After a couple of weeks away, the Champions League returns on Tuesday and Wednesday for more of their league phase. Three matchdays are in the books and we’re set up for Champions League: Matchday 5. The halfway point is where teams start to separate themselves from the pack. With first round byes in the knockout stage still within reach for virtually everyone, now is the time to make a move.
We’ve dug through all of the action for both days to find you the best Champions League bets. Come check out what we cooked up for the occasion.
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Champions League: Matchday 5 – Picks, Predictions, and Best Bets
Club Brugge (+360) over Sporting Lisbon
Club Brugge was big for us during Matchday 4. We correctly predicted that they’d pick up a draw against Barcelona at +400 and they did precisely that. What’s more impressive is that the offense really got going. 21-year old Ajax transfer, Carlos Forbs, was all over the net for them. Not only did he score twice on the formidable defense, but he was threatening all day. Apart from a 4-goal effort of Kazakh club Kairat, Sporting has not been able to get much going up front.
Real Madrid (-245) over Olympiacos
This may be a bit of a chalky play for Wednesday, but one that I believe still has a lot of value. We’re getting Real Madrid at a ridiculously low price being that they are coming off an ugly shutout loss to Liverpool. Meanwhile, Olympiacos looks like they have been playing for draws each time out. While they’ve managed a couple of them this campaign, they won’t against anyone with at least a bit of firepower.
Newcastle (+150) over Marseille
Marseille has dropped three of their first four matches in this Champions League. Their lone win came over Ajax, who looks like they’ve been entered into this tournament by mistake. Meanwhile, Newcastle buoyed by the up front play from Anthony Gordon, has been one of the best teams in 2025-26. They cling to the #6 spot in the table and will likely be on the rise after this one.
Athletic Bilbao (+145) over Slavia Prague
Okay, so backing Bilbao is a bit tough after the run they’ve had so far. They have lost three of the four they’ve played, but the strength of schedule really should be examined. Nobody had a harder earlier draw than they did with Arsenal, Dortmund and Newcastle in the early going. The lone game they played down in competition level – Matchday 3 against Qarabağ – they rolled. Gorka Guruzeta put up a brace and they controlled the whole game. Slavia Prague is still seeking their first win and fits the type of team that Bilbao should roll.
FK Bodo/Glimt (+210) over Juventus
FK Bodo/Glimt is another squad that hasn’t been at the top of their game during this campaign. Despite that fact, one thing you can’t doubt is their ability to put the ball in the net. They’ve stashed seven goals in their last two domestic games, and only failed to score in their last Champions League game due to being short a player thanks to a red card. Juventus, on the other hand, has had trouble finding the net lately – scoring just twice in three contests this month.
If you’d like even more Champions League: Matchday 5 bets, be sure to check out the Soccer Gambling Podcast. The guys are dropping weekly episodes to make you the smartest guy at the bar.
