In the Mixer: Experts combine for 215/1 UCL group stage acca!
Content Editor at Free Super Tips, Alex was born in the shadow of Old Trafford and is an avid Man Utd fan. After graduating from university he combined his love of football, writing and betting to join FST and now closely follows goings-on in all of the top European leagues.
In The Mixer is FST’s weekly column where we catch up with eight experts in football betting and get their opinion on the hot topic of the week.
The long-awaited Champions League group stage draw took place last week and now all the big hitters know the competition they will face over the next few months we asked our experts for their best bet for the group stages.
Here’s what they had to say, along with a mammoth 215/1 acca backing their selections!
215/1 Experts’ accumulator
Alex Wrigley
Sports editor at Free Super Tips
3/1 Porto look excellent value to top Group B ahead of Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Club Brugge.
Odds-on favourites Atletico Madrid haven’t won their Champions League group since 2016/17 and only just edged Porto to second place in Group B last season. Luis Suarez has since left the club and Porto’s only other realistic contenders for the top spot – Bayer Leverkusen – have lost all three of their Bundesliga outings this season.
Best bet – Porto to win Group B
Aaron Rogan
Sports journalist at Free Super Tips
While Group A looks tight, Napoli have a great chance to make it through to the last 16. They’re up against Liverpool, Ajax and Rangers, having lost just one of four clashes with the Reds across their last two Champions League campaigns.
Ajax, their main rivals for second, have had a tough summer. Not only have they lost their manager, but top stars such as Andre Onana, Ryan Gravenberch, Sebastien Haller and Lisandro Martinez have all moved on.
It was Haller’s goals which fired Ajax through the group stages last season, having exited the competition at that stage in the previous two. With Napoli making a great start to the new Serie A campaign, they’re good value at 11/10 to pip Ajax to a last 16 spot.
Best bet – Napoli to qualify for the knockout stages
Aaron Ashley
Sports journalist at Racing Post
Napoli to qualify from Group A at odds-against makes some appeal. Liverpool should top the section but the Serie A side could be second best.
Rangers can never be written off in Europe but they look reliant on their results at Ibrox – they were beaten at Union Saint-Gilloise in qualifying and struggled on their travels in the Europa League last term – so it should be a match with Ajax.
However, the Eredivisie outfit look much weaker than last season. Manager Erik ten Hag and star defender Lisandro Martinez have left for Manchester United while Antony looks like following suit. With last season’s top scorer Sebastien Haller and Ryan Gravenberch having also made the move to the Bundesliga, they have a bit to prove.
Napoli have hit the ground running in Serie A and there is plenty of quality running throughout their squad.
Best bet – Napoli to qualify for the knockout stages
Liam Flin
Sports journalist at Racing Post
Group D is arguably the most open group in this season’s Champions League and Sporting Lisbon could be a cracking bet at 2/1 to finish in the top two.
Clubs from Portugal’s Primeira Liga are often overlooked in European competition but Sporting finished second in their Champions League section last campaign above Borussia Dortmund and Besiktas.
They have been producers of some of the continent’s finest young players for years now and their current squad is still loaded with talent from attacking midfielder Pedro Goncalves to highly rated defender Goncalo Inacio.
Tottenham will likely top the section, leaving Sporting to compete with Eintracht Frankfurt, who have made a miserable start to the season, and France’s Marseille for second spot.
Best bet – Sporting Lisbon to qualify for the knockout stages
Chris Rivers
Sports journalist at Racing Post
It could be worth opposing odds-on shots Atletico Madrid to win a competitive Group B. The Colchoneros have lost some of their intimidation factor under Diego Simeone, losing nine league matches last year – a ten-year high – and they were recently turned over by Villarreal at home.
Atleti struggled through last season’s group stages, snatching the runner-up spot ahead of Porto, who oppose them again. The Portuguese have made a solid start to the season and given their decent group stage record they represent a bit of value at 3-1 to get their revenge on Atletico by winning the group. Bayer Leverkusen could also be a factor but there’s less confidence in them at the same price as Porto after losing their first three Bundesliga engagements.
Best bet – Porto to win Group B
Tom Hill
Sports journalist at ICS
The Champions League draw did not do Inter Milan any favours, but they should not be too downhearted as they prepare to face Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Viktoria Plzen.
Bayern and Barcelona have been drawn together for the second year running, and it will be a shame to see one of these European trio drop out in a few month’s time.
Bayern are the clear favourites to progress, but considering Barcelona’s troubles, it is surprising to see Inter at 11/10 to qualify. With Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez set to lead the line, Inter can sneak past the Spanish giants and add to their growing list of problems.
Best bet – Inter Milan to qualify for the knockout stages
Rob Eddy
Sports journalist at ICS
Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are obvious big names in Group H but have been priced up accordingly, and that might just be under-estimating the threat of Benfica to make it through to the knockouts, particularly at a price of 9/4.
Juve are not the force they once were and look far too short at 1/4 in what could be a straight fight with the Portuguese giants, with PSG expected to lead the way.
Benfica got through a group including Barcelona and Bayern Munich last season, then overcame Ajax before running into Liverpool. They will not be feared by Juve, who were knocked out by Villarreal last term.
Best bet – Benfica to qualify for the knockout stages
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