Champions League - Matchday 2

Barcelona (1/9) v Spartak Moscow (33)

Barcelona should have comfortable return to the Champions League against Spartak Moscow, who have kept just one clean sheet in ten games this term. However there's little value with the home side so short and it might pay to leave the game alone.

Advice: No bet.

Bayern (2/5) v Valencia (8)

Bayern Munich will want European glory more than ever having failed to win on their home ground last season and with 14 wins from their last 16 European games, they should have enough to overcome a solid but weakened Valencia side, who lost Jordi Alba to Barcelona this summer. They won’t be pushovers for sure – they held Madrid and lost just 1-0 at Barcelona – but have score dat least 3 goals in their 3 league games and are worth a cheeky wager to do so again.

Advice: 1 pt Bayern to score 3 or more goals (13/10 Stan James)

Braga (1/2) v Cluj (7)

Braga are likely to be considered home bankers to beat Cluj but the home side have lost a lot of attacking threat in selling star striker Lima to Benfica and they may be involved in a low scoring game tonight. The overwhelming majority of Braga’s home games last season in Europe were under 2.5 goals and a small play may be the best bet for the value of the game, while 1-0 Braga should appeal given how Cluj have lost their last 6 games on the road in this competition.

Advice: 1 pt Under 2.5 goals (5/6 general)

Celtic (5/2) v Benfica (5/4)

Celtic are back in the Champions League after a long absence but get as stuff as start as they could have wished for when facing Benfica, who made the quarter finals last year and should feel unlucky not to have made a better impression against Chelsea. 5/4 is a tempting price for the visitors but this is made tricky by the fact that Celtic have beaten Benfica without losing a goal on all three occasions the Portguese have visited Glasgow, while suffering only two defeats in 18 home fixtures in the Champions League. That came at time when they had a much higher quality team though, reflected by the fact that they now have just eight points from 5 games in the SPL. With neither team looking uber solid, the best bet maybe over 2.5 goals given the better attacking nature of both teams.

Advice: 1 pt over 2.5 goals (evs general)

Chelsea (8/5) v Juventus (9/4)

The marquee tie of the night with Juventus – who went all of last season unbeaten in Serie A, letting in just 20 goals all season – back in the competition for the first time since 2008/09. While the Old Lady represent great value for the trophy, a trip to Chelsea is one of the hardest tasks in Europe – they won each home game they had last season on their way to winning the trophy – so a loss here would be no great problem for Juventus. With that mind, and the value on under 2.5 goals gone, the game is best watched.

Advice: No bet.

Lille (6/4) v BATE Borisov (9/5)

BATE Borisov haven't won any of their 12 Champions League games (seven defeats, five draws) but currently lead a Lille side who have scored just one goal in each of their last 6 fixtures and it’s no sure thing that they’ll come back and take the win either. Leave this game well alone.

Advice: No bet.

Manchester United (1/9) v Galtasaray (33)

Manchester United have responded to a horribly dire showing when losing to Everton with two wins and three goals scored in each. Galatasray are fairly poor travellers and should represent yet another win for the Red Devils, and another three goals look to be on the cards.

Advice: 2 pts Manchester United to score 3 or more goals (4/7 Stan James)

Shakhtar Donetsk (3/10) v FC Nordsjaelland (16)

Shakhtar have won only one of their last eight Champions League games but they’ve won 5 on the bounce and will get few better opportunities to right this wrong than Norsdelland, who like to offer plenty in attack but aren’t upto this class.

Advice: 1 pt Over 2.5 goals (2/1 general)