With Match Day 5 This Week, Here are Four Key UEFA Champions League Wednesday Matches

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Here were are, at the business end of the UEFA Champions League Group Stage, seemingly only a few months after the last campaign ended.

Well, not seemingly: Bayern Munich just won the title three months ago in Lisbon.

But that was last season. Wednesday, the second half of Match Day 5 kicks off with eight games, most of which have key implications on which teams will be headed to the knockout stage draw on December 14.

So here are four games, in three groups, that will help clear up the picture by 5 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday.

Group E

Sevilla (+160) vs. Chelsea (+175), draw (+230)

3 p.m. EST (CBS All-Access, TUDNXtra, and Fubo.tv)

Both teams have won all three of the other games they have played beside the first day 0-0 draw in London, and both are on 10 points. Chelsea leads the group currently with a plus-eight goal difference, but a win for either team would lock up top spot due to the head-to-head first tiebreaker.

Prediction: This is going to be another battle, but I would side with Sevilla on the pick line, currently around -115 with Pointsbet.

Group F

Borussia Dortmund (-167) vs. Lazio (+400), draw (+340)

3 p.m. EST (CBS All-Access, TUDNXtra)

I think this Dortmund team is going to be a real threat in this tournament going forward into 2021, but they have to get past Lazio today, or at least find a way not to lose. Lazio beat Dortmund in Italy on Match Day 1, so they have the tiebreaker currently. Lazio also gets its Match Day 6 game at home, whereas Dortmund has to go to Russia in December, a tough task, especially if Zenit can get into the Europa League with a win.

Prediction: Dortmund has too much firepower offensively, and looks good on the -1 Asian handicap line at odds of +100.

Group H

Manchester United (+188) vs. PSG (+143), draw (+240)

İstanbul Başakşehir (+550) vs. RB Leipzig (-225), draw (+380)

Both games 3 p.m EST (CBS All-Access, TUDNXtra)

This group could be all but over after Wednesday’s games, or it could be all to play for on Match Day 6. The key match is the Manchester United PSG one at Old Trafford; if the Red Devils can get another result (win or draw) over the Parisian side, like they did on Match Day 1 (2-1 in Paris), they will move into the knockout stage. But if PSG wins, and RB Leipzig goes to Turkey and wins, then all three teams will be on nine points, and it will be PSG in control of the group.

Predictions: Turkey is a tough place to play, and United plays well against tough teams. I can see Manchester United getting a point to move on, and İstanbul Başakşehir to keep its hopes alive with a result.

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