The Champions League continues this week with 18 more matches as the group stage heats up.
My Champions League best bets for Gameweek 3 highlight Atletico Madrid vs Stuttgart, Napoli vs Bodo/Glimt, and Manchester United vs Como.
Keep reading for my full analysis and expert picks.
Champions League Best Bets
| Match | Time (ET) | Pick | |
|---|---|---|---|
  | Tues. 3:00 p.m. | ||
  | Tues. 3:00 p.m. | ||
  | Wed. 12:45 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. | |||
Stuttgart vs. Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid heads to MHPArena to kick off against an undefeated Stuttgart side at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
Stuttgart has been a middling team in the Bundesliga so far this season with just two wins in six matches, but the German side is a perfect 2-0-0 in the Champions League thanks to victories over Slovan Bratislava and Viking FK.
Week 3 will bring a whole new challenge, though, as they face Atletico Madrid, a semifinalist in last year’s tournament.
Atleti cruised to a 2-0 win against Manchester United last week, and the Spanish side is currently hot on Barcelona’s tail in La Liga with an impressive 7-1-1 record and just eight goals conceded in nine games.
Atletico Madrid has won six straight matches overall, outscoring its opposition 14-2 over that span. I’m surprised that we’re getting such a good price on the visitors in this matchup, and I believe they will pick up three points on German soil.
Pick: Atletico Madrid Moneyline (+110)
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Napoli vs. Bodo/Glimt
Napoli aims for their first win of this Champions League campaign when they welcome Bodo/Glimt to Diego Armando Maradona Stadium at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
The Italian side is winless in the Champions League after two tough matches against Villarreal and Arsenal, while Bodo/Glimt is 1-0-1 with a shocking 1-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in Week 2 and a crushing 5-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in Week 1.
Despite their middling 3-1-3 record in Serie A this season, Napoli has been solid at controlling play – they rank fifth in expected goals per 90 (1.90), but they’re also the fifth-most unlucky team in terms of expected goals vs. actual goals (-0.47).
Napoli has a strong midfield led by Kevin De Bruyne and Scott McTominay, so they should control play and ultimately take three points from a less talented Bodo side.
Pick: Napoli Moneyline (-165)
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PSG vs. Manchester City
Manchester United look to get back into the win column in the Champions League when they face Como at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Wednesday at 12:45 p.m. ET.
Como is an up-and-coming Italian side that earned its first-ever berth into the Champions League this season thanks to a fourth-place finish in Serie A last year.
The club managed by Cesc Fabregas is having another strong campaign in Italy, sitting fifth in the table with a 4-2-1 record.
Como was handed their first loss of the Champions League by Feyenoord last week despite going into the match as the favorite, and I see the same happening in Week 3 against Manchester United.
The Red Devils are undoubtedly having a disappointing campaign thus far with just one win in seven Premier League matches, but they’ve been solid in the Champions League.
United beat Sabah FK 4-0 in Week 1, and despite the 2-0 loss to Atletico Madrid last week, the English side played a competitive game. Expected goals were close but slightly tilted in Atleti’s favor (1.42-0.98), while Manchester United had the edge in big chances (4-1).
This will be a step down in competition for the Red Devils, who are too good to pass up at +190.
Pick: Manchester United Moneyline (+190)
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