Matchday 2 of the Champions League features a standout group game as Christiano Ronaldo’s Juventus host Lionel Messi’s Barcelona. The two may have met multiple times a year in Spain, but this new chapter in their rivalry should be riveting TV with important points on the line.
Juventus vs. Barcelona
The single biggest question for this game is the status of Cristiano Ronaldo. He has been quarantined after contracting Covid-19 earlier this month, but he has a possibility of being able to feature if he is able to return a negative result 24 hours before the Wednesday night game. Obviously, Ronaldo is a huge draw in this contest, and all fans, except those supporting Barca, will hope he is able to feature. There are big concerns for Juve in defense, however, with both Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini on the sidelines and Matthijs de Ligt a big injury doubt.
Barca will be without at least three key players for the clash too. Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and defender Samuel Umtiti are still out with knee injuries while attacking midfielder/winger Philippe Coutinho will be missing with a hamstring complaint picked up in their Clasico defeat on Saturday.
The injuries at the back are a big worry for Juve and they won’t be nearly the same side if Ronaldo doesn’t play. Either way, these are a couple of squads in the early season malaise and a draw feels like a good bet at 2.40 with BetXChange.
Club Brugge vs. Lazio
The good news for Club Brugge is that a trio of players that had tested positive for Covid-19 last week are back in training and eligible for this one after having a negative test. That means that Simon Mignolet, Odilon Kossounou, and Michael Kremencik will all likely play a part against the Italians here.
This is the first-ever meeting between the two sides and the winner will be in outstanding shape to progress as both clubs won their opening round matches. Lazio has more injury worries than Club Brugge do, though Manuel Lazzari and Andreas Pereira have returned to fitness. They will, however, be without the likes of Senad Lulic and Stefan Radu, While the status of the influential Sergej Milinkovis-Savic is up in the air.
Club Brugge are second in the Belgian Pro League while Lazio has had a pretty disastrous start to their Serie A campaign and sit 12th. I like the home team to pick up an upset win here as they are in better form overall at 1.96 with BetXChange.
Manchester United vs. Red Bull Leipzig
United look to have a fully fit attacking lineup with Edinson Cavani making his debut against Chelsea at the weekend and Mason Greenwood returning from two matches out in the same contest. Anthony Martial is also available as his suspension only applies to domestic competition. The only players missing from contention thought injury according to boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are Jesse Lingard, Phil Jones, and Eric Bailly
The German side has some serious injury concerns ahead of their visit to Old Trafford. Right-back Nordi Mukiele picked up a thigh injury at the weekend and will need to pass a late fitness test to make the matchday squad. This is a team already without Konrad Laimer and Lukas Klostermann through injury, while Amadou Haidara is in quarantine. Kevin Kampl and Tyler Adams are also injury doubts.
Add these injuries to the players RB Leipzig lost over the summer and it is hard to see anything other than a win for United in Manchester on Wednesday night. They are the bet at 1.27 with BEtXChange.
