Sports Mole provides score predictions and previews for all of today’s Champions League fixtures, including Liverpool vs. Bologna.
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Girona will host their first ever Champions League match when Feyenoord make the trip to Montilivi in one of Wednesday’s early kickoffs.
Both clubs fell to defeat on matchday one, with Girona losing in heartbreaking circumstances, while Feyenoord were thrashed on home soil.
We say: Girona 1-1 Feyenoord
It will be a special occasion at Montilivi as the locals see their side walk out under the Champions League banner for the first time, but their recent results suggest a debut home win may be beyond them.
Girona will be the ninth different Spanish team Feyenoord have faced in Europe, and while the visitors are in no form at all domestically, and have lost on their last three trips to Spain, they could arrest that run here in a tight encounter.
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After both settled for goalless draws in their Champions League opener, Shakhtar Donetsk and Atalanta BC will seek a first league-phase victory when they meet in Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday.
Shakhtar face another Italian team after being held by Bologna, while La Dea came close to edging out Arsenal on the opening matchday.
We say: Shakhtar Donetsk 1-1 Atalanta BC
Although Shakhtar Donetsk cannot benefit from home advantage, Atalanta do not tend to travel well and have proven to be inconsistent this season.
The Italian side could be frustrated by very capable opponents in Germany, so both teams may find themselves on two points from as many league-phase matches.
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Reprising the 1982 European Cup final, Aston Villa and Bayern Munich will meet more than 42 years later in this season’s Champions League, as the German giants visit Villa Park on Wednesday.
Both sides emphatically won their first league-phase fixture on the opening matchday, with Villa striking three times in Switzerland and Bayern smashing nine past Dinamo Zagreb.
We say: Aston Villa 1-2 Bayern Munich
Bayern bulldoze their way past most opposition in Europe, and even a bouyant Aston Villa side will not stand in their way this week.
Villa’s back line remains vulnerable, so Kane, Olise and co can score more than once in Birmingham and move on to six points from six in the league table.
> Click here to read our full preview for this match
> Kane cleared for Bayern comeback? Predicted Bayern Munich lineup vs. Aston Villa
> McGinn misses out against Bayern: Predicted Aston Villa Champions League lineup
> Harry Kane’s record vs. Aston Villa
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Aiming to extend their winning run to five matches across all competitions, Benfica will welcome Spanish giants Atletico Madrid to Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica on Wednesday night in the Champions League.
The Eagles have hit a rich vein of form since a managerial switch last month, whilst Los Colchoneros are still fighting on with their long-serving head coach at the helm.
We say: Benfica 1-1 Atletico Madrid
Unbeaten since the arrival of new head coach Lage, Benfica should be relatively confident of providing a serious test for Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night.
Los Colchoneros can extend their unbeaten run to 10 matches with a positive result in Lisbon, and we reckon that Simeone’s troops will manage that particular feat with a share of the spoils.
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Aiming to respond positively following their Bavarian horror show a fortnight ago, Dinamo Zagreb will welcome in-form Monaco to Stadion Maksimir on Wednesday night in the Champions League.
Plavi have a new face in the managerial hotseat after a stuttering start to the campaign, whereas Les Rouge et Blanc are threatening to seriously challenge for both domestic and continental honours this term.
We say: Dinamo Zagreb 1-3 Monaco
Despite a morale-boosting win over a Croatian struggler over the weekend, Dinamo Zagreb are massive underdogs heading into Wednesday’s clash in the Champions League.
Monaco are flying on both domestic and continental stages so far this season and should face no issues as they look to extend their unbeaten run to eight matches.
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The Stade Pierre-Mauroy will host the first ever meeting between Lille and Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Reigning champions Real Madrid made the perfect start, beating Stuttgart on matchday one, while Lille returned to the top table of European football with defeat in Portugal.
We say: Lille 1-3 Real Madrid
Even without Mbappe, Real’s firepower is frightening, and despite being put under intense pressure by Stuttgart on matchday one, they should be able to add another three points here, simply by outscoring the opposition.
Lille’s home record in Europe is excellent, but they are the underdogs for good reason, and Les Dogues are set to lose four straight Champions League games for the first time since 2012.
> Click here to read our full preview for this match
> Will Courtois miss out? Real Madrid predicted lineup vs. Lille
> Courtois, Mbappe setbacks: Real Madrid injury, suspension update vs. Lille
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Squaring up to Italian opposition once again in the Champions League, Liverpool host Bologna in Wednesday’s matchday two fixture at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s first taste of European football on Merseyside comes after the Reds came from behind to sink AC Milan 3-1 at San Siro, while the Rossoblu held Shakhtar Donetsk to a respectable goalless draw on matchday one.
We say: Liverpool 3-0 Bologna
Bologna had 17 shots on goal against Shakhtar while only facing one on target themselves – a Georgiy Sudakov penalty saved by Lukasz Skorupski – but the roles will almost certainly be reversed at a vibrant Anfield.
The Rossoblu are not the same attacking or defensive force they were under Motta’s wing, and Liverpool should run into few roadblocks en route to another emphatic European victory.
> Click here to read our full preview for this match
> Three changes from Slot? How Liverpool could line up against Bologna
> Will Robertson, Nunez play? Liverpool injury list for Bologna clash
> Bologna ready for Anfield test: What can Liverpool expect in Champions League?
> Mohamed Salah’s record vs. Bologna
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After losing to a late goal on the opening matchday, RB Leipzig will target their first Champions League win of the season when unbeaten Juventus pay them a visit on Wednesday evening.
While the Bundesliga side were painfully edged out in Madrid, their Italian counterparts returned to UEFA’s top competition with a win over Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven.
We say: RB Leipzig 1-0 Juventus
Leipzig have conceded just two goals in four Bundesliga matches so far this season – and both of those came in the course of beating champions Bayer Leverkusen – while Juventus have shipped only one overall.
Naturally, it could be a close-fought contest, with one moment of magic enough to make the difference between two well-matched teams. A more potent attack should ensure that the hosts take maximum points.
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In the second round of fixtures of the revamped Champions League, Austrian champions Sturm Graz are set to host Belgian champions Club Brugge at Merkur Arena on Wednesday.
The home team began their European campaign with a 2-1 defeat against Brest on September 19 and are 26th in the Champions League table, while the away side lost 3-0 against Borussia Dortmund on September 18 and are sixth last in 31st place.
We say: Sturm Graz 1-2 Club Brugge
If Club Brugge can replicate their performance against Dortmund on Wednesday, then there is every chance they could make good on their opportunities in front of goal this time around.
It would not be surprising if the visitors scored first and found success during counter-attacks and take all three points.
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