Champions League 2021/22 Matchday 3 betting predictions

The UEFA Champions League returns this week as Europe’s top clubs go toe-to-toe in Matchday 3 of the group stage. Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool is the headline act as we look at the best bets for Tuesday and Wednesday’s fixtures.

Ajax vs Borussia Dortmund

Most will point to the clash at the Wanda Metropolitano as the obvious match of the round, but this one is a contender. Both Ajax and Borussia Dortmund have six points from two games in the Champions League, but it is the Dutch side who sit top of Group C thanks to a whopping +6 goal difference.

Ajax’s stats this season are something else; in 11 games across all competitions, they have scored 39 goals and conceded only three. Dortmund, meanwhile, sit only one point off the top of the Bundesliga table and come into this clash on the back of a commanding 3-1 win against Mainz.

While it is difficult to compare teams from contrasting leagues, Ajax’s performances in the first two weeks of Champions League play have certainly put them on the radar. Dortmund are strong, but the home side offer a bit of value.

Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool

It was Atletico Madrid who dumped Liverpool out of the Champions League in 2020, so you can bet the Reds will be determined to square the ledger on Tuesday night. Jurgen Klopp’s side come into this clash off a superb 5-0 win over Watford that featured another wonder-goal from the red-hot Mohamed Salah, so their preparation could hardly have been better.

At the other end of the prep spectrum, Atletico Madrid have not played since the first weekend of October. While that match ended in a 2-0 win over Barcelona, that isn’t quite the same accomplishment as it was when Lionel Messi was still at Camp Nou. That said, Atleti are well and truly in the hunt for top spot in La Liga and can leapfrog Liverpool at the summit of Group B with a win this week.

There will be no shortage of talent on the field in this clash, and Luis Suarez facing his old side will add a bit of spice to proceedings. Atletico have thwarted in-form Liverpool sides in the past, but it is hard to bet against the Premier League giants in this one.

Paris Saint-Germain vs RB Leipzig

As per usual, Paris Saint-Germain are cruising at the top of Ligue 1, where they hold a nine-point lead only 10 weeks into the season. Their Champions League form, however, makes for interesting reading; after a disappointing 1-1 draw with Club Brugge on Matchday 1, they followed up with a 2-0 win over Manchester City.

RB Leipzig have endured a tough start to the campaign. They have already fallen eight points off the lead in the Bundesliga, while they are dead last in their Champions League group after a 6-3 loss to Man City and a 2-1 home loss to Brugge.

There isn’t much else to say about this matchup. We might not have seen the best of PSG yet this season, but that only makes them more dangerous going forward. With the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar at their disposal, the French giants should do enough to cover the handicap.