Sports Mole provides score predictions and previews for all of today’s Champions League fixtures, including Inter Milan vs. Arsenal.
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After storming through their first three fixtures, Champions League leaders Aston Villa aim to extend a perfect start when they visit Club Brugge on Wednesday.
Jan Breydelstadion will host the teams’ first meeting, with Villa topping the table on maximum points and the Belgian champions languishing outside the playoff places.
We say: Club Brugge 1-2 Aston Villa
Across Club Brugge’s last 15 Champions League matches, they have either conceded at least two goals or kept a clean sheet – managing to do the latter on six occasions.
It may be asking too much to keep Aston Villa’s attack at bay for 90 minutes, though, and the hosts are set to suffer another defeat.
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> Watkins out? Emery decides on Duran: Predicted Aston Villa XI vs. Club Brugge
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Two underperforming teams, both domestically and on the continent, meet in one of the Champions League’s early kick offs on Wednesday, when Shakhtar Donetsk face Young Boys in Gelsenkirchen.
Neither side have won or even scored a goal in this competition so far after three matches, with both facing an uphill struggle to make it into the top 24.
We say: Shakhtar Donetsk 1-1 Young Boys
While both sides will see this as an opportunity to get off the mark in front of goal, the search could go on for an elusive win for two sides who have been well off it in Europe so far.
The war means Shakhtar are still without the benefit of home advantage, while Young Boys have fallen off a cliff this season, and wins have still been hard to come by since the change of manager.
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Barcelona will be looking to win their third successive game in the Champions League when they travel to Serbia to take on Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday night.
The Catalan giants are also bidding to win their third straight away match without reply in all competitions, while the Red-Whites enter this contest having won just one of their last six home games in the Champions League.
We say: Red Star Belgrade 0-4 Barcelona
Red Star are sure to reminisce about their memorable 2-0 win over Liverpool in the Champions League six years to the day of their clash with Barcelona, but it is difficult to envisage the Serbia giants pulling off an almighty upset against Flick’s in-form crop on Wednesday.
Indeed, Barcelona have been scoring goals for fun recently and we can see the Catalan giants cruising to another comfortable win in Belgrade.
> Click here to read our full preview for this match
> De Jong, Kounde to return? Predicted Barcelona lineup vs. Red Star
> Araujo, Torres, Christensen latest: Barcelona injury list for Red Star clash
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Both aiming to bounce back from chastening Champions League defeats on matchday three, Bayern Munich and Benfica lock horns at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday evening.
Vincent Kompany’s men were humbled 4-1 by Barcelona in their most recent European affair, while the Portuguese giants went down 3-1 at home to Feyenoord last time out.
We say: Bayern Munich 3-1 Benfica
Benfica have let in at least two goals in each of their last five Champions League games with Bayern Munich, who have been in free-scoring mode since being left battered and bruised by Barcelona.
Expect that trend to continue at the Allianz Arena, where Kompany’s men should not emerge unscathed on the defensive front but will surely possess too much firepower for Lage’s troops.
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Still searching for their first points in the Champions League, Red Bull Salzburg travel to the Netherlands to take on Feyenoord at De Kuip on Wednesday night.
While Die Rote Bullen have won only one of their last six away matches in all competitions, their Rotterdam-based counterparts are bidding to win their fourth home match in five games.
We say: Feyenoord 3-1 Red Bull Salzburg
Salzburg can ill-afford to drop too many more points if they wish to keep their slim hopes of reaching the knockout rounds alive. However, keeping it tight at the back has been a real struggle and they may find it difficult to come out on top against a Feyenoord outfit that should still have enough quality in the final third to outscore their opponents, despite the absences of Gimenez and Milambo.
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With their Premier League title challenge already faltering, Arsenal have some domestic mistakes to rectify in Wednesday’s Champions League blockbuster clash with Inter Milan at San Siro.
While the Gunners were bested 1-0 by Newcastle United at the weekend, Simone Inzaghi’s side survived a huge scare at home to Venezia in Serie A and share their visitors’ seven-point total in Europe this season.
We say: Inter Milan 0-0 Arsenal
Even if Odegaard is given the green light to make the trip to Milan, he is highly unlikely to start, and Arsenal’s attacking endeavours should therefore prove fruitless against a dogged Inter backline.
Inzaghi’s team were found wanting in the attacking third themselves at the weekend, though, and as the visitors have a near first-choice defence available, a goalless draw is not beyond the realm of possibility.
> Click here to read our full preview for this match
> Ex-Gunner running the midfield show: How Inter could line up against Arsenal
> A long-awaited return for Odegaard? Arsenal predicted XI against Inter
> Any chance for Odegaard? Arsenal injury list for Inter Milan clash
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Both struggling to match expectations in this year’s Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid will convene at Parc des Princes on Wednesday.
PSG and Atleti have never met before, but the clubs’ coaches are familiar foes: Luis Enrique and Diego Simeone have gone toe to toe 14 times on the touchline, with the former posting nine wins to three for the latter.
We say: Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Atletico Madrid
In a battle between youth and experience, PSG’s young guns should prevail, as Atletico Madrid are enduring an identity crisis and rarely produce their best on the road.
Only Inter Milan have fielded an older average lineup than Atleti this season, and they are clearly a declining force.
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Champions League debutants Brest will endeavour to preserve their unbeaten status in the 2024-25 league phase when they face Sparta Prague at epet ARENA on Wednesday night.
While the hosts are seeking to avoid losing back-to-back home games in the space of four days, the visitors are looking to win their third successive away match in all competitions.
We say: Sparta Prague 1-2 Brest
Securing all three points will be the target for both teams in Wednesday’s contest as they bid to boost their hopes of reaching the last 16. There is little to separate these two clubs, but we are backing Brest to take advantage of Sparta Prague’s defensive frailties and grind out another positive result in Europe.
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Two teams that love to attack will clash in the Champions League on Wednesday, as Stuttgart host Serie A high-flyers Atalanta BC.
One point separates the sides before their meeting at MHPArena, with both sitting just inside the playoff places after three matchdays.
We say: Stuttgart 1-1 Atalanta BC
A closely-matched contest should end with the spoils shared, as Stuttgart reign supreme on home turf and should halt Atalanta’s winning run.
The visitors are a well-oiled machine under Gian Piero Gasperini, but Sebastian Hoeness has already proven he can go toe to toe with Europe’s top bosses.
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