Thursday's Champions League predictions and free football tips: Barca boys are on a roll

Where to watch

Red Star Belgrade vs Benfica
TNT Sports 4, 5.45pm

Feyenoord vs Bayer Leverkusen
TNT Sports 2, 5.45pm

Atletico Madrid vs Leipzig
TNT Sports 4, 8pm

Brest vs Sturm Graz
TNT Sports 5, 8pm

Monaco vs Barcelona
TNT Sports 2, 8pm

Best bets

Both teams to score & over 2.5 goals in Feyenoord vs Bayer Leverkusen
3pts 3-4 BoyleSports

Atletico Madrid to win & both teams to score vs Leipzig
1pt 23-10 Betfair, Hills

Mika Biereth to score at anytime in Brest vs Sturm Graz
1pt 10-3 bet365

Barcelona to beat Monaco
1pt 3-4 general

Thursday's Champions League predictions

Red Star Belgrade vs Benfica

Benfica were quarter-finalists in last term's Europa League but they face a testing start to their Champions League campaign away to Red Star Belgrade.

Red Star edged past Bodo/Glimt 3-2 on aggregate in the playoffs and will be reliant on home form in this season's competition.

Feyenoord vs Bayer Leverkusen

Having gone unbeaten on their way to the domestic double as well as reaching the final of the Europa League, Bayer Leverkusen were among the great entertainers in Europe last season.

And Die Werkself have already been involved in some humdingers this season, beating Borussia Monchengladbach 3-2 before losing by the same scoreline against Leipzig in their first two Bundesliga assignments.

They steered four past Hoffenheim on Saturday and there are no questions about their quality going forwards but they could be breached by Feyenoord, who racked up 92 goals in Eredvisie last term.

Both teams have scored in Feyenoord's last four matches and that is worth combining with over 2.5 goals in this contest at De Kuip.

Atletico Madrid vs Leipzig

Atletico Madrid and Leipzig have started their respective seasons on the front foot and a classic could be on the cards at the Wanda Metropolitano.

A 3-0 win over Valencia on Sunday was Atleti's third win in four games and they are the closest competitors to La Liga pacesetters Barcelona.

Leipzig, meanwhile, have taken seven points from three games and became the first team to beat Bayer Leverkusen domestically in nearly 18 months at the end of August.

On home soil, though, Atletico are a tough nut to crack, having won all five of their Champions League home games against Feyenoord, Celtic, Lazio, Inter and Borussia Dortmund last term.

An Atletico Madrid win looks the way to go but punters should combine it with both teams to score given Julian Alvarez, Antoine Griezmann, Benjamin Sesko, Xavi Simons and Lois Openda will be on show in this game.

Brest vs Sturm Graz

Brest's first European campaign in their 121-year history begins at home to Sturm Graz - a team who have not featured in the Champions League main competition since the 2000-01 season.

It is tricky to know what to expect from both sides and punters should instead look at the goalscorer markets.

Youngster Mika Biereth has shone since joining Sturm Graz, scoring nine times in 22 games on loan at the club last term before bagging four goals in six matches following his permanent signing this summer.

Brest's defence will be missing starter Bradley Locko and Biereth could capitalise with a goal.

Monaco vs Barcelona

Few teams have made a brighter start to the season than Barcelona, who have won all five of their La Liga fixtures this term under new boss Hansi Flick.

That run included a 7-0 dismantling of Real Valladolid and a 4-1 thrashing of last term's surprise package Girona and they look primed to build on last season's run to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Monaco have looked good in Ligue 1 but have not featured in the Champions League's main tournament since 2018-19 and are worth opposing.

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