Champions League Predictions – Wednesday, September 18

Champions League Matchday 1 continues with 6 more games on Wednesday. 

Let’s cover each game and make up 1 parlay from the games at the end for our top Champions League Predictions, picks and parlays.

Bologna vs Shakhtar Donetsk Prediction

• BOL: 0-3-1, 4 GF / 7 GA, 17th in Serie A
• SD: 3-0-2, 14 GF / 7 GA, 6th in Ukraine

This is the 1st ever meeting between them.

After a great season last year which saw them qualify for the UCL and be 1/5 teams debuting in recent times, Bologna has struggled so far, still winless. Losing 3-0 to Napoli could perhaps be excused, but it’s also 3 draws vs Udinese, Empoli and Como. 

Shakhtar Donetsk is coming off a 5-2 league win but are just 3-1-3 in their past 7 league games but then have only 3 losses in 23 losses. They’ve only failed to score in 3 games during that time and were last season’s league winners.

This is tough to call. You’d think the edge goes to the Serie A team playing at home but they could only draw a promoted Como team and the Ukrainians are experienced in this tournament, but … have just 2 road UCL wins in 11.

• Champions League Predictions: Draw (+260)

Sparta Praha vs RB Salzburg Prediction

• SP: 6-1-0, 16 GF / 6 GA, 1st in Czech Republic
• SAL: 3-0-1, 11 GF / 6 GA, 5th in Austria

This is the first competitive meeting. They did play a friendly just in July which was 2-2 and a friendly in 2023 won 2-1 by Salzburg.

Sparta is rolling in all comps undefeated in 26 going all the way back to a loss to Liverpool in the UEL in March 2023. Only once in that time have they not scored and none in the past 17. Also only twice in that time have their games not finished with 2+ goals.

It’s sorta similar for Salzburg, coming off a 3-2 loss but that being their only loss in 11 games in all comps. In 26 games they have just 5 losses, have scored in 25 and there’s been 2+ in 22. After 11 years of winning the Austrian title, they were 2nd last season.

Both are fresh being off this weekend from flooding concerns in Europe and have not played in 3 weeks. Salzburg are more experienced in this tournament but also have just 1 road win in 10 UCL games. I’m predicting goals. 

• Champions League Predictions: Both Teams to Score & Over 2.5 (-120)

PSG vs Girona Prediction

• PSG: 4-0-0, 16 GF / 3 GA, 1st in Ligue 1
• GIR: 2-1-2, 8 GF / 8 GA, 7th in La Liga

This is the first-ever meeting and the first-ever UCL game for Girona.

PSG went out to UCL finalists Dortmund last season and then dropped 1 game in Ligue 1, but since are 7-0-0. At home in Paris in any match it’s just 3 losses in 26 (Toulouse, Dortmund and Barcelona). In the UCL, when playing at home, PSG has lost just 1 of 36 games and none since 2020.

Now in 3/4 Ligue 1 games they have conceded, allowing a goal to Le Havre, Lille and Brest, so certainly Girona should be capable of scoring too. 

The surprise package of La Liga last season, Girona will be hard-pressed to duplicate last season’s success and are to a so-so start this year and maybe we looking ahead to this game losing 4-1 to Barca this weekend. They have scored in 4/5 and were one of the league’s top scorers last season but often struggled to keep clean sheets.

PSG are expected to win here but are missing players to injury including starting keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma who was injured this weekend.

PSG could win with BTTS or simply a bet on BTTS & Over 2.5 is an option. Or PSG to win and score 2. For better value?

• Champions League Predictions: PSG win + Over 2 game goals (-134)

Club Brugge vs Borussia Dortmund Prediction

• CB: 4-1-2, 12 GF / 6 GA, 1st in Belgium
• DOR: 2-1-0, 6 GF / 2 GA, 2nd in Bundesliga

These teams have met in the UCL on several occasions, in 2018, 1-0 Dortmund and 0-0, and then 2020, with both games being 3-0 Dortmund. 

Brugge doesn’t lose a lot of games domestically. In all comps, in their last 22 they’ve only lost 4 times and only failed to score twice. They are the reigning Jupiler League champs from last season, their 4th title in 5 years. 

Dortmund had a down year in the league last year but went all the way to the UCL final. There’s a new coach and plenty of new faces and so far they won 4-1 (Cup), won 2-0, drew 0-0 and won 4-2. 

Dortmund had the most UCL clean sheets last season but then Brugge have scored in 22/23 home games across all comps.

• Champions League Predictions: Both Teams to Score (-150)

Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava Prediction

• CEL: 5-0-0, 14 GF / 0 GA, 1st in Scotland
• SB: 5-0-1, 11 GF / 8 GA, 1st in Slovakia

This is their first meeting head-to-head in modern times, not since the 1960s. 

Celtic haven’t lost in 18 games since March, winning 16, drawing 2. To start the season they’re perfect in league and cup have scored multiple goals in all 6 and kept clean sheets in 5/6.

Slovan only have 1 loss in 15 themselves. Only twice in that time have they not scored and they’ve scored mutiple in 4/5 themselves.

Slovan have played in all 3 Conference Leagues since it’s inception but this is a step up the UCL for the first time. Celtic hasn’t had much success in this tournament over the years but this will be a great spot to pick up 3 points. 

-334 could be good for a parlay on Celtic winning. So perhaps Celtic to win and BTTS. Or just Over 2.5.

• Champions League Predictions: Over 2.5 (-150)

Man City vs Inter Milan Prediction

• MCI: 4-0-0, 11 GF / 3 GA, 1st EPL
• INT: 2-2-0, 9 GF / 3 GA, 2nd in Serie A

Just over a year ago they met in the 2023 UCL final where Man City won 1-0 and that is the only recent relevant meeting.

This could easily be another UCL final with both still at the top of the their respective tables and both winning their leagues last season.

Man City have 1 loss in 40 in all comps, the UCL Final vs Madrid. Their games this season have been 1-1, 2-0, 4-1, 3-1 and 2-1, so BTTS bets have been a way to get value on City games.

Inter have only 3 losses in 30 themselves, plus 3 in 46. 

This is tough to call. You’d expect goals. But they could cancel each other out and draw as well in a lower-scoring games. 

In a battle of title contenders, I’ll say BTTS at least 1.

• Champions League Predictions: Both Teams to Score (-135)

Champions League Parlay Picks:

• Sparta Prague vs Salzburg BTTS
• PSG win
• Dortmund to score
• (+154)