THE Champions League is back and there are some cracking matches to look at tonight.
On paper the best two could be Man City v Napoli and Real Madrid v Spurs but RB Leipzig v Porto and Monaco v Besiktas could also be good ones.
Liverpool are short-priced favourites at Maribor as are Dortmund away to Apoel Nicosia. Shakhtar travel to Feyenoord and Mr Orange has commented with a good preview. And finally Sevilla should win at Spartak Moscow.
Man City are living up to their billing under Pep Guardiola and that spells bad news for Napoli.
A year ago City made a perfect 10 wins a row start under the Spaniard before being stopped by Celtic and ultimately their season fell apart.
Lessons have been learned and tens of millions spent and Guardiola's men look almost unstoppable. They have won seven and drawn one in the Premier League, netting 29, and triumphed in their opening two Champions League group games for the first time.
Napoli are the only side in Europe's top leagues to have a 100 per cent record – eight wins in a row – but players could be rested ahead of a massive weekend clash with Inter Milan.
City are a best 8-13 at Unibet and that will be attractive if Maurizio Sarri omits players such as Dries Mertens and Jorginho who missed their loss to Shaktar Donetsk.
If the Italians are weakened back City to win by at least two at 6-4 with Stan James while Guardiola's men are 13-10 at betfair to net three or more.
City are unbeaten in their last 10 CL games at home while Napoli have lost five and draw one of six visits to England. If they put out a full team best bet will be over 3.5 match goals at evens with McBookie.
Gabriel Jesus is tipped to be as good as Sergio Aguero and is 15-4 at Unibet to score first with Aguero likely to be benched as he continues his fight back to fitness after hurting ribs in a car crash.
The other game in the group sees Shakhtar Donetsk travel to Feyenoord who have been beaten heavily in their opening two games.
Mr Orange put up a good comment tipping the Ukrainians and I have to agree. They beat Napoli in their opener and have won seven out of nine away games in Europe and haven't lost a game in any competition since March. Shakhtar are 6-5 with bet365.
Real Madrid v Spurs – or Cristiano Ronaldo v Harry Kane – could be just as enticing.
The two Ballon D'Or contenders though could be outshone by Isco who has been in superb form for Real and is 12-5 at Paddy Power to net.
Real's Euro record at the Bernabeu is two defeats in 37 and I fancy them to edge this one at 4-9 with McBookie.
The other game between Apoel and Dortmund sees the Germans just 1-4 to win and they should do so by at least at 4-6 with Ladbrokes.
Dortmund have lost their opeing two games so this is a must-win and the man they'll be looking to do some damage is Pierre-Emerick Aubayemang who has netted 15 goals in 12 games. He is 21-10 at Unibet to score first.
With Liverpool so short it's difficult to find value and while they should beat Maribor with something to spare the bet could be Philippe Coutinho to score first at 5-1 with bet365 as he's often the man for the big occasion.
in the other group game Sevilla and Spartak Moscow meet in Russia and it's not easy to pick a winner with both in decent form.
Same goes for RB Leipzig v Porto and Monaco v a decent Besiktas side.
Recommended Bets
- Man City v Napoli over 3.5 goals
- Isco to score
- Coutinho to score first
- Shakhtar Donetsk
- Aubameyang to score first
Resident football tipster at Scotland's most read newspaper, the Daily Record, for over 20 years and proud host of one the best betting communities on the web with daily betting tips.
In no way a banker but value wise to me looks over priced.
Liverpool clean sheet NO is 2.25 on bet 365 the now.
Liverpool have only win once in thier last 8 competitive starts and have conceded in all their away games this season (11 goals conceded in their last 4 away games).
Maribor have scored 8 in thier last 4 games drawing a blank only once. Liverpool are very iffy away from home especially in Europ… Maribor to score a goal at 2.25 looks like value to me.