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The UEFA Champions League is back with a bang, with the opening round played across Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Kick-off times are split between 17:45 and 20:00 BST, which is great news for fans planning to follow the action on TV and live streaming apps. With 18 games divided equally across the three days, excitement is guaranteed.
Which sides will open with a win and important three points?
The UK Gambling Commission-licensed bookmakers featured at Flashscore offer a long list of pre-match markets. Gamblers can pick their favourite game and place a single bet, add several selections to an accumulator or aim high with a Bet Builder.
New players also qualify for a welcome bonus Champions League free bet, available on mobile and desktop.
Keep reading as trusted football betting writer Frank Monkhouse sets out his Champions League gameweek 1 predictions and best bets.
Club Brugge v Aston Villa, Tuesday, 17:45 BST
We open at Jan Breydel Stadium, where the Belgian Pro League champions play an opponent that won the Europa League last term and finished fourth in the Premier League.
The locals made a strong start to the defence of their league title, winning their first three matches before ending August with a 2-1 defeat at Gent.
Aston Villa haven’t been anywhere near as impressive as their opponents. They lost 2-1 to PSG in the UEFA Super Cup, before a 4-0 reverse at Brighton in the opening match of the new Premier League campaign. Unai Emery’s side also lost 1-0 when hosting Arsenal and drew 0-0 at Hull on Saturday.
The home team is in great shape, but I’ll trust Scotland’s John McGinn to score or assist on Tuesday.
The Aston Villa captain has five goal involvements from his last six European appearances. The midfielder scored three goals and provided two assists in that time.
McGinn scored 11 goals in 56 appearances for club and country last term, netting against Nottingham Forest in the Europa League semi-finals, Lille, Feyenoord, and Bologna.
Tip: McGinn to score or assist @ 15/8 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If John McGinn finds the net or sets up a teammate to score, your bet wins.
Borussia Dortmund v Villarreal, Tuesday, 20:00 BST
Moving to Germany for the first of three 20:00 BST starts, and we’re at the iconic Signal Iduna Park for Dortmund v Villarreal.
The head-to-head stats available at Flashscore show these teams have met only once before. Dortmund scored an emphatic 4-0 win at this venue in the 2025/26 Champions League, bagging three second-half goals.
Dortmund’s win over Villarreal was impressive, but it’s worth knowing that the Spanish side had Juan Foyth sent off in the 52nd minute, which led to the Bundesliga side stretching their lead from 1-0 to 4-0.
French-born striker Serhou Guirassy scored half of his team’s four goals last time, and gamblers will want to keep the 30-year-old close in this renewal.
Guirassy racked up 23 goals in 48 games last season, including four in this competition. He was also on target when Dortmund beat Hamburg 2-0 at this venue in late August.
The Opta Stats show that Guirassy averaged 0.9 goal involvements per 90 minutes, and I’m more than happy to follow.
Tip: Back Serhou to score or assist @ 8/13 (bet365)
Bet explanation: You’ll secure a profit if Serhou Guirassy scores at any stage of this match or is credited with an assist in a Dortmund goal.
Porto v Man City, Tuesday, 20:00 BST
Estadio do Dragão provides the backdrop for an intriguing face off, as 2023 European champions Manchester City touch down in Portugal.
The betting market expects Man City to win, taking all three points back to the Etihad Stadium, and I’m confident that they’ll deliver the goods.
You can back the away win at 7/10 with bet365, and that’ll do a job in your Tuesday evening accumulators.
In last year’s league phase, Man City finished in eighth after failing to win three games. That makes me a tad nervous about backing them on matchday one, despite winning three and drawing one of four meetings with their hosts.
Going in search of a stronger bet, I’m backing Erling Haaland to score at any time during this game. With this approach, a 30-yard Goal of the Season contender for 1-0 pays the same as a late equaliser for 1-1. If the Norwegian goal machine scores, you win.
Haaland notched 10 goals in his last 11 Champions League appearances. That’s simply stunning, but nothing surprises me about the Man City number nine.
Those 10 goals include strikes away to Monaco, Villarreal, and Real Madrid.
As you would expect, Erling has hit the ground running and scored two goals in a 4-1 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the Premier League.
Tip: Haaland to score @ 4/6 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If Haaland scores at least one goal in Portugal, you’ll boost your betting balance.
Real Madrid v Inter Milan, Tuesday, 20:00 BST
The highlight of Tuesday’s Champions League programme pairs two huge names and former European champions in Spain’s Real Madrid and Italy’s Inter Milan.
These teams are no strangers to meeting on the big stage, with Blancos and Inter crossing paths 13 times previously. To date, Madrid boast the lion’s share of success, entering on seven wins. Inter Milan boast five victories over Tuesday’s opponents, with one match ending in a 1-1 draw.
It pays to know these teams haven’t produced a draw since 1966. Football fans will be happy to hear that I don’t expect that to change this week.
Real Madrid carry three wins and a 5-0 aggregate score over Milan in their last three meetings. Digging deeper, the hosts and pre-match betting favourites have lost only one of five against Milan.
The visitors from Serie A have a rotten record at this stadium, and slipped to a 2-0 defeat on their last visit.
