Upcoming Champions League matches to look out for

The turn of the year also signals the resumption of Champions League football with two matches of the revamped league stage format still to be played. There is still plenty to play for with plenty of teams still in the fight for the qualification positions. Liverpool currently lead the way with a perfect six wins out of six, while Champions League debutants Brest and Aston Villa also sit in the top eight positions, which guarantees automatic qualification to the Round of 16.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola

The upcoming matchday seven has many mouth-watering ties to look forward to with some big clubs in danger of missing out on qualification to the playoff round entirely. Meanwhile, the surprise packages in this season’s campaign will want to continue their good European form and put themselves in the best position possible going into the final matchday.

Paris Saint-Germain vs Manchester City, Wednesday 22nd January

This could still be billed as a Champions League final, but with the recent form of Pep Guardiola’s City side, and the transition period being overseen by Luis Enrique in Paris, the clash between these two giants is only a lower mid-table clash on paper. Both teams have endured stuttering campaigns, with PSG even sitting outside the playoff qualification places.

Remarkably, City are only three places above PSG in 22nd, not aided by a 0-2 defeat to Juventus last matchday, which followed an embarrassing capitulation against Dutch side Feyenoord. With Guardiola’s men 3-0 up and seemingly cruising, City inexplicably shipped three late goals to draw 3-3. Evidence of this fragility was also on display in the recent Premier League tie against Brentford, when City let a two-goal lead slip to draw 2-2 at the Gtech Community Stadium.

As usual, PSG have been cruising in Ligue 1 and have a healthy lead over second place Marseille. The Champions League remains the ultimate priority for the Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) group, not helped by the departure of star striker Kylian Mbappe last summer. However, PSG and Enrique are currently embarking on a fresh approach, prioritizing younger talents and home-grown players in the hope of molding more of a team than the previous superstar squad that included the likes of Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and Neymar. Three points are vital for both teams. Can PSG take advantage of City’s weak spine without Rodri, or can City exploit the now-youthful PSG?

Prediction: PSG 2-2 Manchester City

Monaco vs Aston Villa, Tuesday 21st January

Another match that is probably less glamorous on paper but equally intriguing on sports betting markets is Adi Hütter’s Monaco vs Unai Emery’s Aston Villa. Both teams are enjoying productive Champions League campaigns so far, with Villa sitting in 5th and in possession of one of the automatic passages to the Round of 16. Monaco meanwhile are down in 16th in the knowledge that a win over Emery’s side could take them into the top eight ahead of their final league stage match against Inter Milan on Wednesday 29th January.

Unai Emery

Aston Villa will know that a win will all but guarantee an automatic qualification spot, which could potentially allow Emery to give some vital rest to players in their battle for Champions League qualification in the league. It should come as no surprise to see Villa mixing it with the best in Europe. With four Europa League winners’ medals in his own cabinet, Emery has forged a reputation as a master of European football.

Having enjoyed success with Sevilla and Villarreal in Europe’s second-best club competition, Emery will want to prove he can mix it with the finest Europe has to offer. Monaco have a more decorated relationship with the Champions League, reaching the final in 2004 before losing 0-3 to Jose Mourinho’s Porto. Recent performances in the 2014/15 and 2016/17 campaigns when they reached the quarter and semi finals respectively will give the team from the French Principality the confidence to repeat those feats. In a battle of the Champions League underdogs, which side will make a statement on matchday seven?

Prediction: Monaco 1-2 Aston Villa

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