The UEFA Champions League is back, with the 2026/27 league phase getting underway on Tuesday and several intriguing clashes on the opening night. Here are our best bets and predictions for four of Tuesday’s Champions League Matchday 1 fixtures.
ALSO READ: BetJets News’ Prediction: Barcelona To Win The 2026/27 Champions League.
Real Madrid’s meeting with Inter may grab many of the headlines, but there is plenty of betting appeal elsewhere on the Matchday 1 card.
Aston Villa travel to Belgium looking to kick-start a difficult start to the season against Club Brugge, Borussia Dortmund welcome Villarreal to the Signal Iduna Park, Manchester City face a potentially tricky trip to Porto, while Lille and Real Betis meet for the first time.
Club Brugge vs Aston Villa
Tuesday, 8 September – 18:45
Aston Villa desperately need something to spark their season.
Unai Emery’s side return to the Champions League after winning last season’s Europa League, but their start to the new domestic campaign has been anything but convincing.
Villa have collected just one point from their opening three Premier League matches and, more concerningly, are yet to score. Their goalless draw against Hull City on Friday at least represented an improvement, with Villa creating three big chances and generating 1.74 expected goals, but finding the back of the net remains a major problem.
Club Brugge present a difficult opponent in Belgium.
The Belgian champions have won four of their opening five league matches without conceding in any of those victories and have an excellent European home record. Brugge have lost only three of their last 22 UEFA matches at home, winning 13.
Villa know all about the danger of visiting the Jan Breydel Stadium. They lost 1-0 there during the 2024/25 Champions League league phase before returning later that season and winning 3-1 in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie. Villa ultimately won that knockout tie 6-1 on aggregate.
Their broader European record under Emery remains impressive. Villa have lost only three of their last 21 UEFA group or league-phase matches and kept nine clean sheets across their last 16 European fixtures.
The visitors’ lack of goals makes backing them outright difficult, though, while Brugge have also been defensively sound domestically.
This could develop into a cautious opener in which neither side wants to give too much away.
Prediction: Draw at 3.50.
Best Bet: Under 2.5 goals at 2.21.
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal
Tuesday, 8 September – 21:00
Dortmund couldn’t have asked for a much more encouraging opponent to begin their Champions League campaign against.
The German giants faced Villarreal at the Signal Iduna Park in last season’s league phase and dismantled the Spanish side 4-0, with Serhou Guirassy scoring twice.
Another Dortmund victory looks the strongest play this time around.
BVB have traditionally been formidable at home in this competition. They have lost just two of their last 22 Champions League matches at the Signal Iduna Park, winning 13 and drawing seven.
Their record against Spanish opposition at home is similarly impressive. Dortmund have lost only two of their last 15 home games against La Liga sides and have won the last three. Villarreal’s European numbers make for far less encouraging reading.
The Yellow Submarine finished 35th in last season’s league phase after collecting only one point from eight matches. They are now winless in their last 11 Champions League matches, losing nine, including their final six games of last season’s league phase.
Their away form in Europe is even more concerning.
Villarreal have lost five consecutive European away games without scoring, conceding 13 goals in the process.
There are some defensive issues for Dortmund, with Ramy Bensebaini and Nico Schlotterbeck suspended and Filippo Mané injured, which could give Villarreal some hope of making the game competitive.
But Dortmund should have too much attacking quality.
Guirassy scored twice against Villarreal last season and remains the obvious focal point of the BVB attack, while the Signal Iduna Park remains one of Europe’s toughest venues for visiting teams.
Everything points towards another Dortmund victory.
Prediction: Borussia Dortmund to win at 1.80.
Best Bet: Borussia Dortmund to win at 1.80.
FC Porto vs Manchester City
Tuesday, 8 September – 21:00
Manchester City may be favourites on paper, but this could be one of the trickiest games to call on Tuesday. Enzo Maresca’s side have started their Premier League campaign with three victories from three and seven goals scored, but they haven’t always been entirely convincing.
Their most recent outing was a narrow 1-0 victory over Coventry City, while Porto enter the Champions League in outstanding form.
The Portuguese champions have won all six of their competitive matches this season and have conceded only once. More importantly, the Estádio do Dragão has become a fortress.
Porto have lost just one of their last 14 UEFA home matches, winning 10 and drawing three. That record makes blindly backing City at a short price considerably less appealing.
Porto do have important absentees. Jan Bednarek is suspended, while Victor Froholdt, Samu Aghehowa, Oskar Pietuszewski and Zaidu Sanusi are among those unavailable.
City also have selection concerns, with Jeremy Doku ruled out and Nico O’Reilly a doubt.
Despite those absences, the visitors still possess one of the most dangerous attackers in world football.
Erling Haaland has scored three goals across his last two matches and netted eight times in 10 Champions League appearances last season. If City create chances in Portugal, Haaland will inevitably be the man Porto fear most.
The difficulty is trusting City defensively away from home in Europe.
They have lost six of their last nine Champions League away matches, while Porto’s home record suggests the Portuguese champions are capable of causing problems.
City have enough quality to score, but Porto shouldn’t be dismissed on their own ground.
Rather than picking a winner, goals at both ends looks the more attractive route.
Prediction: Man City to win at 1.68.
Best Bet: Erling Haaland to score anytime at 1.78.
Lille vs Real Betis
Tuesday, 8 September – 21:00
This could be one of Tuesday night’s most entertaining contests. Lille and Real Betis have never previously met in European competition, but both arrive with enough attacking quality to make their first encounter worth watching.
Lille’s European home record is particularly strong.
The French side are unbeaten in their last seven Champions League home matches in the group or league phase, winning four, and have lost only once in nine home meetings with Spanish opposition.
That solitary defeat is even more impressive in context given that Lille’s most recent home game against a Spanish club produced a famous 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in the 2024/25 Champions League.
Betis, however, shouldn’t be underestimated.
The Spanish side arrive in France after producing an excellent 1-0 victory over Real Madrid on Friday. They have also lost only one of their last 10 UEFA league-phase matches, winning seven.
Their European away record is strong as well, with Betis losing only two of their last 11 matches on the road.
The goals statistics make the both-teams-to-score market particularly interesting.
Lille have scored in nine consecutive matches in the Champions League proper, while none of their last 34 European games have finished 0-0.
Betis have an even more remarkable statistic: only one of their last 47 European matches has ended goalless.
There are also enough attacking weapons on either side to make chances likely.
Veteran Olivier Giroud gives Lille an experienced focal point, while Real Betis can call upon players such as Antony, Isco, Pablo Fornals and Troy Parrott.
Betis do have several injury doubts, including Giovani Lo Celso, Diego Llorente and Abde Ezzalzouli, which gives Lille a slight advantage.
Picking a winner is difficult, but both teams finding the net looks considerably more appealing.
Prediction: Lille to win at 2.22.
Best Bet: BTTS – Yes at 1.68.
BetJets News is crafted by a team of dedicated sports writers and betting experts. With deep knowledge of soccer, cricket, rugby, and more, our contributors deliver insightful tips, match previews, and betting strategies to help you make smarter bets.
