Champions League is Back! Three Plays to Target on Matchday 1
Written by: BettingThePitch
Last Update: Tue Sep 08, 2026, 10:21 am ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
UEFA
THE CHAAAAAAMPIONS!
Champions League football is officially back, and we have three loaded days of action ahead.
I'm excited to have the best club competition in the world back on our screens. I'll have articles out for all three days, so make sure you're following along on social media and Betting News.
One thing worth remembering with this new format is that you don't have to dominate the league phase.
PSG proved that during their last two title runs, finishing 11th and 15th in the league-phase table.
That's why I think this format can produce plenty of upsets and, more importantly for us, goals.
Teams know the first objective is getting into that top 24 and reaching the knockout rounds.
With that said, let's get into the plays!
Head over to our Soccer Picks Page for our expert's soccer analysis, or read my best bets below.
Featured Plays
- Serhou Guirassy Anytime Goalscorer (+100)
- Borussia Dortmund vs. Villarreal Over 3 Goals (-130)
- Real Madrid vs. Inter Milan Over 3 Goals (-150)
Borussia Dortmund vs. Villarreal
Guirassy and Dortmund kick off their 2026-27 UCL season at home against Spanish side Villarreal.
This is going to be a difficult matchup for the Spanish side.
Dortmund are coming off a wild comeback victory in the Bundesliga.
They trailed Hoffenheim 2-0 before storming back to win 3-2.
We've already seen how quickly this Dortmund attack can flip a match.
They can be direct, aggressive, and put opponents under pressure in the blink of an eye.
The Hoffenheim match started slowly.
Once the first goal arrived, though, the tempo completely changed.
I could see something similar happening here.
As I mentioned earlier, goals matter in this Champions League format.
Home teams should be looking to take advantage of these spots and secure three points whenever possible.
Dortmund's new faces and young signings will also get their first Champions League experience with the club.
I expect the hosts to be on the front foot for most of the match.
That brings me to Serhou Guirassy.
He's scored in both Bundesliga matches he's started this season and already looks to be in form.
At even money, I like him to keep that streak going.
Villarreal, meanwhile, have struggled to start their La Liga campaign.
They're winless through four matches and have conceded at least twice in three of them.
Despite those results, the attacking numbers have been encouraging.
Villarreal are still creating chances and have enough quality to punish mistakes.
That's important because Dortmund haven't exactly been perfect defensively.
They left plenty of openings against Hoffenheim.
If they do that again, Villarreal have the quality to make those mistakes count.
I expect Dortmund to create plenty at home, but I also like the visitors to contribute.
That makes Guirassy and the full-game over my two favorite angles.
Plays: Serhou Guirassy Anytime Goalscorer (+100), Borussia Dortmund vs. Villarreal Over 3 Goals (-130)
Plays: Serhou Guirassy Anytime Goalscorer (+100), Borussia Dortmund vs. Villarreal Over 3 Goals (-130)
Real Madrid vs. Inter Milan
What a matchup to open the Champions League campaign for Los Blancos.
There's also plenty of history between Jose Mourinho and Inter Milan.
Mourinho famously led Inter to the treble during the 2009-10 season.
They won Serie A, the Coppa Italia, and Champions League in one of the greatest seasons in club history.
I'm sure there will be some emotion attached to this reunion.
I also expect the traveling Inter supporters to give their former manager a warm reception.
Now, let's get to the actual matchup.
I've been impressed with what Mourinho has done with Real Madrid so far.
Tactically, they've looked solid, and he's pushed the right buttons with his substitutions.
The biggest issue has been finishing.
Madrid have created more than 2.5 expected goals in every match this season.
They're consistently finding space inside the box and generating quality opportunities.
They simply haven't been clinical enough.
This Madrid attack is far too talented for that to continue forever.
I expect Kylian Mbappe and company to create another wave of chances at home.
My concern comes on the other end.
Madrid will be missing several important midfield pieces.
Arda Guler, Bernardo Silva, and Eduardo Camavinga are all unavailable for this matchup.
Aurelien Tchouameni is also dealing with a knock, making his fitness another question.
Those absences could create space in midfield.
That's exactly where Inter can hurt them.
The Italian side should also enter this matchup full of confidence.
They're coming off an incredible comeback victory over Napoli in their last match.
Inter's defense isn't what it once was, but their attack can still cause serious problems.
Their physicality and aggressive style should test this Madrid side.
I expect Real Madrid to score multiple goals at home.
However, with the midfield absences and Inter's attacking quality, I don't trust Los Blancos to keep a clean sheet.
Give me goals at the Bernabeu.
Play: Real Madrid vs. Inter Milan Over 3 Goals (-150)
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