Champions League Round 2 Preview, Matches on October 13
Matchday 2 of the Champions League league phase brings fans back to top-level club football after the international break. On October 13, nine matches await in Europe's premier club competition, from debutants from Baku to major clashes in Madrid and Istanbul. We break down every game.
Sabah – Slavia Prague
Azerbaijani side Sabah play the first home match in their history in the Champions League proper. In the opening round, they received a harsh lesson at Old Trafford (0-4), and now it is time to show what they can do in front of their own supporters. Slavia also failed to pick up points, but they arrive on a run of 16 away matches with at least one goal scored, making the Prague side favourites.
The teams have never met before, so neither holds a historical advantage. After the heavy European defeat, Sabah focused on domestic competition, where they recorded two wins and a draw, and now want to carry that form onto the continental stage. Slavia still look the stronger side on paper, while their four-match winning run is also impressive.
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Lens – Sporting
Lens open their home Champions League campaign at Bollaert-Delelis against Sporting Lisbon. The French side have lost only twice in their last ten matches in the competition (five wins, three draws) and are chasing the first three-match winning streak in their history in Europe's premier tournament. However, the squad situation is not ideal: Todibo and Sima are out, while Gradit is also a doubt.
Sporting began their Champions League campaign with a 3-1 win over Galatasaray and followed that with another 3-1 victory against Braga in the Primeira Liga, so they arrive in good spirits. The visitors also have absences: Nuno Santos is definitely out, while Rodrigo Salazar is doubtful. Even so, there are reasons to expect goals. Six of Lens' last seven matches and 12 of Sporting's last 14 have gone over the total line.
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Arsenal – Lille
Arsenal host Lille at the Emirates and are clear favourites. The Gunners won their opening match against Napoli 1-0 while producing a huge performance advantage (3.6-0.31 in xG) and will aim to take maximum points from the opening rounds. They will, however, face Lille without Saliba, Hincapie and Tzolis.
Lille lost 2-3 at home to Betis in the first round and now travel to London looking for a response. Their chances appear limited, though, and even scoring may be difficult. Arsenal have kept clean sheets in five of their last seven home Champions League matches, a statistic that does not bode well for Lille. The Gunners should be expected to take all three points.
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Atletico Madrid – Manchester United
The headline match of the day takes place at the Civitas Metropolitano. Atletico narrowly lost 1-2 to Liverpool in the opening round, then produced a four-match winning streak in La Liga, including victory in the Madrid derby. Now they face another Premier League opponent. A defeat would threaten their chances of finishing in the top eight, so Diego Simeone's side will be fully motivated.
Manchester United thrashed Sabah 4-0 in the first round, but that was an easy first test and the real examinations begin now. The question is whether the Red Devils are ready, especially after failing to beat Tottenham even with a numerical advantage. The club's hierarchy still have doubts about Michael Carrick's readiness to lead the team, and Atletico may be able to exploit that uncertainty at home.
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Atletico Madrid – Manchester United
Viking – Bayern Munich
Norwegian side Viking face Bayern for the first time in their history. A full house is expected at the compact stadium in Stavanger. The hosts are in good spirits after a 2-0 away win over Brann that helped them stay top of the domestic league. The Champions League is a very different level, though, and Morten Jensen's side found that out in the opening round with a 1-3 defeat to Stuttgart.
Bayern started their campaign by comfortably beating another Norwegian side, Bodo/Glimt, 5-0, but then drew 2-2 with Augsburg in the Bundesliga despite 30 shots and four disallowed goals. The German giants will be determined to return to winning ways. Vincent Kompany can call on Kane, Olise and Diaz in attack, giving Bayern enormous firepower. Viking are likely to answer Bayern's high press with a low block and counter-attacks. Whether that is enough remains to be seen.
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Villarreal – Napoli
Villarreal host Napoli at the Estadio de la Ceramica. The Neapolitans were comfortably second-best against Arsenal in the opening round despite the narrow 0-1 scoreline, and now want to respond in Spain. Villarreal have the same aim after beginning their campaign with a 2-3 defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
Unlike their opponents, Villarreal have a fresh injury blow: Nicolas Pepe underwent eye surgery and will definitely miss the game, reducing the hosts' chances. Bookmakers still make Villarreal favourites, even though Massimiliano Allegri recently tested a back three that worked well in a 3-0 Serie A win over Frosinone. It will be interesting to see whether the Italian sticks with the winning tactical setup.
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Galatasaray – Barcelona
Rams Park, one of Europe's loudest stadiums, welcomes the most exciting team of the early season. Galatasaray started their Champions League campaign poorly with a 1-3 defeat to Sporting and have also dropped points in the Super Lig despite sitting top. That is why odds around 10.0 on a home win are understandable.
The Turkish crowd can put pressure on any opponent, but Barcelona look too strong even without Raphinha. They have won all nine matches at the start of the season and scored fewer than three goals in only one of them. Galatasaray will try to make it physical and use aggression, but one of the tournament favourites should still have enough quality to get the job done.
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Inter – Club Brugge
A black-and-blue clash awaits at the Giuseppe Meazza as Club Brugge visit Inter. The Nerazzurri need three points after losing 1-2 to Real Madrid, where Cristian Chivu's side played well but wasted numerous chances. Yann Sommer, returning to a stadium that was his home not long ago, will face a difficult task keeping a clean sheet.
Club Brugge lost 2-3 to Aston Villa in the opening round, showing quality in attack but clear defensive weakness. Ivan Leko's side are on a three-match winning run in Belgium, although they do not lead the league. Inter are traditionally strong at home, so this is a difficult trip for Brugge. Still, the visitors should have a realistic chance of scoring.
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RB Leipzig – PSV
Leipzig suffered a shock 1-4 defeat to Como in their opening Champions League match and are under clear pressure. A recent 6-0 win over Eintracht, featuring a Christopher Nkunku hat-trick, eased that pressure somewhat, but Martin Demichelis' side are still far from consistent.
PSV, coached by Peter Bosz, who knows German football well, travel with motivation to prove themselves. The Dutch side drew 1-1 with Shakhtar and have also failed to take their usual place at the top of the domestic league. The match should be intense. Both teams like to attack but remain vulnerable at the back, creating ideal conditions for an end-to-end contest.
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Summary
The opening day of Champions League Matchday 2 offers several strong storylines. Atletico and Manchester United will test who is ready to fight for a top-eight place, Bayern travel to Norway looking for straightforward points, and Galatasaray will try to stop a dominant Barcelona in Istanbul's deafening atmosphere. You can choose a reliable bookmaker and compare odds for these matches here: https://scores24.live/en/sportbooks
