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#3 Real Madrid to get a dazzling win at Shakhtar Donetsk
13-time UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid are the most prestigious team in Europe. They are also the only team to defend the UEFA Champions League and win it for three consecutive seasons. Unfortunately, their glory days seem to be well and truly behind them, as there are hardly enough showstoppers at the club to make a difference.
Real Madrid were handed one of their most humiliating defeats in the UEFA Champions League on the second matchday by debutant Sheriff Tiraspol. The Moldovan club completely outplayed Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu to clinch a historic 2-1 win.
Real Madrid are making the trip to Shakhtar Donetsk this week for their third UEFA Champions League group stage fixture. Eden Hazard and Daniel Carvajal will miss the game with injuries, but the rest of the squad is fit and raring to go.
Carlo Ancelotti is desperate to erase the horrors of his side’s defeat against Sheriff. That desperation could lead to engaging football and lots of goals against Shakhtar on Tuesday.
#2 Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to get on the scoresheet
After dominating the world for over a decade, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are nearing the twilight of their careers. While Messi has struggled a bit to settle in at Paris Saint-Germain, Ronaldo has recently endured a difficult patch at Manchester United.
Despite the concerning symptoms, we expect the Ballon d’Or winners to impress and score in the UEFA Champions League this week.
Messi’s PSG is set to take on RB Leipzig this week, while Ronaldo’s United prepare to go up against Serie A side Atalanta. Both veterans are set to feature and could prove to be clinical in front of goal.
While Messi’s only goal for PSG came against Manchester City on matchday two, Ronaldo scored the decider against Villarreal the same gameweek. Both have fired a couple of blanks in their respective leagues since then but should return to goalscoring form in the UEFA Champions League this week.
#1 Liverpool to extend their unbeaten run against Atletico Madrid
2018-19 UEFA Champions League winners Liverpool are enjoying a purple patch at the moment, especially in the Champions League. Jurgen Klopp’s side have played scintillating football over the last two matchdays, scoring eight goals and conceding three. They made hard work of their win over AC Milan, but bulldozed past Porto on matchday two.
Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, drew their first match and barely nicked a win against AC Milan on matchday two. Fortunately for Atletico, they have managed to keep clean sheets in their last three matches at the Wanda Metropolitano, but stopping Liverpool will be difficult.
The Reds are currently on a 20-match unbeaten run and have scored 27 in their last eight outings. Los Rojiblancos will need a miracle to stop Liverpool’s steamrollers, and we are not confident of the Spanish champions' chances.