Real Madrid are the better, more successful team, and enjoy the home advantage.
Tip: Real Madrid win @ 4/7 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If Real Madrid beat Inter Milan on Tuesday in Spain, your gamble lands.
Barcelona v Feyenoord, Wednesday, 17:45 BST
Moving to Wednesday, we remain in Spain, where the La Liga champions play the runners-up from the Eredivisie.
Feyenoord manager Giovanni van Bronkhorst famously played for Barca between 2003 and 2007 after signing from Arsenal. He’s a talented boss who thrives at this level, but his team will struggle at the Camp Nou.
Spanish wonderkid Lamine Yamal will shine against a team that was eliminated at the third qualifying round last season, conceding five goals in a second-leg collapse against Fenerbahce.
Yamal’s stats show he has scored in four of his last five appearances in this competition. The 19-year-old netted at this stadium against Olympiakos, Copenhagen, and Newcastle. He also got two goals against Rayo Vallecano earlier this season.
Tip: Yamal to score @ 4/6 (bet365)
Bet explanation: You’ll bag a return if Yamal gets on the scoresheet against Feyenoord.
Liverpool v Atletico Madrid, Wednesday, 20:00 BST
Liverpool and Atletico Madrid meet for the 10th time in history when clashing under the bright lights of Anfield on Wednesday evening.
The H2H shows there’s little between these teams, who first met in 2008 with a 1-1 draw in this competition. Liverpool kick off with four wins; Atletico Madrid start on three, with a couple of draws.
A far more interesting and useful stat is that Liverpool have won their previous three renewals of this fixture, thanks to a 2-0 victory and two entertaining 3-2 results.
Keep it simple here and add a Liverpool win to your UCL accumulators.
Tip: Liverpool win @ 7/10 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Liverpool must defeat Atletico Madrid to secure followers a profit.
Napoli v Arsenal, Wednesday, 20:00 BST
Arsenal begin their campaign in Italy as the Gunners hope to go one better than last year’s silver medal behind PSG.
The stats suggest Arsenal will open with a win at Napoli, and do it in style. The Londoners have won three of their previous four meetings with Wednesday’s opponents, keeping a clean sheet along the way. A sturdy defence will be key to building on that success.
On route to last season’s final, Arsenal were the only Champions League team not to lose a match in normal time, winning 11 and drawing 4.
Mikel Arteta will set his team up to be difficult to beat, asking Kai Havertz to make things happen in attack. With seven goals in his last 10 UCL games, Havertz is worth considering in the anytime scorer market.
As it’s the first week, I won’t be too ambitious here. Instead, I suggest taking Arsenal on the double chance market. If the visitors avoid defeat, your bet wins.
Tip: Arsenal or draw @ 2/9 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Arsenal must avoid defeat in Italy, with an away win paying the same as a draw.
PSG v Slovan Bratislava, Wednesday, 20:00 BST
The defending champions are back in business, as PSG kick-start their quest for three European titles in three seasons.
The Parisians enjoy home advantage over Slovan Bratislava, a team that was knocked out by Kairat Almaty in qualifying last year. The underdogs also suffered heavy defeats in their last Champions League campaign, including a 5-1 loss to Celtic in Glasgow.
PSG won’t be at full strength here, but they don’t need to be. Bratislava lost all eight starts in the 2024/25 Champions League, conceding 27 goals in the process.
I expect PSG to flex their muscles and score a showreel win, laying down a marker for the weeks ahead.
Tip: PSG win to nil @ 4/9 (bet365)
Bet explanation: PSG must win in Paris and keep a clean sheet.
Bayern Munich v Bodo/Glimt, Thursday, 20:00 BST
Another European superpower that will enjoy a winning start is Bayern Munich, with the German Bundesliga legends hosting Bodo/Glimt.
The odds available on a home win is currently no better than 1/6 at bet365. That’s tight, and is unlikely to attract too much attention, even from accumulator bettors.
We look beyond the match-winner market, taking Londoner Harry Kane to score first at the Allianz Arena.
The England striker was one of the standout players at the FIFA World Cup, helping the Three Lions to a bronze medal finish.
Kane has scored nine goals in his last seven UCL outings, finding the net at least once in every match. Bet on Kane to make it 1-0 on Thursday.
Tip: Kane to score @ 5/2 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Harry Kane must score the game’s first goal when Bayern Munich play Bodo/Glimt.
Slavia Prague v Lens, Thursday, 20:00 BST
The final match placed under the spotlight at Flashscore comes from Prague.
Slavia won the Czech First League last season, finishing eight points clear of nearest rivals Sparta Prague. However, the stats offer little reason to expect a home win for the Red and Whites.
Did you know that Slavia have both the longest and second-longest winless run of any Czech side in major European competition? They kick off having failed to win in 15 games, losing 10 and drawing 5.
Could this painful drought go on much longer? History suggests that it could, with Prague going 19 games without a win between 2007 and 2009.
Before backing a Lens win, you should know that the visitors drew their opening match in their previous four UEFA campaigns, including the 2023/24 Champions League.
Tip: Lens or draw @ 2/5 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Lens must avoid defeat in Prague, with followers backing both the draw and an away win.
Betting on the Champions League
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