Choice of experts from the Champions League, predictions, best bets: Real Madrid dominates, Bayern Munich Top Chelsea, more
A new season of the UEFA Champions League is officially around the corner, with Matchday 1 promises an entertaining start To what is, hopefully, an exciting season to come.
Match 1 will be spread over three days with measures Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, offering a projector to European Titans every day while they start to sail on the road to the final of May 30 at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. The headliner act of the week will be Chelsea Travel to Bayern Munich, who marks the return of the blues to competition after an absence of two years and offers a confrontation between the English attackers Cole Palmer And Harry Kane.
Munich will not be the only European metropolis to have a very publicized action, Real Madrid welcoming Marseille in Tuesday and Barcelona matching Newcastle United to close the calendar of day 1. This week’s matches serve as registration for many teams of the best in the continent, some of which are under a new direction or try new tactical styles – will train his first match of the Champions League in charge of Real Madrid after having introduced a certain stability to the team, while the champions Liverpool The New-Look and Attack team will have a chance to impress against Atletico Madrid.
The CBS Sports team offers its expert choices and predictions. Take a look below.
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Here are our choices of experts for this day:
Tuesday
Day game: Real Madrid against Marseille
Player to look: Arda GullerReal Madrid: He could warmly warm Jude Bellingham’s headquarters in Madrid XI, but Guller was one of the first beneficiaries of Xabi Alonso’s mandate so far, playing the fourth more minutes of the liga of any field player so far this season. He used them well, delivering two goals and a assist. It also turns out to be a precious element of a press which seems much more effective than the usual output structures of Madrid. – Jacques Bengge
Man of the match: Vinicius JR, Real Madrid: After scoring two goals in the first four Laliga games, the Brazilian striker will be called to have an impact in the first game of the Champions League of the season, which will take place on Tuesday at Santiago Bernabeu. All eyes will be on him and the French striker Kylian Mbappe, who will face French opponents in what was classic when he played for PSG. However, these are the kinds of matches where Vinicius must shine to show the world that he is one of the best players in the world, and he generally delivers. – Francesco Porzio
Prediction: Real Madrid 2, Marseille 1 It is still early for Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid, but a few weeks after his first season, it seems that the new manager could find his way. It seems to build a competent and robust version of the team, a version which may not increase the scoring but which is always very effective, upgrading their eight to two opponents in their perfect start for the Laliga season after four games. Alonso did it while turning through his options, but keeping Kylian Mbappe at the top of a 4-2-3-1, bringing the balance to a team that was sorely missing for years. Expect a similar display against Marseille on Tuesday while they are starting to target another deep race in the Champions League. – Pardeep Cattry
Best bet: Real Madrid to win UCL (+800): This place can generally be for a choice specifically on the match, but the value is difficult to find with Real Madrid being heavy favorites to take care of business business. Back to their best under Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid is in their way on their way this season and it is without Jude Bellingham being available. Once the Englishman is back to action, a large team will only improve, while this time was critical for the growth of Arda Guller. This will give Real Madrid more game change options on the bench while Kylian Mbappe continues to put the ball at the back of the net to the UCL final. – Charles Stand
Wednesday
Day game: Bayern against Chelsea
Player to watch: Michael Olise, Bayern Munich: Three goals and a decisive pass through these three opening Bundesliga games, Olise did she jump from the high-level perspective to the legitimate superstar? The way he ran through RB Leipzig in particular suggests it and if there is a team that he will be determined to excel against this will be Chelsea, of which he left the Academy at 14. – James Benge
Man of the match: Harry Kane, Bayern Munich: The English striker is in great shape. He already has five goals and three assists in the first three matches of the Bundesliga season with Bayern Munich, and also scored two goals during the opening match of the National Cup and a goal in the German Supercup for a total of eight goals in the first five matches of the season. This is why there is a good chance of seeing him on the match sheet of the first match of the Champions League of the 2025-26 season against Chelsea on Wednesday. – Francesco Porzio
Prediction: Bayern Munich 2, Chelsea 1: Chelsea has a lot of promises, as shown in their recent UEFA conference league league and the club World Cup titles, but the inconsistency is a determining aspect of the Blues Enzo Maresca version since he took care of a year ago. This has been the case so far this season with some lethargic attack performances in their file, even on the days when they won points. The return of Cole Palmer of a short-term injury should help, but Bayern Munich can be a little more composed on Wednesday, and the cheat code which is Harry Kane will probably take them above if everything else fails. – Pardeep Cattry
Best bet: Bayern Munich to win and the two teams to score (+168): Chelsea improved, and they could not have recovered Cole Palmer at a better time, but the attack on Bayern is different from all that their defense has presented itself so far in the young season. Harry Kane and Michael Olise can find the bottom of the net with ease, and Bayern has so many different ways of injuring a team. Their defense has room for growth, where the two teams will find the bottom of the net, but that will not prevent Bayern from winning home victory. – Charles Booth
THURSDAY
Day game: Newcastle against Barcelona
Player to watch: Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona: The brilliant Lewandowski was on fire at this stage of last season competition, marking nine of the 11 which he fixed in the Champions League 2024-25. He also enters the game of some welcome rest, playing only 22 minutes against Valence, but still finding the net twice. It seems that Hansi Flick concluded that he wanted the 37 -year form and dismissal for the biggest games and that should be one of them. – James Benge
Man of the match: Raphinha, Barcelona: After marking a splint in the last home game against Valence, Raphinha should start and offer another great performance Thursday against Newcastle. The Brazilian winger, despite the departure of the bench, immediately showed why he was considered one of the best attackers in the world when he was involved in the action. Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski have also become the first pair of teammates both leaving the bench and marking a splint in a match in the best of the best leagues in Europe since the beginning of 2015-2016, showing the importance of the depth of the list led by German manager Hansi Flick. – Francesco Porzio
Prediction: Newcastle United 1, Barcelona 2: Lamine Yamal will be a very notable absence for Barcelona, but the strength of the Hansi Flick team is that the scorer’s responsibilities are generally divided between a few players, so Raphinha and Ferran Torres could intervene in the absence of Yamal. Expect a closely disputed match against a team from Newcastle United which is generally solid, but may not have the offensive prowess necessary to fully enjoy the somewhat fled rear line from Barcelona. Nick Woltemade has scored his beginnings with a goal, but filling Alexander Isak’s shoes will be easier than done and the Champions League will be a great test of Woltemade’s capacity to adapt to its new role. – Pardeep Cattry
Best bet: raphinha to mark (+160): During the weekend after his arrival late, Raphinha responded with a bench splint. Without Lamine Yamal in the match, it will only put pressure on the Brazilian to find the back of the net, but it was effective enough to do it. This is a deep team that will give Newcastle United Fits on Thursday. – Charles Booth
