca and coach Julian Nagelsmann spoke of wanting a more fluid forward line led by Sadio Mane and supported by any number of others which could include Thomas Muller, Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane and magic midfielder Jamal Musiala.

Matthijs de Ligt improves Bayern defensively, although partner Dayot Upamecano is an accident waiting to happen.

Inter have brought back Romelu Lukaku to join forces with Lautaro Martinez but the strength in depth of Serie A has rightly been questioned, which does not bode well considering Simone Inzaghi's men have already lost to Lazio and Milan this season.

Barcelona have been tipped up in the outright market and it doesn't make much sense to go in again.

It's only early days but Barca have the fourth-best expected goals difference in Europe's top five leagues, behind only domestic dominant forces Paris St-Germain and Bayern Munich and Champions League favourites Manchester City.

Lewandowski has hit the ground running with five goals in his opening four La Liga games and they look stronger defensively with Jules Kounde on board.

Group D

Tottenham's Champions League outright odds were slashed after a lovely draw which should help them progress to the last 16.

Highly-regarded manager Antonio Conte is a serial winner in the domestic arena, having success virtually wherever he goes, but it is a different story in the Champions League with only three wins in his last 15 matches.

That is likely to improve against weakest pot one seeds Eintracht Frankfurt, who reached such a lofty position due to their Europa League triumph, Marseille and Lisbon outfit Sporting.

Conte has been able to build strength in depth this summer and Richarlison's early impact suggests he could push Heung-Min Son or Dejan Kulusevski to play in Tottenham's front three alongside Harry Kane.

Spurs, unbeaten this season, face an interesting rather than daunting set of opponents.

Marseille are dominated by former Premier League players Eric Bailly, Nuno Tavares, Sead Kolasinac, Matteo Guendouzi, Jordan Veretout, Alexis Sanchez, Cengiz Under and Dimitri Payet.

There does not appear to be much between the other teams and Sporting could be the value bet at 2-1.

Respected analysis and data website FiveThirtyEight rates Sporting as second to Spurs in this section. That might be a little too far but the qualification odds are generous.

Best bet

Sporting to qualify from Group D
1pt 2-1 bet365

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