UEFA Champions League Matchday 1 Predictions Including Barcelona vs Newcastle

This matchup is an intriguing one, Barcelona’s youth academy keep them competitive, looking at recent transfer windows, Newcastle has significantly outspent the La Liga champions, and yet conventual wisdom has Barcelona favored to secure the three points over the well-funded Premier League side. Prediction: Barcelona 2 Newcastle 1

Monaco at Club Brugge

Club Brugge has struggled to start the season in Belgium, but did find form when they needed it in the Champions League playoffs. Monaco will be happy with their recent results. They have won 3 of 4 matches in Ligue 1, US MNT striker Folarin Balogun is the key man. The experienced Eric Dier anchors the defence, and Japanese international Takumi Minamino is a danger man on the wing. Former stars Aleksandr Golovin and Paul Pogba are out injured for Monaco, but Ansu Fati could be a bench option.

Brugge are a steady side, but lacking starpower given their budget and transfer policy, the veteran Belgian midfielder Hans Vanaken is the heartbeat of this side, and 19 year old Jorne Spileers is already showing incredible promise in the backline. Playing at home, they should be able to pin down Monaco and keep it close, but a win might be too much to ask on their current form. Prediction: 1-1 Draw

Bayer Leverkusen at FC Copenhagen

Bayer Leverkusen made global headlines when they sacked former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag just weeks into his tenure at the club. ten Hag was clashing with both club management and his players. Leverkusen made the Champions League by finishing second in the Bundesliga last year, but their squad was dismantled and largely rebuilt this summer. Seven key names left the squad, and in came players like Jarell Quansah (ex-Liverpool), Lucas Vasquez (ex-Real Madrid), and Malik Tillman (ex-PSV). The new manager for Leverkusen, Kasper Hjulmand from Denmark, will be no stranger to facing FC Copenhagen. Playing with two red cards over the weekend, Hjulmand’s side defeated Frankfurt 3-1.

Copenhagen are an unheralded side, fantastic in Denmark’s league, but typically limited by their budget out of having greater ambitions. Danish international Thomas Delaney is in the midfield, and Norwegian international Mohamed Elyounoussi teams up with new signing Youssoufa Moukoko from Dortmund in the attack. Playing at home, Copehagen hopes to take advantage of the chaos at new-look Leverkusen.

If we’re going to see an upset, this seems like as good of a match as any, it’s hard to get a read on where Leverkusen are, and Copenhagen are worthy of respect. Prediction: FC Copenhagen 2 Bayer Leverkusen 1

Galatasaray at Eintracht Frankfurt

The depth of the Bundesliga will be tested when Frankfurt hosts Turkish champions Galatasaray. Galatasaray is currently flying in the Turkish league, unbeaten, Ilkay Gundogan has joined the midfield, Leroy Sane is on the wing, and they still have plenty of talent, even if star striker Victor Osimhen is unfit to play.

Frankfurt won two of their first three Bundesliga matches but suffered an ugly defeat on the weekend to Leverkusen. Former Copenhagen midfielder Oscar Hojlund is in this side, and 19 year old Can Uzun, a Turkish-German player who will relish the chance to take on the Super Lig champions. Frankfurt has young talent, Galatasaray has more Champions League and European experience, and are desperate to finally make a meaningful run in this competition. The domestic success has not translated to European nights in recent seasons.

Missing Osimhen is a major absence for Galatasaray, winning away looks tough without him, but they should walk away with a point for their troubles in what could be a high scoring and free flowing clash. Prediction: 3-3 Draw

Napoli at Manchester City

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City remain a dangerous team, but the aura of inevitability has faded from this side. They are 2-0-2 to start the Premier League season, thrashing a hapless Manchester United in the derby over the weekend, but also suffering surprise defeats to Tottenham and Brighton. Erling Haaland for club and country continues to make his case for best striker in the world, and he’ll need to be at his best when his side host Napoli.

The Italian champions have a perfect three wins out of three in the domestic league, Rasmus Hojlund the ex-Manchester United striker is already finding form at his new club, and Kevin De Bruyne, now at Napoli, remains all class for club and country, He will be eager to show Manchester City what they are missing with his transfer on Thursday. Scottish international Billy Gilmour, Noa Lang, and David Neres are also in the Napoli attack, it’s a solid squad under the legendary Antonio Conte.

Manchester City start Italy’s starting goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma now, Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan has joined as well, while Phil Foden is heating up again. Both sides are evolving presently, playing at home, you can’t discount Manchester City, but it won’t be easy for Pep’s side, and De Bruyne magic feels likely at the Etihad. Prediction: 2-2 Draw

Kairat Almaty at Sporting CP

Portuguese champions Sporting CP host the footballing minnows Kairat Almaty in their Champions League debut. 4-0-1 with their only loss to hated rivals FC Porto in the early returns from the domestic league, Sporting CP continue to be a solid side. Kairat upset Celtic and Slovan Bratislava to make it this far, the Kazakhstan Premier League is one of the least known in the UEFA region though and it’s hard to tell if this squad can handle the rigors of Europe.

The Sporting CP squad has suffered in the transfer market, star strikers Viktor Gyokeres and Conrad Harder are gone, as is midfielder Dario Essugo to Chelsea. Colombian international Luis Suarez, who just scored four goals for his country in World Cup qualifying, was brought in to lead the attack, along with Greek international Fotis Ioannidis from Panathinaikos. Reliable players like Francisco Trincao and Pedro Goncalves are still here however.

Kairat are expected to setup defensively focused, 37 year old Belarussian Alyaksandr Martynovich is the club captain, former Porto player Luis Mata is at left back and will feel comfortable playing in his home country. If goals are going to be scored, it’s likely to come from the talents of Dastan Satpaev, a 17 year old Kazakh international who is headed to Chelsea when he reaches 18. The depth and talent of Sporting CP should eventually overwhelm Kairat, but this matchup is worth watching. Prediction: Sporting CP 4 Kairat Almaty 0