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Champions League

Wednesday Champions League games: free football tips, best bets and predictions

Including Bayern Munich, Juventus, Leverkusen, Atletico, PSG & Real Madrid

Bayern's Robert Lewandowski hit a brace away at Olympiakos
Bayern's Robert Lewandowski hit a brace away at OlympiakosCredit: Getty Images

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Wednesday's Champions League games, including Bayern Munich v Olympiakos, Lokomotiv Moscow v Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen v Atletico Madrid, Dinamo Zagreb v Shakhtar Donetsk, Paris St-Germain v Club Brugge & Real Madrid v Galatasaray.

Bayern Munich v Olympiakos

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 5.55pm Wednesday

Best bet

Bayern Munich win & both teams to score
1pt 5-4 general

Team news

Bayern Munich
Javi Martinez has recovered from a muscle strain and Lucas Hernandez (ankle) and Niklas Sule (knee) are out long-term.

Olympiakos
Yassine Benzia is available after suspension and Mathieu Valbuena (hamstring) is back in contention but Pape Cisse (illness) and Kostas Fortounis (knee) are ruled out.

Match preview

Bayern Munich are searching for a new head coach following the dismissal of Niko Kovac but can maintain their 100 per cent record in the Champions League by defeating Olympiakos at the Allianz Arena.

Kovac led Bayern to a domestic double last season but was shown the door after Saturday's 5-1 loss away to Eintracht Frankfurt, which left the Bavarians four points adrift of Bundesliga leaders Borussia Moenchengladbach.

The Croatian has been unlucky with injuries to key players, including first-choice defenders Lucas Hernandez and Niklas Sule, who are long-term absentees.

There were signs of defensive weakness on the matchday three trip to Olympiakos when Bayern came from behind to win 3-2.

The Greeks will find it harder to be competitive in Bavaria but could enjoy enough positive moments to bag a consolation goal.

Key stat

Bayern Munich have not kept a clean sheet in their last eight matches.


Lokomotiv Moscow v Juventus

Where to watch

BT Sport ESPN, 5.55pm Wednesday

Best bet

Juventus -1 on Asian handicap
1pt 41-40 bet365

Team news

Lokomotiv Moscow
Maciej Rybus (groin) is available but Fedor Smolov (thigh), Luka Djordjevic, Jefferson Farfan, Boris Rotenberg (all knee) and Anton Miranchuk (foot) are sidelined.

Juventus
Mattia De Sciglio and Danilo (both thigh) are available but Juan Cuadrado is suspended after collecting three yellow cards.

Match preview

Juventus had to show plenty of patience and persistence to overcome Lokomotiv Moscow 2-1 in Turin 15 days ago but the Italians might have an easier time in the Russian capital.

Alexei Miranchuk's first-half goal gave Lokomotiv a surprise lead over Juve on matchday three but they were under the cosh for most of the game and Paulo Dybala ended their resistance with two goals in three minutes.

Juve were relieved to take the points but it was a well-deserved victory after they had won the shot count 28 to five.

The defeat leaves Lokomotiv in third place – four points outside of the top two – and their chances of recovery are hampered by injuries to Russian internationals Anton Miranchuk and Fedor Smolov.

Key stat

Juventus have won nine of their last ten matches.


Bayer Leverkusen v Atletico Madrid

Where to watch

BT Sport Extra 2, 8pm Wednesday

Best bet

Bayer Leverkusen
1pt 19-10 Betfair, Betfred, Sky Bet

Team news

Bayer Leverkusen
Wendell, Leon Bailey and Charles Aranguiz (all thigh) have returned to the squad but Daley Sinkgraven and Lars Bender (both thigh) are sidelined.

Atletico Madrid
Joao Felix (ankle), Stefan Savic (hamstring) and Sime Vrsaljko (knee) remain sidelined. Jose Gimenez (hamstring) hasn't featured since the 1-0 success over Leverkusen on matchday three.

Match preview

Leverkusen's backs are against the wall after three Champions League defeats but they look overpriced to defeat Atletico Madrid at the Bay Arena.

Atletico are masters at making the most of few opportunities and did exactly that at home to Leverkusen on matchday three – winning 1-0 despite losing the shot count 11 to six.

However, they have looked more vulnerable without centre-back Jose Gimenez, who has missed the last fortnight with a hamstring injury.

