The league phase of the UEFA Champions League enters its deciding stages. With just a handful of games left to play, teams will be scrambling to maximize their gains, minimize their losses, and secure a spot through to the next phase.
With nine games on the Wednesday schedule, our staff has come through with 4 picks. Continue reading for our Champions League best bets for Wednesday, December 10.
Champions League Best Bets
The club logos in the table below represent each match that our soccer betting staff is targeting from today's games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Match | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 12:45 p.m. | |
  | 3 p.m. | |
  | 3 p.m. | |
  | 3 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our soccer Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
F.C. København vs. Villarreal
Villarreal has endured a difficult start to the Champions League campaign, meaning it likely needs three wins from the last three matches to make it to the knockout playoffs. However, this clash looks to be the Yellow Submarines' most straightforward test at the Estadio de la Cerámica, so we are backing the home side at -1.0.
Copenhagen has lost both of its away matches in the league phase thus far. The Danish side was beaten 2-0 in Qarabag despite being the favorite in that game, and then 4-0 against against Tottenham. Thomas Frank’s side was reduced to 10 men just before the 60-minute mark, but still scored two more goals in a comprehensive win.
Domestically, the Spanish side has been in excellent form, winning its last six league games, netting an average of 2.5 goals per match, two more than it has conceded. Marcelino will be hoping his team can replicate that level of performance here, which would likely be enough to cover the Asian handicap line set by the bookmakers.
Pick: Villarreal -1.0 Asian Handicap
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Newcastle United vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Newcastle are the favourites on the 1x2 market, but they face a Leverkusen side that has looked strong in recent Champions League outings.
Since Kasper Hjulmand took charge at Lerkusen, they have lost just four of their 18 matches across all competitions, with four of those ending in a draw. They have what it takes to avoid defeat here, but a draw is more appealing than a home win after Leverkusen’s physically taxing defeat against Augsburg at the weekend.
Newcastle have played nine away matches across all competitions this season, winning just two and drawing three. A lacklustre away record means that it’s difficult to back Eddie Howe’s team as favourites, but a draw is a distinct possibility.
Pick: Draw
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Napoli vs. S.L. Benfica
Napoli earned an impressive home win over Juventus at the weekend, but their away form leaves a lot to be desired. Antonio Conte’s side have won just four of their nine away matches across all competitions this season, scoring an average of 1.11 goals per game, and conceding 1.56. Napoli have also failed to win both of their away matches in the Champions League.
Benfica had also struggled on home turf since Jose Mourinho came in. The legendary boss has taken charge of six league or Champions League matches at the Estádio da Luz since taking the role, winning just two. Three of those games ended in a draw.
With neither of these teams finding their best form in the Champions League thus far, the draw is definitely the most appealing bet.
Pick: Draw
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Manchester City vs. Real Madrid
Manchester City recorded an impressive 3-0 win over a tricky-to-beat Sunderland side over the weekend. Pep Guardiola’s side dominated proceedings, and while Real Madrid should prove to be a more challenging test, City enters the game as the more confident team.
Real Madrid were beaten 2-0 by Celta Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu. The result puts even more pressure on Xabi Alonso, with talk of fallouts with some of Los Blancos’ star players dominating the headlines in Spain. Real have now won just two of their last nine matches, a stark contrast to City. They have managed two wins and three draws during that run, but this run of results isn’t acceptable in Madrid.
The crowd at the Bernabeu could turn on the manager if Manchester City makes a fast start here, making the odds for an away win very appealing.
Pick: Manchester City To Win
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