The fourth round of Champions League games are upon us and once 
again, Tuesday and Wednesday night of the forthcoming week will see 32 of Europe’s finest sides do battle once again in the quest for Champions League Group Stage points.
The games this week are the reverse of the fixtures played a couple of weeks ago, which means that this time around, it is Manchester City and Tottenham who have the home fixtures (against Shakhtar Donetsk and PSV Eindhoven respectively) while Manchester United and Liverpool face away trips to Juventus and Red Star Belgrade.
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Three of the four English teams look in decent shape to qualify, with Liverpool and City both taking six points to lead their groups at this stage, while United lie second in their group behind Juventus, but with Valencia looking a threat.
For Spurs though, it is now a critical situation. With Barcelona leading the group with maximum points and Inter in second spot with six, Spurs and PSV have just one point apiece, which means that both sides will know that they must win the game on Tuesday night to stand any chance of progressing into the next round. And even then, they may be reliant on other teams to help them creep past Inter Milan into second spot behind Barcelona.
Let’s now take a look at the games for Tuesday and Wednesday night.
Champions League Fixtures
*Odds correct as of 11.20am on Monday 5th November 2018
Here’s our preview and Full Time Result tip for each of the 16 games taking place across both days of action. Kick off is 8pm, unless otherwise stated. Remember, if you fancy a flutter with bet365 Sport, you can sign up using the latest bet365 Sport New Player Bonus offer.
Tuesday 6th November
- Monaco v Club Brugge (5.55pm) – Home Win – 6/5
The teams battled out a 1-1 draw in Belgium a couple of weeks back but Thierry Henry will be hoping his new charges can find a win here. Their form domestically is very poor, but Club Brugge are not the toughest side in the world and after having drawn in Belgium, I think the French side will fancy their chances of landing their first win in the Champions League this season here.
- Red Star Belgrade v Liverpool (5.55pm) – Away Win – 2/11
After Liverpool ran out comfortable 4-0 winners in the first game at Anfield, the Reds will be hoping to secure another three points here in Belgrade. They’ll have to do so without Xherdan Shaqiri, who was left at home due to the political situation between Serbia and Kosovo, but even so, the Reds should have more than enough to claim a win here and what would be a vital three points.
- Atletico Madrid v Borussia Dortmund – Draw – 11/4
Dortmund produced the performance of the last round to defeat Atletico Madrid 4-0 on home soil and that win did show up that this Atletico side, especially in defence, is perhaps now starting to look a little old. They’ll be very tough to beat at the Wanda Metropolitano however, but even so, I am backing Dortmund to come away with a share of the spoils.
- FC Porto v Lokomotiv Moscow – Home Win – 4/11
Porto top group D with Lokomotive bottom of the table and without a win and with Porto having won the game in Moscow between the sides 3-1, they will be confident of at least replicating that result on home soil. Lokomotiv are not as bad as their result suggest, but even so, Porto should run out convincing winners.
- Inter Milan v Barcelona – Draw – 27/10
A crucial game in Tottenham’s group and one that both Spurs and PSV will hope Barcelona will win. Barcelona are in great form at the moment, but so too are Inter, after a 5-0 warm up win over Genoa at the weekend. Barcelona don’t travel well to Italy in general, and I think Inter may well surprise a few by earning a draw.
- Napoli v Paris St Germain – Home Win – 19/10
A massive game in Liverpool’s group could see PSG pushed to the brink of elimination. The French side needed a last minute equaliser to earn a point from their home game with Napoli and the Italian side have already beaten Liverpool on their home patch. This should be another cracking game and I am backing the Italians to get the better of that shaky PSG defence.
- Schalke 04 v Galatasaray – Home Win – 4/7
Schalke produced a dogged display the last time these teams met a couple of weeks back to earn a 0-0 draw in Turkey and I can’t see there being too many goals in this game on Tuesday, but I am backing Schalke to perhaps grab the one goal they may need to secure a win here, although I am almost 50/50 with this being another draw too.
- Tottenham v PSV Eindhoven – Home Win – 4/11
This is simply a must-win game for both teams. Five points behind Inter, but with the Italians facing Barcelona, if Spurs or PSV can win this, they offer themselves a chance to qualify from the group, albeit a long shot. As such, I am not expecting too much concern defensively here, especially late in the game and as such, I think that means Spurs better attacking players will come to the fore.
Wednesday 7th November
- CSKA Moscow v AS Roma (5.55pm) – Away Win – Evens
After a poor start against Real Madrid, Roma have really hit form in the Champions League in their most recent games and they have looked the form team in this group. They put CSKA to the sword in Rome earning a 3-0 win last time out and while the Russian side will be stronger on home soil, I still fancy Roma to come away with the win here to keep the pressure on Madrid.
- Valencia v Young Boys (5.55pm) – Home Win – 1/2
I think Valencia’s hopes of eclipsing Manchester United for second spot in this group died when they drew away to Young Boys last time out. With United winning in Switzerland, it means Valencia now need to get a result away to Juventus and I cannot see them doing that, even if they win this home game, which I am fully expecting they will.
- Bayern Munich v AEK Athens – Home Win – 1/12
Bayern have not enjoyed a great start to the season under their new coach Niko Kovac, but they have looked decent in the Champions League and this home game against AEK Athens, who knocked Celtic out of the tournament in the qualifying phase, should be a home banker as the odds suggest.
- Benfica v Ajax – Draw – 12/5
Ajax have been the surprise team in this group after earning a draw away to Bayern Munich and then beating Benfica on home soil last time out. Benfica will know a win here is vital if they are to stand any chance of qualifying for the knockout phase, but I do like the look of this young Ajax team and as such, I think they are good enough to grab a point here.
- Juventus v Manchester United – Home Win – 3/5
Juventus were thoroughly dominant in their 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford the last time the teams met and in truth, I cannot see anything changing in the game in Turin this week. United’s pace on the counter may be a problem, but Juventus are so well organised and strong at home, plus have so much talent, that they should win this one easily.
- Lyon v Hoffenheim – Home Win – Evens
This is going to be a pivotal game in Manchester City’s group. If City, as I expect they will, qualify as group winners, this game will likely be the one that decides who also qualifies. The game in Germany finished 3-3 a couple of weeks back, but Lyon should have won that game and I think they’ll put that right against Hoffenheim on Wednesday.
- Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk – Home Win – 1/9
City produced a solid display to earn a good victory in Ukraine the last time out and I think they will simply build on that performance in the home game. At the moment, City are playing the best football out of any team in Europe and there is no way I can see Shakhtar getting anything from this game if City are even 80% of the way to their best.
- Viktoria Plzen v Real Madrid – Away Win – 1/4
Plzen put up a brave display in Madrid, only going down to a 2-1 defeat but now with Santiago Solari installed as the new manager, Real will want to follow their win in La Liga at the weekend with another in the Czech Republic and in truth, this is a game that they should win and win easily, but I do expect Plzen to make it a tough evening for them.