Atletico were held to 1-1 draws on La Liga trips to Alaves and Sevilla and are not used to winning on their European travels.

They have triumphed just twice on their last ten Champions League road trips and their poor away form should encourage Leverkusen, who are likely to be more of a threat on home soil.

Key stat

Atletico have failed to score in six of their last nine Champions League away games.


Dinamo Zagreb v Shakhtar Donetsk

Where to watch

BT Sport Extra 4, 8pm Wednesday

Best bet

Dinamo Zagreb
1pt 13-10 Betfred

Team news

Dinamo Zagreb
Amer Gojak and Arijan Ademi (both ankle) are ruled out.

Shakhtar Donetsk
Manor Solomon (hamstring) was injured at the weekend and Ismaily (facial injury), Marlos, Serhiy Kryvtsov (both muscle strain) and Yevhen Konoplyanka (groin) missed out.

Match preview

Dinamo Zagreb have belied their fourth-seed status in Group C and can strengthen their grip on second place by defeating Shakhtar Donetsk in the Croatian capital.

Nenad Bjelica's side are the only team in the section to have tested Manchester City – keeping the Citizens at bay for more than an hour at the Etihad until goals from Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden condemned them to a 2-0 defeat.

They won 4-0 at home to Atalanta on matchday one and were worthy of a 2-2 draw away to Shakhtar after sharing the shot count 12 to 12.

Shakhtar are dominant in the Ukrainian league, taking 37 points from a possible 39, but they are stretched by injuries (five senior squad members are ruled out) and may come up short at a difficult venue.

Key stat

Dinamo Zagreb have won nine of their last ten home fixtures.


Paris Saint-Germain v Club Brugge

Where to watch

BT Sport Extra 3, 8pm Wednesday

Best bet

Paris St-Germain to win to nil
1pt Evs BoyleSports

Team news

Paris St-Germain
Idrissa Gueye (hamstring) and Julian Draxler (foot) returned to action at the weekend but Thomas Meunier, Neymar (both thigh) and Thilo Kehrer (foot) are ruled out.

Club Brugge
Matej Mitrovic (unspecified injury) is back in the squad but Simon Deli and Clinton Mata (both hamstring) are sidelined and Rudy Vormer is suspended.

Match preview

Kylian Mbappe's hat-trick was the highlight of Paris St-Germain's 5-0 victory away to Club Brugge on matchday three, and the 20-year-old can play a key role in helping the Parisiens to a fourth successive victory in Group A.

Brugge competed well on matchdays one and two – drawing at home to Galatasaray (0-0) and away to Real Madrid (2-2) – and were hopeful of giving PSG a decent game.

PSG were just one goal ahead at the break but Mbappe came off the bench to devastating effect, scoring three goals and providing an assist for Mauro Icardi.

Neymar remains injured but Thomas Tuchel has the luxury of picking two from Mbappe, Icardi and Edinson Cavani in attack.

The Belgian visitors are ill-equipped to cope against such quality and may struggle to make an impact at the other end.

Key stat

Paris St-Germain have kept clean sheets in four of their last five Champions League games.


Real Madrid v Galatasaray

Where to watch

BT Sport ESPN, 8pm Wednesday

Best bet

Real Madrid-Real Madrid double result
1pt 4-6 Coral, Ladbrokes

Team news

Real Madrid
Ferland Mendy (adductor) is back in contention but Gareth Bale (calf), Lucas Vazquez (thigh) and Nacho (knee) are out.

Galatasaray
Radamel Falcao (Achilles) and Sener Ozbayrakli (hamstring) are unavailable.

Match preview

Real Madrid got their Champions League campaign off to a slow start but climbed into second place with a well-deserved 1-0 victory away to Galatasaray and can make it back-to-back wins over the Turks at the Bernabeu.

Gala went into the home game with Real with a positive attitude and made it a busy night for Thibaut Courtois, who pulled off some excellent saves.

But Real were afforded space on the counter-attack and should have scored more than once after racking up 26 shots, 13 of them on target.

Gala need to turn the tables and can take heart from Club Brugge, who drew 2-2 away to Los Blancos in October.

However, Fatih Terim's side look vulnerable at the back and are likely to pay a heavier price than in Istanbul.

Key stat

Galatasaray have not won any of their last 15 Champions League away fixtures.


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