Champions League qualification continues on Tuesday, with teams now within touching distance of the group stages and a lucrative pay-day alongside the big boys of European club football.
The business end of qualifying sees three games take place on Tuesday and also on Wednesday, and we have picked out three matches that could bring plenty of excitement for punters.
Shakhtar to Pressurise Monaco
The first of them takes place on Tuesday, with Monaco hosting Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk.
Niko Kovac’s men have not enjoyed the best of starts in Ligue 1 this season, having started the campaign against by drawing 1-1 at home to Nantes, before losing 1-0 to Lorient on Friday evening.
In qualifying for the Champions League they have fared better; but questions are being asked about their form domestically.
Kovac’s side scored five goals in two legs against Sparta Prague, but Monaco are already playing catch up to Ligue 1 favourites Paris Saint-Germain.
While Monaco are flapping, Shakhtar have won three of their opening four league games, scoring eight goals in the process.
Shakhtar have only lost one of their last eight Champions League matches away from home, and their performances against the likes of Real Madrid, Inter Milan, and Manchester City cannot be ignored.
At 5/4, Shakhtar double chance looks a cracking bet, with Monaco yet to find their groove this season.
Ludogorets to Capitalise on Malmo Schedule
On Wednesday, Bulgarian champions Ludogorets will make the trip to Sweden to face Malmo, who beat Rangers in the previous round.
Malmo showed tremendous heart and spirit to beat the Scottish champions, eventually prevailing 4-2 on aggregate.
However, they are not the only team to have pulled off a shock, with Ludogorets beating Greek giants Olympiakos on penalties.
Malmo’s form in Europe seems to have hampered their domestic hopes, with Jon Dahl Tomasson’s troops drawing with Halmstad, before losing 3-2 to IFK Goteborg.
Meanwhile, Ludogorets’ last competitive defeat came back in May and they have the advantage of being rested.
They have been given a break from domestic duties, but Malmo’s domestic league is 15 games old and that schedule could come back to bite them – Ludogorets look an inviting price at 59/20 to win.
Expect Fireworks in Lisbon
Elsewhere on Wednesday, Benfica welcome Dutch outfit PSV Eindhoven to town, with both teams – who met in the European Cup final back in 1988 – bang in form.
The two sides are in the early stages of their domestic campaigns and the formbook suggests both will be bang up for the occasion.
Goals are not something either side struggle with, with Benfica scoring eight goals in their last four matches in all competitions. PSV have been even more free-scoring, netting 12 times in five games.
In the three previous meetings between the pair, there have been 13 goals scored, and over 2.5 goals looks the way to go at 20/23.
*All odds correct at time of writing
