Wednesday's Champions League predictions: Barcelona defence can stand firm

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Wednesday's group matches in the Champions League.

Atletico Madrid v Club Brugge

Where to watch

BT Sport 4, 5.45pm Wednesday

Best bet

Both teams to score
1pt 21-20 bet365

Match preview

Club Brugge have made a stunning start to their Group B campaign, beating Bayer Leverkusen, Porto and Atletico Madrid to nil, and they are capable of landing a blow in their away fixture against inconsistent Atletico.

The Belgians thumped Porto 4-0 in their previous Champions League road trip before a 2-0 home win over Diego Simeone's Atleti on matchday three.

The visitors racked up 20 shots at goal to Brugge's seven last week and, having also lost to Leverkusen, they cannot afford to drop more points.

Atletico should be confident of troubling a Brugge defence who have conceded five goals in recent league defeats to Standard Liege and Westerlo.

However, forwards Ferran Jutgla and Kamal Sowah were both on the scoresheet on matchday three and Carl Hoefkens' visitors should be confident of troubling Atleti once again so backing both teams to score in Madrid looks the best bet.

Napoli v Ajax

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 5.45pm Wednesday

Best bet

Giacomo Raspadori to be first goalscorer
1pt 6-1 bet365

Match preview

This time last year Ajax were pulverising their Champions League group rivals, scoring 20 goals and winning all six of their games against Sporting, Borussia Dortmund and Besiktas.

The boot is on the other foot for the Dutch champions in 2022-23 as they face a Napoli side who beat Liverpool 4-1 and Rangers 3-0 before a 6-1 rout of Ajax in Amsterdam on matchday three.

Napoli fell behind to an early goal from impressive Ajax youngster Mohammed Kudus but swiftly equalised through Italy striker Giacomo Raspadori, who scored his second of the night just after half-time.

Raspadori looks a tempting price to open the scoring in Naples as he is likely to start as the focal point of a rampant home attacking unit.

The 22-year-old has scored five times in his last seven appearances for club and country and, although he drew a blank in Sunday's 4-1 Serie A win at Cremonese, he had three shots on target.

Barcelona v Inter

Where to watch

BT Sport 4, 8pm Wednesday

Best bet

Barcelona to win to nil
2pts 8-5 Betfred, Coral

Match preview

Barcelona coach Xavi claimed his side's 1-0 defeat to Inter on matchday three was an "injustice" and bookmakers expect the Catalans to avenge their San Siro loss in the reverse fixture.

With Bayern Munich winning three out of three in Group C, the pressure is on Barca to take three points off their qualification rivals Inter and they should be backed to win with a clean sheet.

There was not much between the teams in Milan, where VAR ruled out a Pedri strike that would have given Barca a valuable draw, and each team managed only two shots on target.

Chances may be at a premium for Inter again as Barcelona's defensive record in La Liga this season has been outstanding.

Sunday's 1-0 win over Celta Vigo, courtesy of a legitimate Pedri goal, means they have conceded just once in eight league matches, winning six of them to nil.

Bayer Leverkusen v Porto

Where to watch

BT Sport 7, 8pm Wednesday

Best bet

Bayer Leverkusen
2pts 23-20 bet365, Betfred

Match preview

Bayer Leverkusen's 2-0 defeat in Porto last week signalled the end of Gerardo Seoane's time in charge of the Bundesliga side and his successor Xabi Alonso enjoyed the perfect debut at the weekend.

Leverkusen thrashed Schalke 4-0 and, having beaten Atletico Madrid at home on matchday two of the Champions League, they are worth backing to boost their qualification chances with a victory over Porto.

Seoane's hopes of clinging on to his job were not helped by Patrik Schick's first-half penalty miss against Porto, who scored both of their goals in the final quarter of the game, but Schick, Moussa Diaby and Chelsea loanee Callum Hudson-Odoi give Leverkusen a serious attacking threat.

They had 18 attempts on goal against Atletico, scoring twice and hitting the woodwork twice, and Porto have scored only two goals in their last four away group matches in the Champions League.

Sporting v Marseille

Where to watch

BT Sport 6, 8pm Wednesday

Best bet

Sporting
1pt 6-5 Betfred

Match preview

Sporting winger Francisco Trincao gave his side the perfect start to last week's clash with Marseille with a lovely left-footed strike inside the first minute but the Portuguese side's chances were swiftly undermined by a shocking performance from goalkeeper Antonio Adan.

Marseille capitalised on two poor clearances from the Sporting keeper, who was then sent off for a handball outside the penalty area in the 23rd minute, and the ten men went on to lose 4-1.

That gave Marseille a much-needed win, after losing to nil against Tottenham and Eintracht Frankfurt in their first two games, but they suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat to Ligue 1's bottom club Ajaccio at the weekend and should be taken on in Lisbon.

Sporting have won eight of their last ten home games in all competitions, including a 2-0 win over Spurs on matchday two, and they also beat Besiktas 4-0 and Borussia Dortmund 3-1 in last term's Champions League.

Viktoria Plzen v Bayern Munich

Where to watch

BT Sport 5, 8pm Wednesday

Best bet

Bayern Munich to win 3-0
1pt 6-1 general

Match preview

Bayern Munich's patchy start to their Bundesliga title defence continued last weekend as they blew a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 away to Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker.

Anthony Modeste's 95th-minute equaliser for BVB means Bayern have won only four of their first nine league matches but they have been far more ruthless in Group C of the Champions League.

They took control of the section thanks to 2-0 wins over Inter and Barcelona before hammering group outsiders Viktoria Plzen 5-0 with all five goals coming in the first hour.

Bayern are long odds-on to seal their progress to the last 16 with an away win over the Czech champions and a 3-0 victory for the Bavarians appeals in the correct-score betting.

Plzen have kept clean sheets in their last three home league matches but they lost 2-0 to Inter on matchday two and have had only five shots on target in their three Group C outings.

Not got a bet365 account? Bet £10 & get £50 in free bets

Open account offer. Minimum deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as bet credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Minimum odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude bet credits stake. Time limits/T&Cs apply. 18+ begambleaware.org

MORE FREE BETS

Sign up to emails from Racing Post Sport and get all the latest news and tips

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport