Champions League Picks

The Champions Leagus returns to action this mid-week, but who will start off their campaigns with a victory and the three points? Let’s preview two of the opening Tuesday’s fixtures.

Group A - FC Twente v Inter Milan:

The reigning champions kick off the defence of their Champions League title in the Netherlands at the home of last season’s Dutch league champions. They were slow out of the blocks last season, but can they collect all three points first time around this season? Sportsbooks make Inter the odds on favourites to win the match at 1.85, with Twente available at odds of 4.50 and the draw can be backed at 3.40.

This season, Twente started off the defence of their domestic league title slowly as they drew their first two matches 0-0. Since then they have won their following three games and they sit third in the table, just two points behind giants of the game PSV and Ajax. In their five games so far they have scored nine goals and conceded one and they seem to have made the transition to their new manager, following the departure of former England boss Steve McClaren, very well and they a good side and Inter will not find it easy to claim all three points.

Since Jose Mourinho left Inter Milan to take over the reins at Real Madrid and former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez stepping into his shoes, Inter have been inconsistent. They will hope that it is just ‘New Manager Syndrome’ where it takes a while to get used to new methods employed by the new man in charge, but after Benitez’s poor last season at Liverpool we will have to wait and see. Benitez guided Inter to an impressive 3-1 win over Roma in the Italian Super Coppa final in his first competitive game in charge, before slumping to a 2-0 defeat against the impressive Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup. They then started their Serie A campaign off with a 0-0 draw at Bologna before claiming their first victory at home to Udinese 2-1 last weekend. Can they pick up another win in this match?

The two sides have never met before and although this is Twente’s first ever Champions League game I expect to see them get something from the match, and although Inter are blowing hot and cold I feel that they have a decent performance in them. As a result of this my money is on the draw at odds of 3.50 at the sportsbook.

Group C – Manchester United v Rangers:

This clash sees the first meeting between Manchester United and Rangers in the Champions League since Alex Ferguson’s men won both home and away fixtures in the 2003/2004 campaign. Can Rangers get revenge and beat United at Old Trafford? SPORTSBETTING.com say no as they make the home side the 1.17 favourites to claim all three points.

Manchester United have started off the Premier League season well, but a lack of concentration has cost them dearly. At home they have claimed two wins from two games, scoring six goals and keeping two clean sheets, however away from home they have thrown away four points in injury time as they Fulham and then Everton this weekend scored three goals in added time to claim two draws against last season’s runners up. Alex Ferguson will not be happy with the way that his side threw away two points against Everton on Saturday, can they appease him with a win here?

Rangers have started the Scottish Premier League season well, winning all four games and sitting level on points with league leaders Celtic. The only problem that the Scottish side have had is that they have leaked at least one goal in three of their four games this season and should they continue to do this they face a large defeat at Old Trafford this Tuesday. Can they tighten things up defensively for this game?

I feel that Rangers are in trouble for this game and that they are in for a beating. I expect Manchester United, with Wayne Rooney eased back into the side, to win this game comfortably. As a result of this my money is on Manchester United to win by at least three goals.

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