Champions League Treble – Bayer big-price bankers in Ukraine
Published:Gameweek four of the Champions League group stage is upon us and with places in the last 16 of Europe’s elite competition at stake, some of the continent’s top players will be straining every sinew to propel their clubs up their respective mini-leagues.
We’ve strung together a tasty treble for your delectation ahead of this round of matches – which pays out over 23/1 with Coral – so get your bets on, sit back and enjoy the feast of football on offer.
Bayer Leverkusen to beat Shakhtar Donetsk @ 9/4
It’s difficult to see Shakhtar getting anything from this Group A clash, despite their impressive home form this term.
Bayer put four past the Ukrainian champions without reply at the Bay Arena and coach Sami Hyypia substituted strike-pairing Stefan Kiessling and Son Heung-Min with 15 minutes left to play.
Both teams suffered shock domestic losses last time out in their respective leagues, but Hyypia left out the aforementioned forwards plus free-scoring midfielder Sidney Sam from the start in their 1-0 defeat at Bundesliga bottom-club Eintracht Braunschweig.
Shakhtar will lineup with much the same team that were beaten 2-0 by Volyn and the German club’s extra freshness up front should see them through this vital fixture.
Galatasary to beat Copenhagen @ 5/4
After finding themselves on the wrong end of a 6-1 mauling at home to Real Madrid in Champions League gameweek one, Galatasaray bounced back to take a point off Juventus in Turin.
They followed that up with a 3-1 win at home to Stale Solbakken’s side and rate a solid bet to confirm that form with a win in Copenhagen.
Roberto Mancini has turned things around in Istanbul since taking over from Fatih Terim and Gala have lost just one out of six matches under the former Man City chief.
Their last four games in all competitions have produced wins and Mancini’s men can make it five in a row against the Danish title holders, who are fourth in the Superligaen this term and struggling for form.
Olympiakos v Benfica – Draw @ 23/10
There is practically nothing to choose between these teams based on Champions League form this season.
Both have been soundly beaten by PSG and both picked up three points against Group C whipping boys Anderlecht.
Olympiakos were seven minutes away from a priceless away win in Lisbon, but Oscar Cardozo’s equaliser means the teams remain level on points going in to this fixture.
With both sides claiming six points out of six from their league fixtures following that game, the draw that would keep the race for second place in Group C alive looks very much on the cards here.
