UEFA Champions League Matchday 3 can start to filter out contenders from has-beens
Once again, this intriguing first leg of the UEFA Champions League Match Days 3 and 4 home and home will begin to show us which teams are for real, and which teams might quickly be headed to the Europa League or to the exit from European play.
Manchester City is clearly going to win Group C, and can lock it up with a win over Olympiakos today and in three weeks in Greece.
Obviously, Bayern Munich is going to advance in Group A, even with a loss or draw in the next two against Salzburg (which looks unlikely to me).
Liverpool has won twice, but has a tricky trip to Bergamo today to face high-scoring Atalanta. But even without Virgil van Dijk, the reigning English champions have more than enough firepower to win in Italy. Also, you are telling me I can get Liverpool at plus money today?
OK. Twist my arm.
That leaves us with the mess that is Group B. Before the group stage began, Real Madrid and Inter were huge favorites to advance. But after these two matches, if one team gets four points, the other might be on the outside looking in, depending on the outcomes of the other matches in those two match days between Shakhtar and Monchengladbach.
If you had to pin me down, I would have to take Sergio Ramos and Real Madrid right now to get the better results over the next two games: I do not trust Inter.
Check Fubo.tv for channel listings
Salzburg (+650) vs. Bayern Munich (-300), draw (+475), 3 p.m. EDT (CBS All Access, TUDNXtra, and Fubo.tv)
THE PICKS:
Bayern Munich -1.5 (-115)
Bayern Munich -0.5 first half (-130)
BONUS PLUS MONEY PICK
Robert Lewandowski to score a hat trick (+500)
Real Madrid (-115) vs. Inter (+300), draw (+300), 3 p.m. EDT (CBS All Access, UniMas, TUDN, and Fubo.tv)
THE PICK: Real Madrid ML (-115)
Manchester City (-550) vs. Olympiakos (+1400), draw (+600), 3 p.m. EDT (CBS All Access, Galavision, and Fubo.tv)
THE PICKS:
Manchester City -0.75 first half (-115)
Manchester City -1.75 (-125)
Atalanta (+210) vs. Liverpool (+105), draw (+310), 3 p.m. EDT (CBS All Access, UniMas, TUDN, and Fubo.tv)
THE PICKS:
Liverpool ML (+105)
Mohamed Salah to score (-105)